In its multi-annual plan, the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has identified three challenges, among them climate crisis and scarcity of materials. The plan also outlines three strategic themes to address them, including Circularity in the Built Environment and Climate Adaptation & Energy Transition. The present vacancy for a professor of architectural timber is one of the targeted actions to execute that plan.

The developments in engineered bio-based solutions such as CLT, LVL, Glulam and natural fibres (e.g. flax and hemp) offer unprecedented opportunities for using renewable and low-carbon materials at scale. This could provide the high-quality sustainable building solutions needed to accommodate the high demand for low carbon  buildings.

This calls for an integrated effort in education and applied research on bio-based construction materials and systems in order to skill-up the current and future generations of building designers and engineers to create these resource-efficient buildings. As professor your primary focus will therefore be on educating and inspiring future architects and building engineers, because their design decisions have a considerable impact on the quality of future buildings and on decarbonising the built environment. You will also seek to push the boundaries of materiality, performance, form, energy, and the aesthetics of architectural timber and bio-based materials by means of original applied research performed independently and in collaboration with other colleagues.

You are expected to further strengthen the portfolio of the department of Architectural Engineering and Technology at TU Delft and lead to an internationally distinctive teaching and research agenda in architectural timber and bio-based materials.

In particular, you are expected to:

• Be a recognised or emerging leader in the field of timber / bio-based materials evidenced by a track record of innovation in the design and construction of timber / bio-based buildings.
• Be an excellent communicator and demonstrate the willingness to lead your own activities as well as support the work of colleagues.
• Be experienced in teaching or interacting with larger and smaller audiences.
• Be committed to applying teaching methods that link research and design.
• Be acquainted with applied research streams that tie into the overall focus of the department and faculty.
• Be committed to establishing relationships with architectural and engineering practices that are at the forefront of the use of timber in buildings as well as with timber trade organisations and national / international certification bodies.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead and support colleagues in teaching courses that strengthen the timber-in-buildings agenda in existing bachelor’s and master's programmes, especially in the Building Technology master track.
• Demonstrate the ability to initiate and support research funding applications and establish meaningful research collaborations with other stakeholders.
• Demonstrate the ability to contribute to research publications and other academic output.

Knowledge of Dutch is welcome, but not required at the start of the position.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation. An International Children's Centre offers childcare and there is an international primary school.
Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. We expect you to obtain a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years if you have less than five years of teaching experience. This is provided by the TU Delft UTQ programme.

TU Delft sets high standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. The TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. If you do not speak Dutch, we offer courses to learn the Dutch language.

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 and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

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.

The department of Architectural Engineering and Technology (AE&T) is at the forefront of education and research in building technologies and is based at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. The department consists of a group of researchers, educators and practitioners exploring the application of innovative engineering and novel technologies in architectural design and construction. The AE&T department has 4 sections: Architectural Technology, Environmental & Climate Design, Digital Technologies, and Heritage and Architecture. Each section has a specific focus and expertise but all operate at the interface of Design, Engineering and Architecture. The department has a strong track record of deploying new technologies and innovative approaches in buildings such as low carbon materials, circular building products, efficient structural and climate design strategies, new digitisation and computational technologies. The AE&T department is thus uniquely equipped to address some of society’s most pressing needs.