An innovation ecosystem is currently being developed for the industrial replacement and renovation of bridges in the Netherlands. This is done with the help of a large government incentive fund, called the National Growth Fund and the Province of North Holland. In an approved programme, called Future-proof Living Environment, a large number of contractors, clients, engineering firms, suppliers and knowledge institutions unite in a joint mission to make the V&R task manageable and circular in a programmatic and industrial way.

An essential part of effective change is the viability of the alternative you're creating. That is why it is important that the bridge construction chain is made viable by making the processes as efficient as possible. In this project, you will propose a concrete reduction strategy for a critical part of the costs: the transaction costs of the circular measures that will shape the ecosystem.

The project aims to improve the viability of the circular measures through key technologies such as programmatic, industrial and digital techniques. In the infrastructure sector, the costs and benefits of circular construction are not yet sufficiently balanced, partly due to the low frequency and high-threshold transactions. This is a stumbling block because the transactions are quite comprehensive: one transaction carries a lot of impact (material and energy) but also high transaction costs. The primary consideration is transaction costs related to search and information costs, evaluation costs, contract and negotiation costs, and audit and compliance costs. A record will be kept of what these costs are and who bears them.

In the bigger picture, this insight contributes to the realization of a viable system innovation that stimulates the large-scale reuse of building elements and materials by eliminating high transaction costs to manage high-quality reuse. It is tackled integrally with the model of the 'transaction cost economy'. Together with cases from the participating parties, we identify the cost items and investigate the targeted implementation of a package of circular measures necessary for reuse transactions. These measures include digital techniques (especially trading platform, materials passport, certifications, and blockchain technology), industrial techniques (especially Industrial Flexible and Demountable (IFD) design and construction, off-site production, on-site assembly, modularity) and programmatic techniques (especially joint purchasing, project bundling).

You will work on the following main activities:

1. Mapping out step-by-step process changes and associated costs (including transaction costs) occurred to various stakeholders in the roadmaps of circular measures to enable industrialization (such as IFD, reuse, trading platform, lifespan extension).
2. Research into actual transaction costs within the industrial infrastructure chain and assessment framework and scenarios for reducing transaction costs.
3. Long-term monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness, impact and coherence of the circular measures on the new industrial chain.

We look for the following competencies in the successful candidate:

• Master in Construction Management and Engineering, Management in the Built Environment, Business Administration, Economics, Innovation Management, Supply Chain Management, or related field.
• Good Dutch language skills are an advantage.
• Excellent English proficiency in reading and writing.
• Strong skills in mixed method approach.
• Energetic and decisive in the collaboration with partners in the field.
• Communicative and enterprising, independent critical thinker and also the ability to work in an interdisciplinary research team.
• Willing to take the lead in research and involve practice partners in knowledge development and dissemination.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

From 1 September next, a salary increase of 3.7% applies due to a Collective Agreement amendment, followed by an additional 1% increase on 1 January 2025. In addition, most employees employed on 1 September 2024 will receive a one-off payment of €300 gross based on full-time employment.

Delft University of Technology

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Architecture & the Built Environment

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.