Design urban rainwater solutions for climate-adapted cities with aquifer storage and advanced water treatmentJob description Interested in ensuring sufficient high-quality water to meet the current and future urban water demand, using a combination of nature-based solutions and advanced, state-of-the-art treatment and aquifer storage techniques? Would you like to deepen your technical expertise, gain practical experience with the design and evaluation of innovative urban rainwater management solutions, and earn a Doctor of Engineering (EngD) accreditation? The Civil Engineering and Geosciences Faculty of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) offers a degree program where you will solve a practical, integrative, and complex problem in cooperation with Delft water-tech startup: FieldFactors. As an EngD candidate, you study, on average, two days per week at the TU Delft, following dedicated courses, and apply your learning three days per week on your individual design project.
We offer a 2-year EngD, embedded within the research project GreenLED: Nature and LED based rain water treatment for reuse in green cities, funded by EU LIFE. The goal of the project is a robust technology that meets quality standards for large volume, close-contact non-potable applications in the urban context. Water recovered through city-block-scale rainwater harvesting and storage schemes will be treated to remove pathogens using the treatment train of biofiltration, followed by aquifer storage and recovery, and finally UV-LED disinfection technology, before water re-use takes place. High quality water will then be made available in the city centres of two European cities to enhance water availability. In this project, you will develop monitoring strategies to assess if the water quality from the system is sufficient, and make with models optimal designs of this nature-based solution.
Activities in this position include 1) commissioning of two new circular water systems; 2) establishment and execution of technical monitoring protocols which utilise online and continous water quality and hydraulic sensors to evaluate performance over 18 months; 3) conducting operational tests and gathering water quality data to assess treatment performance of biofiltration, aquifer recharge/recovery, and final disinfection steps at both installations; 4) applying models to improve the design and operation. Laboratory analyses will be carried out on samples collected in the field to determine the occurence and removal of common stormwater pollutants, contaminants of emerging concern, and pathogens which are relevant to applying recovered rainwater in non-potable, close-contact applications. Groundwater flow models (MODFLOW; PHREEQC) will be employed to evaluate and simulate pollutant and pathogen removal during the subsurface water storage. All of the above activites serve as a basis for developing an optimized design of this technology under site-specific conditions.
Your work will be carried out under the guidance of Dr. Anna Störiko, Dr. Job van der Werf, and Dr. Boris van Breukelen (Department of Water Management, TU Delft), and Joshua Gallegos (FieldFactors). The project also involves frequent collaboration with researchers at the Polytechnical University of Madrid.
Job requirements Required skills:
- Relevant Master degree in Environmental Sciences/Engineering/Microbiology, Hydrogeology/Hydrology, Earth Sciences, Chemical Engineering, or a related field
- Fluency and effective communication in English, both written and oral
- Microbiology lab skills
The following skills are preferred:
- Experience with field collection and water quality measurements techniques
- Experience in modelling of groundwater flow and solute transport, and scientific programming
- Knowledge of Spanish is a plus
- Pro-active communication skills and a desire and ability to work well in a team
TU Delft (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 of Civil Engineering and Geosciences The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.
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Conditions of employment We offer you a program where you will solve a practical, integrative, and complex problem in cooperation with a company in the private sector. You study, on average, two days per week at the TU Delft, following dedicated courses, and apply your learning three days per week on the project in practice.
TU Delft offers EngD-candidates a 2-year contract, with an official go/no go progress assessment after one year. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, based on scale TOIO and equivalent to those of a doctoral candidate. In the first year, you'll receive a gross monthly salary of €2901,- increasing to a maximum of €3378,- in the second year.
TU Delft offers a customizable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sports memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.
Please note: - A job of 38-40 hours per week.
- A salary based on Promovendus of the CAO for Dutch Universities with a salary between €2901 - €3707 gross per month based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
- An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
- The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
- Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
- Flexible working week.
- Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
- Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
- Partially paid parental leave
- Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.
Additional information If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Dr. Job van der Werf (
j.a.vanderWerf@tudelft.nl), Dr. Boris van Breukelen (
b.m.vanBreukelen@tudelft.nl), or Joshua Gallegos (
joshua@fieldfactors.com)
Application procedure Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than
30 April 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:
- Short motivation letter (max. 1 page) covering your research interests and relevant experience for this position
- 1-2 page CV and names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of two references (unless reference letters are attached)
- Copies of academic qualifications including list of courses and marks
You can address your application to Boris van Breukelen.
Please note: - We expect to hold the job interviews in June 2025.
- Intended starting date is 1-9-2025.
- You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
- A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
- For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
- Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.