The shipping industry, which transports over 80% of the world’s traded goods, is crucial to the functioning of society. However, this highly polluting sector also produces around 3% of all mankind-caused earth-warming pollution due to the fossil fuels it uses to propel its ships across the world’s seas. As an Assistant or Associate Professor of Sustainable Marine Drive and Energy Systems at TU Delft, you can contribute your expertise and develop your own research line to make a real difference in the world.

As one of only a few universities in the world that has a Maritime department, our Sustainable Drive and Energy Systems (SDES) group looks at how the maritime sector can transition to cleaner energy to reduce its environmental footprint. Current areas of research include renewable fuels, such as hydrogen, methanol and ammonia, and the bunkering and storage of these fuels. Combustion engines, fuel cells and AI are also areas of interest. We are looking at electrification as well, using a reliable electric power distribution system that integrates the different sources and loads, (battery) energy storage systems and system optimisation.

Based in Delft, you will join a strong team of Assistant and Associate Professors, teachers and PhD students in the SDES research group. It’s a friendly, open, collaborative and supportive environment where everyone contributes towards meaningful group results. Geared to your experience, you will receive all the support and coaching you need to develop your academic career.

You will write research proposals and attract funding from Dutch and European programmes. Working closely with leading stakeholders in the sector, including shipowners and shipyards, as well as research institutes like TNO and MARIN is part of your remit. Of course, you will also contribute to TU Delft’s world-class education. You will be responsible for one of our courses, which involves teaching and supervising Master’s students, PhDs and postdocs to completion. You will also disseminate your knowledge at conferences and in scientific journals. This combination of research, teaching, writing and travelling keeps things interesting.      

You share our ambition to accelerate the energy transition in the maritime industry. Driven by your interest in sustainability and building on your experience, you will take the lead in developing your own research. To inspire and convince colleagues and industry stakeholders, and secure funding and grants, you leverage your communication skills. You enjoy coaching your team of young PhD students and postdocs, for which you put your management competencies to good use. And you are an experienced educator who enjoys teaching and interacting with our Bachelor’s and Master’s students. You also have:

• A PhD in Marine, Electrical, Aerospace, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering or a related field.
• Demonstrable background in engineering design and optimisation, data analytics or the application of (model-based) systems engineering, and a willingness to explore beyond what you already know.
• A good command of spoken and written English, as you’ll be working in an internationally diverse community. A command of Dutch, or the willingness to learn the language, as your home base at TU Delft is bilingual and the faculty’s BSc programmes are taught in Dutch.     

Fixed-term contract: 2 years.

This position is offered as an Academic Career Track position (0.8 – 1.0 FTE). During the Academic Career Track, we expect you to grow towards an Associate Professor position within a maximum of eight years, for which a position will be available. With other Academic Career Track colleagues, you will participate in the Academic Career Track Development programme, where you are offered ample opportunities to develop yourself in the areas of Education, Research, Societal Impact & Innovation, and Leadership & Organisation. You will regularly discuss your development and results with senior staff based on a personalized development and performance criteria agreed upon at the start of your Academic Career Track. You will start with a temporary contract that will be converted to a permanent contract no later than 12 -18 months after a positive evaluation, based on continuous confidence in your development potential and fit in the organisation.

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 as part of the Academic Career Track Development 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 salary for a Academic Career Track (Assistant Professor) position is min. €4.332,- to max. €6.737,- per month gross. For an Associate Professor position different terms of employment apply. Depending on background and experience, the salary can range from min. € 6.002,- to max. €8.025,- per month gross. 

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 and you can work partly from home.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service addresses the needs of new international employees and those of their partners and families. The Coming to Delft Service offers personalised assistance during the preparation of the relocation, finding housing and schools for children (if applicable). In addition, a Dual Career Programme for partners is offered. The Coming to Delft Service will do their best to help you settle in the Netherlands.

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 Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the 3mE faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

3mE is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in 3mE’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.