Delft University of Technology is hiring a doctoral candidate on the subject of modeling the market integration of flexibility options. How to design, organize and regulate energy markets in such a way that flexibility options in all parts of the future, integrate energy system are developed and used in an economically efficient manner is one of the main challenges of the energy transition. In this position, you will work as part of a team of three doctoral candidates in a project called 'DEMSOSES: Designing and Modeling Systems of Energy Systems. In this project, TU Delft partners with TU Eindhoven, TNO and a range of industrial partners. The project is funded by NWO.

Your work will be to analyze and improve the design and regulation of markets for heat, electricity and gas, focusing on the efficient integration of these markets and of the retail and wholesale markets. You will do this by using and improving existing energy models that are provided by the partners and by coupling these models by using the model coupling software that is to be developed by the other researchers in the project.

Specifically, your tasks will be:

1. To describe existing regulations, market design elements and tariffs that affect investment in and the dispatch of flexibility options such as energy storage, demand response and controllable electricity generation technologies.
2. To expand a computer model of the Dutch energy system by combining it with models of heat grids and distriution grids for electricity and gas.
3. To assess the required institutional changes to support the optimal integration of all possible flexibility sources into the Dutch electricity market.

This four-year doctoral appointment will be supervised by dr. Laurens de Vries, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, and dr. Milos Cvetkovic, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. Sebastiaan Hers of TNO is the leader of the project's work package in which you will do most of your work, so you will work closely with him as well, part of the time on the premises of TNO. The research will be performed in collaboration with our other consortium partners.  

You like to work in an international, multi-disciplinary environment on energy-transition relevant problems, have an open personality and good English language skills. You are able to communicate and collaborate well with international consortium partners, colleagues and students.

You have a recent Master's Degree in a quantitative discipline and affinity with energy economics and/or energy systems analysis. You are at the top of your class and enjoy performing research. You are independent, self-motivated and eager to learn.      

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.

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 € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 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 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.

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 Technology, Policy and Management

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

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