Research Technician for Lake Victoria Field Campaign (ERC QUASI)

Challenge: Operate a unique buoy network in the tropics.
Change: Solve real time technical, logistical and data challenges.
Impact: Enable breakthrough science and better forecasts for East Africa.

Job description
Challenge, Change, Impact
Do you enjoy building and operating technical systems in challenging environments? Are you excited by new technology, offshore deployments, and making complex instrumentation work reliably? QUASI is an ERC funded project that will deploy a year long multi sensor buoy array on Lake Victoria to measure wind, waves, rain, currents, underwater temperatures and air–lake heat exchange. As our research technician, you will ensure that sensors work, data flows, and the observing system performs at its best—directly enabling advances in climate science and weather forecasting for vulnerable regions.

What you’ll do
You will be responsible for the technical and operational performance of QUASI’s buoy array. Working with the buoy manufacturer, you will help shape technical requirements, develop workable solutions, and ensure system readiness before deployment. Together with the PI, you will design the final buoy array and create practical solutions for complex integration challenges. This includes testing performance, preparing systems for field conditions, and adapting designs as needed.

You will initiate technical improvements—such as enhanced robustness, maintenance procedures, calibration steps and data quality workflows—and contribute to criteria for data management. You will independently oversee project components including shipment, integration timelines, hardware installation, data stream continuity and the guidance of colleagues or local partners. During fieldwork, you will coordinate activities, monitor safety and ensure continuous system operation.

With the PI, postdoctoral researcher and East African partners, you will install the buoy array, support a month long field campaign and later assist in decommissioning. You will conduct maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs on site and remotely during 12–18 months of autonomous buoy operation, including multiple extended stays in Africa.

On the data side, you will set up delayed mode data streams; structure and curate Level 0 netCDF files; maintain clear documentation; and support the scientific team by ensuring that raw sensor data are accessible, organized and reproducible. You will also develop tools (e.g. Python) for system monitoring and data quality control.

This is a hands on, international role suited to someone who enjoys technical problem solving and outdoor fieldwork.

Where, how, and with whom you’ll work
You will join the Geoscience and Remote Sensing department at TU Delft, working closely with Dr Louise Nuijens, a postdoctoral researcher and partners in East Africa. You will collaborate with the buoy manufacturer during integration and shipment, and act as a key contact during field operations. You will work with meteorological services, the navy, initiatives around Lake Victoria (e.g. the TAHMO network) and local fishing communities. The role offers the chance to contribute to a cutting edge scientific campaign, travel internationally and apply your technical expertise with immediate, high impact value.

Applications from current TU Delft technical staff seeking a new challenge or wishing to broaden their fieldwork and data engineering experience are also encouraged and will be fully considered. Preferred start date: Aug – Nov 2026

About QUASI
QUASI—Stormy Atmospheres over Quiescent Waters: Dynamical Implications of Fine scale Air–Sea Interaction is an ERC Consolidator Grant project that will combine a year long buoy array with drone profiling, ferry mounted lidar and cutting edge modeling to study fine scale air–lake exchanges over Lake Victoria. Your work will directly support one of the most ambitious air–sea interaction campaigns ever carried out on a tropical lake.     

Job requirements
For this role, we are looking for someone who enjoys operating and maintaining instrumentation in the field, can work independently in challenging environments, and brings a practical, problem-solving mindset.

• A completed technical Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (e.g. marine technology, environmental or electrical/mechanical engineering, geoscience instrumentation, or a related field).
• Strong affinity with in situ environmental sensors and field deployments; experience with buoys, offshore systems, or autonomous monitoring platforms is highly desirable.
• Practical understanding of sensors measuring wind, waves, rain, radiation, currents, or underwater temperature; experience with solar powered, telemetered systems is a plus.
• Ability to troubleshoot hardware and software issues independently, and to work safely on the water under variable field conditions.
• Experience with data workflows, including structured data formats (e.g. netCDF), basic programming or scripting (e.g. Python), version control, and data quality monitoring.
• Willingness and enthusiasm to participate in international fieldwork in East Africa (several months in total, plus shorter maintenance trips).
• Strong organisational and documentation skills, including maintaining clear field logs, technical documentation, and data records.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a diverse, international team; experience working with local partners or communities is a plus.          

TU Delft (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 of 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.

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

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 2 years. Temporary.
• A job of 30-32 hours per week.
• A salary based on Scale 10 of the CAO for Dutch Universities with a salary between €3546 - €5538 gross per month based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

Additional information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Louise Nuijens (louise.nuijens@tudelft.nl).

#EUfunded This is an EU funded project, named QUASI, with project number 101231592, within program H2020 / ERC.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 28 February 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• A CV.
• A motivation letter describing your technical experience, affinity with fieldwork, and interest in this project.
• Names and contact details of one or two references.
• You are welcome to include brief examples of technical work (e.g., sensor setups, data workflows, or software tools) if available.

You can address your application to Louise Nuijens.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
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