Would you like to contribute to the energy transition of cities? We are looking for a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in modelling district heating and cooling networks in the built environment. Focus will be on system integration, modelling the production, demand, storage, and distribution of heating and cooling in districts.

The TU/e Department of the Built Environment is one of the key drivers behind the newly created Urban Development Initiative (UDI) in the Brainport region Eindhoven. One of the programs within UDI is the Urban Energy Transition Program.

The future energy system will be drastically different from the current energy system. This has an enormous impact on local governments, system operators, energy producers, home-owners and housing corporations and industry. The UDI Urban Energy Transition program aims to support these stakeholders in their long-term decision making by developing the models and tools that are needed to properly forecast, plan, and assess scenarios for future renewable energy system integration in the built environment.

In the UDI Urban Energy Transition program we aim to develop a set of coupled fit-for-purpose models to perform system integration in the built environment, which rely on the combined modeling of multiple energy carriers, multiple operational aspects, multiple aggregation levels and the built environment itself. In addition to the development of such dynamic, multi-carrier and multi-scale models, the integration of a range of innovative technologies and strategies is key to addressing the complex and interrelated challenges of the future energy system. Storage of multiple energy carriers, demand side management, exchange and relocation through conversion of energy carriers are amongst the main practices that the future energy system will have to incorporate to gain the required flexibility and cope with possible geographical and temporal mismatches between energy production and consumption. Energy storage is needed to handle fluctuations in energy demand and to make efficient use of fluctuating production sources such as renewables, to increase energy grid safety, and to improve the overall system efficiency.

For the UDI Urban Energy Transition Program we are looking for an outstanding postdoctoral researcher with expertise in modelling district heating and cooling networks in the built environment. Focus will be on system integration, modelling the production, demand, storage, and distribution of heating and cooling in districts.

Within the Urban Energy Transition Program, you are expected to:

• Conduct research activities on one or more of the fields for real-world problems: urban energy modeling, complex systems modeling, agent-based modeling;
• Publish and (co-)author papers for leading scientific journals and conferences;
• Assist the Urban Energy Transition research group with writing funding applications;
• Assist the Urban Energy Transition research group in supervising graduate students;
• Be a collaborative and independent researcher who is forward thinking in your creative and research agenda;
• Enthusiastically engage with public and private partners of the research program to look for opportunities to focus on specific challenges they would like us to help them address.

The Urban Energy Transition Program is part of the Urban Development Initiative (UDI). Founders of the UDI are City of Eindhoven, City of Helmond, TU/e, Brainport Development and the Fraunhofer Research Institute. UDI aims to address urban challenges by focusing the innovation agenda on the existing and potential urban problems in order to develop a systemic urban planning approach that integrates different sectoral approaches. The UDI Urban Energy Transition Program collaborates with TU/e Eindhoven Institute for Renewable Energy Systems (EIRES), and with external parties such as municipalities, distribution system operators, housing corporations and industry. It closely relates to the Deparment's research focus on the development of sustainable materials and structures.

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following requirements:

• Computational affinity and a PhD degree in district heating networks, urban energy modelling, or another relevant field of study;
• Affinity for applying research to real-world problems;
• Excellent scientific skills, as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications or other forms of output (i.e. software);
• Able to develop prototypes and software (i.e. 2D/3D visualization and monitoring tools) is a plus;
• Excellent communication skills and competence in written and spoken English;
• Experience with or demonstrated interest in collaborating with external private and/or public partners in field lab settings;
• Value open science such as open data and reproduceable research;
• Team player who enjoys working in multidisciplinary teams.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for two years;
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. € 3.557,-max. € 4.670,-);
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%;
• High-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization;
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities;
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs;
• A TU/e Postdoc Association that helps you to build a stronger and broader academic and personal network, and offers tailored support, training and workshops;
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as are a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) and a compensation for moving expenses.