Electrification is envisioned to be a key enabler for sustainability of future air transport. Electric aircraft taxiing is a novel, green technological and operational solution considered by many airports worldwide to be implemented in the nearest future. It is also envisioned that most of the future airport ground operations, including aircraft taxiing, will be automated. In this PhD project, the topic of automation of electric aircraft taxiing at an airport will be explored. More specifically, models for autonomous management of aircraft and other airport ground vehicle movements will be developed, taking into account advances in the area of autonomous driving. Interaction between the automated systems and human supervisors will be also considered.

Research will be done in the context of EU SESAR project ASTAIR, in close collaboration with academic and industrial partners (such as airports, air navigation service providers, producers of equipment for electric taxiing). The project will use the outcomes of the previous AEON project (https://www.aeon-project.eu/).

The position is intended as a full-time appointment, and the work will take place at the TU Delft. The researcher will be working with several European partners and support project administration.

• You must have a MSc degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Control Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics or similar.
• You should have advanced analytical and modelling/optimisation skills.
• Good Python programming skills are required
• Very good spoken and written English is mandatory.
• The successful applicants will be able to conduct work independently as well as collaborate effectively with members of a larger team

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.

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 € 2541 per month in the first year to € 3247 in the fourth year. 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 sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

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 Aerospace Engineering

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond. 

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