PhD Airline Operations for Mixed Fleets of Novel Aircraft: From Network Development to Scheduling

Challenge: How to deploy sustainable aircraft in an airline network?

Change: Develop airline decision models for novel aircraft
Impact: Insights into how to integrate new tech into networks

Job description
The goals for future aviation are ambitious; on a global scale, air traffic is expected to continue growing in the foreseeable future. At the same time, we urgently have to reduce the climate impact of the aviation industry. To achieve this, aircraft concepts are studied with novel energy carriers such as batteries and hydrogen. These novel powertrains lead to different flight performance, payload and range capabilities, and airport needs.

Airlines will soon have to make the strategic decisions about their future networks and fleet composition to make their operations more sustainable: which aircraft to operate, when to introduce them, where to fly to, and how frequently. At the same time, these novel aircraft concepts may lead to different tactical decisions about the schedule, such as where to charge or which speed to fly at. All these decisions are taken with an eye on reducing climate impact, while the economic and operational penalties have to be kept to a minimum

Your unique challenge as a PhD candidate at TU Delft is to address the following question: how can we support future airline decision making to introduce mixed fleets of more sustainable aircraft technologies? We want to support airlines, OEMs, and other stakeholders to make effective choices for introducing novel aircraft through advanced methods and making the results interpretable.

You will develop mathematical models and computational tools to look decades ahead and perform strategic airline planning, while considering the impact novel aircraft may have at tactical and operational levels, and vice versa. In addition, your models will be coupled to other tools to capture all aspects of the changing aviation ecosystem. Therefore, an efficient computational setup is key. You will build upon existing research and collaborate with colleagues in our section studying future operations of sustainable energies.

During the PhD project, you will be involved in the Dutch DASAL project, together with other PhD candidates at the faculty. Your main activity in this project will be modelling of airline operations for aircraft with novel energy carriers. You will work closely together with other experts involved in this project, at TU Delft and the Dutch Royal Aerospace Institute NLR, to receive inputs on aircraft design and flight performance, and you will provide fleet and flight schedule outputs to other disciplines.

You will, of course, be writing papers and attending conferences. In addition, you will supervise labs and coach master students during their graduation research under the flag of the Operations and Environment section. Who are your fellow team members? We are an interdisciplinary and internationally diverse group of some 30 driven assistant and associate professors, lecturers, project managers, PhD candidates, and postdocs. We share the ambition to develop models and tools in which we accumulate our expertise to enable future adaptive and sustainable air transport operations. Fostering an open, friendly, and collaborative atmosphere in which people are approachable, we share knowledge, help each other, and meet socially. And you will get all the support and training you need to evolve and grow as a researcher.

Learn more about the Operations and Environment section here.

Job requirements
Contributing to the introduction and operations the future of sustainable aircraft technologies. That’s the drive you share with us. You put your analytical skills to good use, creating mathematical models and translating them into optimisation algorithms and programs. You work well both independently and in collaboration with academic researchers and industrial stakeholders, for which you harness your communication skills. And you enjoy coaching master students, while developing your own skills and competencies.

You also have:

• An MSc in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Research, Transportation Engineering, or another relevant subject.
• Very good analytical, modelling, optimisation, and Python programming skills.
• Knowledge of aircraft technology and performance models is a plus.
• A good command of spoken and written English, as you’ll be working in an internationally diverse community, participating in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and writing scientific articles and a PhD thesis. For more details, please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

TU Delft
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 a leading international community where innovation in aerospace meets global challenges. Our support and scientific staff, including PhD candidates, postdocs, and students, largely work together on three main themes: the energy transition, sustainable aerospace, and safety and security, with the aim of tackling climate change and contributing to the independence and security of Europe.

When you join us, you become part of a diverse, collaborative, and forward-thinking environment where your ideas and perspectives are valued. Our work extends beyond the lab—into field labs, innovation hubs, and partnerships with other faculties, research institutes, governments, and industry, both locally and globally.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace, assisted by an active Diversity & Inclusion team. This includes tangible support such as funding for extra personnel for family and caregiving responsibilities, mentoring programmes, and initiatives that promote cultural exchange and integration.

You don’t just join our faculty — you join a community where you can thrive, grow, and help shape the future of aerospace.

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

Conditions of employment
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 €3059 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

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 a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Dr.ir. Pieter-Jan Proesmans, via P.Proesmans@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 16 March 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• Detailed CV
• Motivational letter
• Copies of your BSc and MSc degrees and transcripts.

You can address your application to Dr.ir. Pieter-Jan Proesmans.

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.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
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