This post-doc research work is part of the SINERGI project. This is a JPI ERANET Sino-European call (ENUAC).

Cities face a surge in demands for fast home-deliveries resulting in increasing the market share of online platforms such as, Just Eat Takeaway.com, UberEats, Milkrun and Meituan. Simultaneously Europe and China aim at reducing polluting vehicles in city-centres, giving more space for pedestrians and cyclists, aiming to increase cities’ liveability and safety. This objective coupled with the digital transformation of delivery systems provides opportunities for new urban-logistics solutions.  SINERGI proposes a comprehensive solution toolbox for designing and operating sustainable city logistics enabling real-time management and strategic planning of efficient and rider-friendly delivery services. It combines real-time and historical data with model-based scenario developments. Scientific challenges include (1) where to locate parking locations/mini-hubs where products are consolidated and dispatched, (2) how to measure behaviour of riders and service users, and (3) how to design services based on urban constraints and real-time data namely: zoning strategies, fleet planning, vehicle routing and dispatching. Private and public stakeholders in SINERGI provide pilots in Amsterdam, Beijing, Singapore, and Copenhagen. The project outputs will enable delivery providers to offer cost-efficient services considering the well-being of riders. Public authorities will be able to develop a set of actions on road safety and citizens’ welfare that guarantee the long-term impact of SINERGI on urban mobility.

An intermediate layer of the SINERGI project addresses riders’ behaviour modeling in which we will use survey instruments together with data collected in each city to understand the current behaviour of these key actors in the delivery system. Regarding the surveys, these will be based on a realistic stated preference experiment where riders will be given different ride requests in the city in which they are operating. The experiment will allow testing nudging techniques to yield the desired effect on the system in terms of speeds and network usage. For the WP success, we will have the contribution of the operators involved in the project since they need to give us access to the riders by giving us access to the riders. A key milestone associated with this WP is the final estimation of models that characterize the riders’ behaviour incorporated into the operational algorithms. Such modeling will be performed by the post-doc researcher associated to this position.

The Department of Transport & Planning (T&P) of Delft University of Technology is coordinating this project. T&P is composed of 11 research labs addressing various transport challenges. The researcher will be associated with the SUM Lab: https://www.tudelft.nl/citg/over-faculteit/afdelingen/transport-planning/research/labs/sum-lab-1

Applicants should have the following qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Transportation, econometrics, behavioural modelling (discrete choice models), operations research or closely related fields.
• Solid background in transport behaviour modelling demonstrated by relevant publications in the field.
• Willingness and ability to communicate with other scientific partners, companies, and cities.
• A proven record and interest in further developing your modelling and analytical skills.
• Fully proficient in English.
• A healthy dose of autonomy, creativeness, and genuine curiosity.
• Can contribute to a stimulating research environment and interactions with project partners and stakeholders.

If your mother language is not English and you do not hold a degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction, you must submit proof of English proficiency from either TOEFL (minimum total score of 100) or IELTS (minimum total score of 7.0). 

Fixed-term contract: 2 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 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 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.

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