The Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship, in the Faculty of Technology, Policy, and Management of the Delft University of Technology, invites applications for a four-year PhD position in Technology Entrepreneurship beginning in Fall 2024.

The Delft Centre for Entrepreneurship (DCE) within the Delft University of Technology is seeking a motivated PhD candidate (m/f/d) to contribute to the dynamic research area of Technology Entrepreneurship with a focus on Immersive Virtual and Augmented Technology and Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing).

EXtended Reality (XR) promises to transform the way we learn, train, and work, enabling users to access knowledge from anywhere around the world, connect with people, and live enriched experiences beyond the physical limitations of the real world. Despite several technological roadblocks and challenges still to be addressed, eXtended Reality promises to revolutionise numerous industrial ecosystems, including manufacturing, education, and commerce. Identifying the strategic challenges to exploit new business opportunities and play an active role in this major transformation is essential for Europe. The PhD research intends to analyse the adoption and exploitation of eXtended reality and identify frameworks for entrepreneurial business opportunities. The research has a user-centric approach that will take place in a consortium of university and industry partners from aerospace, home appliances, and the energy sector.

This position further aims to advance the theoretical and empirical understanding of the Socio-Technological impact of these technologies. This project will align with the ongoing research at DCE, providing the candidate opportunities to engage with an international network of researchers focused on technology entrepreneurship. As part of the DCE team, which comprises thirteen dedicated educators and researchers, the candidate will receive comprehensive support and resources for their professional growth. Our collective mission at DCE is to enhance research and education, guiding our students to drive technological change within an entrepreneurial context. To aid this mission, the candidate will have access to our expansive entrepreneurial ecosystem, which includes various TU Delft faculties and leading tech incubators and field labs, such as YES!DELFT, TheGreenVillage, and RoboHouse.

We are looking for a candidate passionate about expanding this research avenue and who has a profound interest in and expertise in research methods, technology, and entrepreneurship. The position is amenable to individuals favouring qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods research approaches.

While the position is predominantly research-oriented, it can also encompass teaching and project management responsibilities to broaden your career perspectives. However, such duties will not exceed 20% of the working hours.

Research

This position is envisioned as an initial stride in an academic career. Candidates' evaluation will primarily hinge on their research qualifications and potential. Special consideration will be given to research abilities within the subject area, including a balanced assessment of theoretical and empirical knowledge and methodological competencies.

Teaching

As a PhD candidate in Technology Entrepreneurship, you may impart knowledge to engineering students across various faculties at TU Delft, contributing to the continuous development and improvement of our curriculum. Your instructional subjects will sharpen students' entrepreneurial acumen, aiding them in identifying opportunities, crafting business models, and formulating business and technology strategies. With our emphasis on practical education, you'll have the chance to collaborate with businesses and cultivate a network spanning multiple sectors.

As an ideal candidate, you relish the opportunity to engage in an academic environment and are driven to conduct top-tier research. You are eager to perform firm-level research, leveraging your outstanding networking and communication skills. Furthermore, you take great pleasure in teaching, coaching, and interacting with students, fueling their entrepreneurial capabilities with your profound knowledge of technologies.

Your qualifications also include:

• A master’s degree in engineering, Entrepreneurship, Business and Management, or another relevant discipline.
• A strong understanding of, and a genuine interest in, technology.
• Fluency in English.

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.

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 Technology, Policy and Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.