PhD Position on Storm Surge Barriers and Delta Morphodynamics

In the face of ongoing climate change and sea level rise, the Dutch delta must adapt to ensure a safe and livable environment. In the past decades, much of the delta has been protected from storms by large storm surge barriers such as the Oosterschelde and the Maeslant barriers. But: what is the role of these barriers in the future? There are many uncertainties about their long-term performance and lifetime, and on the interactions between storm surge barriers and river deltas more broadly. Join us as a PhD candidate to better understand the future of river deltas!

Your job
In this PhD project, you will be part of a large consortium (6 PhD candidates and 3 postdocs) in the SBB-Delta project that will advise the Dutch government on the future of the Oosterschelde and Maeslant storm surge barriers and their hinterlands. Your role will be to develop and apply long-term (until 2100) eco-geomorphological (Delft3D) models of the Dutch delta to simulate the interactions between storm surge barrier design, operations, and delta eco-geomorphology under future climate and socio-economic change. Key research questions will be: How is the delta geomorphology changing in the coming century? What is the influence of the storm surge barriers? And how does ecology react to these changes?

We expect rich collaborations with other PhD candidates, postdocs and staff in the consortium, as well as with the stakeholders (Rijkswaterstaat, water boards, companies, etc). For example, you will interact with hydraulic engineering PhD candidates that study the barrier technical performance and failure probabilities, with social science PhD candidates that study the acceptance of risk, with hydrology PhD candidates that study storm surges, and many more.

To support academic and personal development, you follow courses and assist in teaching Earth Sciences at Bachelor's and Master's level. Together these activities amount to twenty percent of the contracted time.

We look forward to your application if you have the following qualifications:

• a MSc in earth sciences, hydrology, civil engineering, or a related field;
• experience with numerical modelling, preferably morphodynamic modelling;
• affinity with between delta morphology, ecology, and infrastructure;
• motivated to work in an interdisciplinary scientific setting and to have interactions with stakeholders;
• excellent English oral and writing skills and willingness to learn Dutch.

• A position for one year, with an extension to a total of four years upon a successful assessment in the first year, and with the specific intent that it results in a doctorate within this period;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €2,901 and €3,707 (salary scale P under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The team of the Department of Physical Geography excels in research and education on BSc, MSc and PhD level. We research processes, patterns and dynamics of Earth’s systems from the mountains to the sea, and the interaction in between. This knowledge is essential for the sustainable management of our planet and to guarantee the availability of resources for the next generations. We have access to world-class laboratories like Geolab and Earth Simulation Lab, and to excellent high-performance computing facilities.

We are a lively department that hosts an active early career community (PhD candidates, researchers and lecturers). We organise a warm welcome for every new member. The department and its facilities are located at Utrecht Science Park.

Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands with a population of nearly 360,000 and forms a hub in the middle of the country. Its historical city centre and its modern central station can easily be reached from the Science Park by public transport or by a 15-minute bicycle ride. Utrecht boasts beautiful canals with extraordinary wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water, as well as a broad variety of shops and boutiques.

For more information about this position, please contact Jaap Nienhuis (Assistant Professor) at j.h.nienhuis@uu.nl.

Note that international candidates that need a visa/work permit for the Netherlands require at least four months processing time after selection and acceptance. This will be arranged with help of the International Service Desk (ISD) of our university. Finding appropriate housing in or near Utrecht is your own responsibility, but the ISD may be able to advise you therewith. In case of general questions about working and living in The Netherlands, please consult the Dutch Mobility Portal.

Candidates for this vacancy will be recruited by Utrecht University.