The History of Architecture and Urban Planning Group in the Department of Architecture and the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus PortCityFutures research center in collaboration with the Industrial Design Faculty, are seeking to expand their teams with a software engineer interested in data collection, management and web platform development. The researcher will be part of WP 5 of the Bauhaus of the Seas Lighthouse grant and will be based in the Netherlands and collaborate with a European research consortium.

The Bauhaus of the Seas initiative aims to develop solutions for climate neutrality with a particular focus on coastal cities as an interface to healthy seas, ocean and water bodies. The software engineer will develop a website based on a geospatial platform that allows for collaboration, comparison and assessment of data to provide access to both fixed and fluctuating GIS based data as well as for soft mapping of the project’s interventions, narratives and achievements. The platform will provide new tools for understanding maritime flows and shared waters and their relation and impact on land and port city territories as well as people. The software engineer will take the lead in visualizing different data layers, both open access and generated in the project.

We are searching for a software developer, who can develop a platform that connects four different types of layers: 1. an open access map of Europe as foundation, 2. An open access GIS layer developed for the Port City Atlas based on European data, with elements that can be selected through a bar, 3. A layer at the neighborhood level with a bar to click on different features to be drawn from diverse types of local data, i.e. environmental (wind, pollution, etc. Copernicus), social data (birthrates, education, income etcetera). 4. A layer that collects soft mapping data of narratives, images, films of the living labs in the pilot cities. These are clickable points on the web page that can open to show what each of the partners is doing to connect sea to land, port to city. The scale of the narratives/images/films will be at the building/neighborhood level, so we need to be able to zoom in. The project will start with the five main case studies, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Malmö, Lisbon, Venice. The pilot for this web platform needs to be built between January-June 2023. Once the pilot is realized it needs to be discussed with the partners and refined. From Summer 2023, the partners will start to deliver their own data, which then needs to be incorporated and the platform needs to be refined. Over time, others can join the platform and provide their own data.

Key questions are: How can we cross European and local data at the edge of sea and land to provide a meaningful platform for comparison? How can we enrich this data with local knowledge and outcomes of the project through soft mapping? How can we use the platform as a tool to communicate with diverse local actors?

The main objectives of the technical position are:

• Build a geospatial web-based platform to visualize multiple layers of open access GIS based and other data on Europe and on local data in the pilots
• Visualize spatial data through the use of mapping software
• Designing digital maps with geographic data and other data sources
• Creating "shapefiles" to merge topographical data with external data by layering external data over a topographical map.
• Producing maps showing the spatial distribution of various kinds of data.
• Developing mapping applications and tools.
• Data visualization
• Converting physical maps into a digital form for computer usage.
• Performing data munging and cleaning to convert data into its desired form.
• Produce reports on geographic data utilizing data visualizations.
• Managing a digital library of geographic maps in various file types.

You have an expertise in software development, computer science, GIS, web design and data visualization. We encourage candidates with a background in GIS, software development and computer science to apply.

An affinity with visualisation/mapping methods and inter- and transdisciplinary research are highly desirable. Ideally, the candidate has first-hand experiences working with GIS, data collection, data visualization, and systematic spatial analysis. The candidate should be able to understand the societal contexts of energy transitions at the edge of sea and land and possess the social skills to engage with diverse project partners. The candidate should also have adequate writing/presentation skills to synthesize and digest the outcomes of the pilot study interventions and activities.

The project requires traveling to the case study locations. The candidate should be proficient in English (both writing and speaking) on a C1 CEFR level (or equivalent), and willing to collaborate and travel internationally.

GIS Analyst Requirements:

• Degree in computer science, geography, surveying, engineering or related field.
• Proficiency with database programming languages such as SQL, R or Python.
• Proficiency with front end design languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and various mapping languages.
• Experience with mapping tools such as QGIS and Carto.
• Experience with GPS measuring tools.
• Outstanding quantitative skill set.
• Attention to detail and good problem-solving skills.
• Analytical mindset.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Good interpersonal skills.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

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 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.

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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.

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