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. It has a long history of doing research ‘with’ data. Think of:

• data on hydrodynamics, sediment transport and morphology in combination with hydrodynamic and morphodynamic models for coastal and riverine flood protection;
• data on soil properties, infrastructure state and load levels in combination with deformation and stability models for infrastructure state assessments (acceptable load levels, remaining lifetime);
• data on logistics in combination with transport models and optimisation techniques for the improved design of transport networks;
• data on the state of materials in combination with predictive models for material degradation for lifecycle predictions of aging infrastructure;
• data on water quantity and quality with time series analysis in combination with predictive models for water management purposes;
• data on vessel movements in ports and waterways, water levels, currents and bed levels in combination with port performance models for port infrastructure optimisation.

Data can come in various shapes and sizes. Think of data:

• from different sources: lab, field experiments, projects, monitoring programs, satellites, simulations, citizen science;
• of different quality: from old written notes in a historical document, to standardized measurements with strict protocols;
• of different sizes: ranging from a table with energy usage of one ship (kB) to measurements each minute for several years (MB) to large model runs (GB) to lidar point clouds for the whole Netherlands (TB) to the global archive of satellite observations (PB);
• with different owners: companies, governments, scientific community, crowd sourced; and
• with varying restrictions: privacy, security, open.

Data clearly plays a crucial role in nearly all of the research that is done in the Civil Engineering faculty, even more so with increasing attention for machine learning techniques. While there is a lot of attention for ‘research with data’ there is surprisingly little attention for ‘research on data’ within the faculty. We believe that given the current and growing importance of data and data-driven research it is essential to make one of the key ingredients of academic research an explicit topic of study and education, across the width of the entire faculty.

We are looking for an assistant/associate professor on “Data-driven research methods in Civil Engineering”. Within this topic the successful candidate is given the opportunity to develop a unique research line, complementing other research that is ongoing within the Civil Engineering faculty.

The faculty has many researchers that are used to working with data, models and tools often in close collaboration with governmental and industry partners. While researchers and external partners will have extensive experience with the datasets and methods they are familiar with it will be interesting for them to learn what other methods are available, within the faculty and in the outside world. Likewise successful approaches should be studied so that the effective elements may be identified, developed further and published.

The assistant/associate professor in “Data driven research methods in Civil Engineering”, while being stationed at the Hydraulic Engineering department, will work in this faculty-wide environment and become the central player in the network of data-driven collaborations.

Applicants should have the following qualifications:

• PhD degree and expertise in a field relevant for the position and a broad affinity with research done at the Civil Engineering faculty
• A proven track record in collecting datasets, setting up databases, implementing workflows and application of new data driven research methods, all in an open-access environment.
• Ability to define and pursue original and highly innovative research, evidenced by the track record and recommendations.
• Ability to lead projects, as well as supervise, train, and support junior researchers.
• Ability to design and deliver clear and engaging education.
• Ability to collaborate in research, educational and administrative projects, and to foster new collaborations across faculty as well as with external partners

Fixed-term contract: depending on start date.

Our intention is to offer you a permanent position after a probation period  in which you will be evaluated based on performance indicators agreed upon at the start of the appointment. We expect that you have the potential to grow towards an Associate Professor and/or Full Professor role in the future.

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 within three years.

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.

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 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 depletion, urbanisation and the availability of clean water, conducted  in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced that Open Science helps to achieve our goals 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.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.