Are you interested in shaping the future of intelligent urban mobility management?

Mobility is undergoing significant transformations to meet critical challenges in inclusivity, accessibility, sustainability, and resilience. New systems and services are emerging at an accelerated rate, such as on-demand transport, Mobility-as-a-Service, e-scooters, etc., disrupting the status quo of the last half century. Transportation networks are however still managed similarly to how they were managed decades ago, without clear coordination between different modes and operators, often relying on partial / incomplete data exchange.

In this PhD project you will work on new mobility management ideas, which support seamless mobility services: seamless travel for end users, seamless management of those services and networks across multiple modes. The overall aim is to develop an innovative orchestration mechanism which aligns the objectives and interests of the many different stakeholders (operators of different networks) and which ensures, wherever possible, the discovery and adoption of coordinated solutions between those stakeholders.

To achieve these objectives, during your PhD you will use models and techniques from transportation science, control engineering and data science. You will evaluate your ideas through state-of-the-art simulation approaches, using a Digital Twin (which you will help build): a computerized replica of the transportation ecosystem. To develop a new multi-modal orchestration mechanism, you will employ cutting edge techniques from AI to investigate complex multi-agent interactions arising from multiple cooperating/competing stakeholders and to identify win-win strategies.

You will be collaborating with a large network of international partners, spanning nine European countries, as member of ACUMEN – AI-aided decision tool for seamless multimodal network and traffic management. This research & innovation project aims to rethink the state of practice in network and traffic management across Europe and beyond by i) developing innovative, safe, secure and privacy-preserving data collection capabilities; ii) improving accuracy in monitoring and forecasting in mobility systems exploiting powerful AI techniques and iii) developing novel decision-making and management solutions, acting at all network scales and fostering cooperation in the mobility ecosystem. As part of the ACUMEN team, you will contribute to both scientific progress, and to the translation thereof in four concrete cases in cooperation with four EU capitals – Amsterdam, Athens, Helsinki and Luxembourg.

You will further collaborate with members of the AI for Mobility Lab and Data Analytics & Traffic Simulation Lab at the Transport & Planning department, involved in related research topics on aspects of AI, Machine Learning, prediction & predictability, etc.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, ambitious candidate, motivated to work in a highly international, multidisciplinary environment. The candidate should have an MSc in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence or Mathematics, or comparable, with strong skills in programming and solid background in Machine Learning. Affinity with transportation problems, as evidenced e.g. through previous projects, is appreciated. You should be motivated by a genuine scientific curiosity, open-minded yet strongly oriented to critical thinking.

Obtaining a PhD at TU Delft is subject to English proficiency requirements, to ensure that communication and interaction is as smooth as possible, and that you can smoothly take part in the many English-taught education courses. Before applying, please check carefully the Graduate School Admission Requirements. 

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.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

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 € 2541 per month in the first year to € 3247 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 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.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Civil Engineering & 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.

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