The NEON project "lights the way to zero emission energy and mobility". Partnering with among others TU/e, TU Delft, Nijmegen University and a broad set of companies, you could be our PhD candidate that will work on integration of simulation models that accelerate the energy transition!

NEON addresses three interrelated societal challenges: climate action, renewable energy and smart & sustainable transport. By conducting our research from multiple views and starting points, we seek at growing understanding and facilitating an acceleration towards a sustainable society. An important tool in the project is modelling. In NEON, we jointly build models for the energy and mobility transition, for climate impact, and for energy demand and energy markets. You will research and develop an integral model architecture and integration mechanism for these models. The architecture and mechanism will allow the other models to be developed largely independently, yet combined will result in coherent integral results.

We are looking for a highly motivated and hardworking PhD candidate to strengthen our multidisciplinary research team. You will work in a stimulating multidisciplinary scientific environment: cooperation with over 30 other PhD candidates that work together in the NEON research facility, and with connections to specialists in the international research community. Specifically, you will 1) investigate interactions between the models, 2) employ systems engineering approaches to create a coherent modelling architecture that allows largely independent development of the individual models, 3) implement the architecture in mechanisms to yield coherent combined results of the models.

• A MSc degree in sustainable energy technology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, software engineering, applied physics, or related field;
• Proficient in modelling, and preferably have experience with agent-based or system dynamics modelling of complex systems;
• Understanding of and experience with Systems Engineering principles and approaches;
• Proficient in written and oral English;
• The ability to operate at the intersection of various fields;
• A high degree of responsibility and independence, able to collaborate with colleagues, researchers, and other university staff;
• Experience with AnyLogic, Eclipse, Vensim or the likes would further strengthen the application.

The UT provides a dynamic and international environment, combining the benefits of academic research with a topic of high societal relevance, excellent working conditions, an exciting scientific environment, and a green and lively campus. We offer:

• A full-time 4-year PhD position;
• Excellent mentorship in a vibrant research environment both at the UT and the joint NEON research space in Eindhoven;
• An offer for a personal development program within the Twente Graduate School;
• A gross monthly salary of € 2.395 in the first year, increasing each year up to € 3.061 in the fourth year;
• A holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, and a year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• A minimum of 29 holidays per year in case of full-time employment;
• Full status as an UT-employee, including pension and health care benefits.

You will become part of the Department of Design, Production and Management of the Faculty of Engineering Technology. More specifically, you will be placed in the Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design group. We investigate designing in the field of multidisciplinary systems and research the role of Systems Engineering (SE) as an integrative discipline next to the traditional engineering fields. We apply systems thinking and system design tools, in a systematic way, to facilitate multidisciplinary development projects.