A growing need for remote access to public services as well as the need for effective and cost-efficient collaborative governments, are levering cloud computing technologies. Cloud services offer many advantages, particularly scalability and continuity of public services. However, the transformation to cloud services by governments also poses significant challenges due to the growing sustainability concern (energy consumption) and complexity in configuration for multiple providers/stakeholders under various (conflicting) functional and non-functional requirements (privacy, security etc.). Governments can source their services to SSC-ICT, who in turn have one or more service providers. The transformation towards future cloud services shall involve different stakeholders and accompany government arrangements in a sustainable manner.

Programmable/software-defined infrastructures together with advanced AI can ease the transformation towards cloud services and be used to empower users. Given the fast industrial transition to productionizing foundation models (e.g., LLM) as compared to the traditional machine learning models, we face unique challenges along this major shift from feature engineering to context construction, and from structured data to unstructured data. These developments demands new automated organizational configurations that can match dynamic requirements with stakeholder capabilities of the cloud users, aggregators and providers. The expected outcome of the research is are organizational configuration that results in success. The research will also develop a growth model to support transformation towards future cloud computing in the context of digital government initiatives. The necessary organizational capabilities will be identified for the configurations per stakeholder.

During the PhD, TU Delft offers personal and professional training courses in the form of a graduate school, in which the candidate will participate. Furthermore, in addition to her/his scientific supervisors, the applicant will receive an independent senior research as mentor, to aid her/his personal career development.

The research will be done in cooperation with a PhD researcher from the University of Amsterdam who will research Sovereign Norm-Compliant Cloud Services for the Digital Government and with governmental agencies. 

The successful candidate has:

• A master degree in Systems Engineering, Public Administration, Computer Science, Informatics or related field.
• A team oriented attitude, and strong communication and collaboration skills.
• The ability, willingness, and commitment to do autonomous work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Proficiency in written and verbal English communication.
• Command of the Dutch language, or a willingness to learn Dutch.

We strongly encourage members of broadly understood minority socio-cultural groups to apply. 

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.