PhD Position Impacts of Climate Change on Wave Energy Resources

Job description

The Energy Transition is a high priority for many countries globally and Renewable Energies are a key pillar and contributor to mitigate Climate Change effects, maintaining global temperatures below 2 Celcius and address the United Nations Sustainable Development goals. However, Climate Change will affect available offshore energies resources in different ways.

This PhD will focus on long-term impacts on wave resources in the European Seas as part of a European Project, looking into numerical wave modelling and adaptation of floating wind and wave energy converters. You will join the Marine Renewable Energies Lab, working on developing a Digital Ocean Twin model, investigating how to reduce uncertainties and improve spectral numerical wave models. The work will consider past and future Climate Change scenarios, based on different realisations from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), followed by investigation fluid structure interaction for marine energy farms, and investigate them as mitigation methods.

As a PhD candidate you will join the Marine Renewable Energies Lab (www.tudelft.nl/ceg/mrel ), comprised by a vibrant team of researchers conducting interdisciplinary research in marine renewable, and is part of the Offshore Engineering Section, at the Hydraulic Engineering Department. The lab has a global outreach, and specialisation in all aspects of marine renewables covering resource, hydrodynamics, system integration and economics. You will be expected to contribute to the goals of the Lab overall research lines, actively participate in Lab meetings, take part in teaching and supervision activities with MSc students. You will be supervised by Dr. George Lavidas, and as part of this project, you will be given the opportunity to work with world leading academic and industrial partners.

For this project you will also collaborate with colleagues from the Coastal Engineering Section. As part of the project we expect you to participate in the coordination of research activities, contributing and ensure milestones and project deliverables are timely delivered. Writing scientific papers, attending international conferences, and the reporting to other project partners, are an integral part of this job.

Job requirements

• Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Physics, Ocean Engineering, Oceanography, Mechanical Engineering, or similar.
• Prior knowledge in wave modelling (WWIII, SWAN, WAM, etc) is highly beneficial.
• An interest to contribute to marine renewables and wave modelling is important.
• Knowledge of CMIP and advanced statistical methods is beneficial.
• Excellent programming skills (Fortran/Python/Matlab, etc).
• Self-motivated, curiosity-driven, open to communicating, and cooperating with others.

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.

& Geosciences.

Conditions of employment

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 € 2901 per month in the first year to € 3707 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.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Additional information

If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Dr. George Lavidas email: g.lavidas@tudelft.nl.

The start date of the position is in October 2025.

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 4 June 2025 upload the following documents:

• A motivation letter explaining your interests and relevant experience to the vacancy.
• Detailed CV including 2 possible reference names, that we will contact if you are short-listed.
• Abstract of your MSc thesis (maximum one page, in English).

You can address your application to Dr. George Lavidas.

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.

Please note:

• 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.