In this post-doc position, you will be working on the HAPPS project. The HAPSS project investigates the possibility of Hydrogen Electric Propulsion (HEP) for powering aircraft for short and medium length routes. The transition from turbine engines and wing tanks to a combination of hydrogen containers, fuel cells, electrical power buffering, with its associated cooling and heating requirements will introduce changes in instrumentation and flight deck procedures. In this project, adaptations to flight deck procedures and instrumentation are developed and tested in manned simulation, and the safety of operations needs to be reassessed. As a post-doc researcher in this project, you will work with TU Delft staff and students on this project, developing and using relevant models of the HEP system to assess operational impact and safety. Using the simulation facilities (the SIMONA Research Simulator; https://simona.tudelft.nl), you will also set-up demonstrators and manned evaluations of the developed system.

The project is a collaboration between several companies and research institutes in the Netherlands and TU Delft. The work will be performed at TU Delft at the Control and Simulation (C&S) section. The C&S section of the faculty of Aerospace Engineering aims to advance the development of autonomous control systems and combined human-machine systems in aerospace, building on a solid theoretical basis and physical insights while exploiting theoretical progress in adjacent fields, and to validate these systems experimentally in world-class facilities, effectively closing the loop between theory and practice. C&S aims to be a leading research group in the integration, development and testing of new theories on control, autonomous and cognitive systems (with and without human elements).

We are looking for a candidate with a PhD degree in (aerospace) engineering, or a related field with strong skills in engineering. You will be using advanced facilities like the SIMONA Research Simulator (SIMONA), you will be working with staff and students on modelling, analysis, interface and procedure design and experimental evaluation. You meet or exceed the following qualifications:

• PhD in engineering, and a strong affinity for human-machine interaction research; or PhD in experimental or engineering psychology, and strong engineering skills.
• You have the necessary technical and software skills to adapt and augment existing flight simulation experiment programs.
• You have skills to set-up the experiments (including subject instructions, set-up of test protocols, application for human research ethics approval) and elaborate the experiment results.
• Ability to learn quickly and work autonomously, and strong analytical capacity.
• Ability to collaborate and to coach MSc students.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (based on scale 10: € 3.226,00 - € 5.090,00). The contract of employement is offered for 1 year. The position is open for 38 hours per week. 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, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

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 Aerospace Engineering

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond. 

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.