Postdoc Bipolar Membranes for CO2 Capture and Conversion

Job description
Closing the carbon cycle is one of the largest current societal challenges. The net CO2 emissions due to consuming fossil fuels, and the corresponding climate change, require a sustainable alternative. In particular, hard-to-abate emissions, such as from aviation, does not have a scalable sustainable technology route commercially available. In this Water to e-SAF project, we will study and develop CO2 capture from seawater, and convert the CO2 and water to an electricity-driven sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF).

We are looking for a postdoc (2.5 years) to understand and develop bipolar membranes for the CO2 capture process. The bipolar membranes are used in an electrochemical cell to create acid and base from water, thus inducing a pH swing, to liberate the dissolved CO2 (in bicarbonate form) from the seawater. This process builds on previous work in our research group and the technology developed in the spin-off company SeaO2. Your job is to investigate how we can enhance the conductivity of the membrane layers and water dissociation catalyst in the bipolar membrane. You will conduct electrochemical lab-scale tests on membranes and small stacks to analyze the membrane performance. You will design new membrane configurations, and possibly synthesize new membrane materials. The job is focused on experimental work, with possibility to include simulations to further understand the experimental results. You will also be included in joint experiments at larger scale with SeaO2, where the CO2 will be captured for subsequent conversion to e-SAF.

For this postdoc position, you need to have an outstanding scientific track record, good skills for experimental work, and experience in electrochemical systems and/or membrane technology. Your daily operation is in the EFS research group of David Vermaas. The work of our group addresses electrochemical flow systems, including applications of electrolysis, water technology, CO2 capture and flow batteries. You will collaborate with other researchers in the department and with companies in this project. The work will also contribute to TU Delft’s e-Refinery institute on electrochemical synthesis that includes >20 principal investigators across the campus, where electrochemical advances are used and valorised in upscaled prototypes, in collaboration with industrial partners.

Job requirements
We’re looking for a candidate with:

• A PhD degree, in chemical engineering, chemistry, mechanical engineering or similar
• Experience in working with electrochemical systems and/or membrane technology
• Proven experience in doing experimental work
• An excellent publication record
• Knowledge of process technology and system-level thinking is considered a plus
• Experience in working at pilot-scale or industrial collaboration is considered a plus
• Pro-active and creative mind-set
• Fluent in English. Speaking Dutch is a plus
• Starting date mid-September, October or early November

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 Applied Sciences
With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Postdoc Bipolar Membranes for CO2 Capture and Conversion

Job description
Closing the carbon cycle is one of the largest current societal challenges. The net CO2 emissions due to consuming fossil fuels, and the corresponding climate change, require a sustainable alternative. In particular, hard-to-abate emissions, such as from aviation, does not have a scalable sustainable technology route commercially available. In this Water to e-SAF project, we will study and develop CO2 capture from seawater, and convert the CO2 and water to an electricity-driven sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF).

We are looking for a postdoc (2.5 years) to understand and develop bipolar membranes for the CO2 capture process. The bipolar membranes are used in an electrochemical cell to create acid and base from water, thus inducing a pH swing, to liberate the dissolved CO2 (in bicarbonate form) from the seawater. This process builds on previous work in our research group and the technology developed in the spin-off company SeaO2. Your job is to investigate how we can enhance the conductivity of the membrane layers and water dissociation catalyst in the bipolar membrane. You will conduct electrochemical lab-scale tests on membranes and small stacks to analyze the membrane performance. You will design new membrane configurations, and possibly synthesize new membrane materials. The job is focused on experimental work, with possibility to include simulations to further understand the experimental results. You will also be included in joint experiments at larger scale with SeaO2, where the CO2 will be captured for subsequent conversion to e-SAF.

For this postdoc position, you need to have an outstanding scientific track record, good skills for experimental work, and experience in electrochemical systems and/or membrane technology. Your daily operation is in the EFS research group of David Vermaas. The work of our group addresses electrochemical flow systems, including applications of electrolysis, water technology, CO2 capture and flow batteries. You will collaborate with other researchers in the department and with companies in this project. The work will also contribute to TU Delft’s e-Refinery institute on electrochemical synthesis that includes >20 principal investigators across the campus, where electrochemical advances are used and valorised in upscaled prototypes, in collaboration with industrial partners.

Job requirements
We’re looking for a candidate with:

• A PhD degree, in chemical engineering, chemistry, mechanical engineering or similar
• Experience in working with electrochemical systems and/or membrane technology
• Proven experience in doing experimental work
• An excellent publication record
• Knowledge of process technology and system-level thinking is considered a plus
• Experience in working at pilot-scale or industrial collaboration is considered a plus
• Pro-active and creative mind-set
• Fluent in English. Speaking Dutch is a plus
• Starting date mid-September, October or early November

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 Applied Sciences
With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Postdoc Mitigate Harmonics in Power Electronics-based Power Systems

Job description
In the framework of the ongoing research conducted with TSO and academic institutions, 2-3 years postdoc position will be assigned. The MITIGATE-HARM project brings direct advancements to the planning and interoperability of HVDC grids by enabling harmonic stability assessment of the hybrid power system (HPS) and design:

• Mathematical framework for identification of instabilities and resonances inside the HPS;
• Based on identified undesired behavior, MITIGATE-HARM will propose possible mitigation measures and wideband passivity of the power system to enable stable power system operation.
• Additionally, the proposed identification and mitigation measures will be implemented using C++ programming language and incorporated inside the Harmony toolbox (refer to: https://cresym.eu/harmony/).

The postdoc position deal with the design of the mathematical approaches for the identifications of the instabilities and resonances inside the HPS, and their mitigation. This is the 2-3 years postdoctoral appointment, with an anticipated starting date on 01.12.2025. You will be supervised by Dr. Aleksandra Lekić (associate professor). You will be a member of the section Intelligent Electrical Power Grids in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

About the department

The research in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The Electrical Sustainable Energy Department provides expertise in each of these areas throughout the entire energy system chain. The department owns a large ESP laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection, and wide-area monitoring and protection. Furthermore, the department own one of the largest academic RTDS infrastructure equiped with additional labs for performing Control and Protection HiL testing.

The Intelligent Electrical Power Grid (IEPG) group, headed by Prof. Dr. Peter Palensky, works on the future of our power system. The goal is to generate, transmit and use electrical energy in a highly reliable, efficient, stable, clean, affordable, and safe way. IEPG integrates new power technologies and smart controls, which interact with other systems and allow for more distributed and variable generation.

Job requirements
We require :

• Excellent knowledge of electrical power systems and power electronics.
• Experience and comprehensive knowledge in modeling and simulation of power electronic-based power systems; identification of resonaces and instabilities, and their mitigations.
• Excellent knowledge of power electronic devices operation, and control for HVDC power systems.
• Excellent programming skills in C++, and MATLAB. Knowledge of simulation in PSCAD is a plus.
• Completed a Ph.D. degree in a highly technical related discipline (computer science, electrical engineering, etc.) and you were at the top of your class.
• Excellent English reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
• You are independent, self-motivated, and eager to learn.
• You are keen to work with other co-workers and partners, link real-world challenges and contribute to the ongoing energy transition.

Requirements:

The candidate is required to have good knowledge about power electronic devices, control, simulation and modeling. It is crucial to have solid background and experience with programming.

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 Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

Postdoc Mitigate Harmonics in Power Electronics-based Power Systems

Job description
In the framework of the ongoing research conducted with TSO and academic institutions, 2-3 years postdoc position will be assigned. The MITIGATE-HARM project brings direct advancements to the planning and interoperability of HVDC grids by enabling harmonic stability assessment of the hybrid power system (HPS) and design:

• Mathematical framework for identification of instabilities and resonances inside the HPS;
• Based on identified undesired behavior, MITIGATE-HARM will propose possible mitigation measures and wideband passivity of the power system to enable stable power system operation.
• Additionally, the proposed identification and mitigation measures will be implemented using C++ programming language and incorporated inside the Harmony toolbox (refer to: https://cresym.eu/harmony/).

The postdoc position deal with the design of the mathematical approaches for the identifications of the instabilities and resonances inside the HPS, and their mitigation. This is the 2-3 years postdoctoral appointment, with an anticipated starting date on 01.12.2025. You will be supervised by Dr. Aleksandra Lekić (associate professor). You will be a member of the section Intelligent Electrical Power Grids in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

About the department

The research in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The Electrical Sustainable Energy Department provides expertise in each of these areas throughout the entire energy system chain. The department owns a large ESP laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection, and wide-area monitoring and protection. Furthermore, the department own one of the largest academic RTDS infrastructure equiped with additional labs for performing Control and Protection HiL testing.

The Intelligent Electrical Power Grid (IEPG) group, headed by Prof. Dr. Peter Palensky, works on the future of our power system. The goal is to generate, transmit and use electrical energy in a highly reliable, efficient, stable, clean, affordable, and safe way. IEPG integrates new power technologies and smart controls, which interact with other systems and allow for more distributed and variable generation.

Job requirements
We require :

• Excellent knowledge of electrical power systems and power electronics.
• Experience and comprehensive knowledge in modeling and simulation of power electronic-based power systems; identification of resonaces and instabilities, and their mitigations.
• Excellent knowledge of power electronic devices operation, and control for HVDC power systems.
• Excellent programming skills in C++, and MATLAB. Knowledge of simulation in PSCAD is a plus.
• Completed a Ph.D. degree in a highly technical related discipline (computer science, electrical engineering, etc.) and you were at the top of your class.
• Excellent English reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.
• You are independent, self-motivated, and eager to learn.
• You are keen to work with other co-workers and partners, link real-world challenges and contribute to the ongoing energy transition.

Requirements:

The candidate is required to have good knowledge about power electronic devices, control, simulation and modeling. It is crucial to have solid background and experience with programming.

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 Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

Postdoc on Circular Urban Development and Industrial Symbiosis

Job description

In this Postdoc position you will develop spatial planning scenarios that detail what circular value chains and waste management could look like in Amsterdam, looking at five value chains central to the REDOL project: packaging, plastics, construction & demolition waste (CDW), textiles and waste electric and electronic equipment. These scenario's will be based on (1) an assessment of the current situation, involving mapping of the relevant stakeholders and spatial analysis of activities in the current linear value chain, (2) a quantitative and qualitative analysis of relevant waste streams in the city (*Mass Flow Analysis), and (3) a quantitative model detailing the spatial requirements of circular economic activities and industrial symbiosis that would need to be developed in the future. Ideally the impact of these new circular economic activities and waste-processing pathways would also be included in a prognosis of the reduction of solid-waste flows in Amsterdam highlighting the potential for a more circular urban metabolism.

You will contribute to the development of a strategy for Urban-Industrial Symbiosis and potentially a Circular Economy Hub in Amsterdam, and the Amsterdam Harbour area. These strategies will explore and select processing technologies from other REDOL project partners (especially those developed and tested in Zaragoza, Spain) that may be replicated in Amsterdam, and explore other locally specific routes for waste valorisation. You will contribute directly to the improvement of the municipal government’s and Amsterdam harbour’s capacity for planning for urban-industrial symbiosis, by modelling spatial requirements of specific circular economic activities. By this, the research will produce knowledge responding to the needs of spatial planners and urbanists promoting circular urban development in industrial and harbour areas in the Netherlands and in Europe.

You will be based at the section of Environmental Technology and Design, under the Supervision of Dr Wandl and collaborate closely with the section of Spatial Planning and Strategy, under the co-supervision of Dr Dabrowski, within the Department of Urbanism. Networking and collaborating with other scholars engaged in research on circularity within the Faculty of Architecture & Built Environment will also be encouraged. In addition, you will hold a research fellow position at the Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute), benefiting from a dynamic, interdisciplinary research environment focused on urban challenges and innovation. At AMS Institute you will work together with project managers and other researchers in a non-hierarchical environment. To benefit from the research fellow position, you are required to be at AMS office (in Amsterdam) at least once a week (on Thursdays). To enable effective collaboration with the TU Delft scholars, you will be expected to be present during two other weekdays at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft. The position is funded for a duration of 12 months during which you will undertake research as part of the REDOL project without being required to contribute to educational activities. The project will offer opportunities to co-produce academic publications and collaborate with industrial partners and academics from other disciplines, as required (for instance with other scholars engaged in the Circular Built Environment Hub at TU Delft, the Municipality of Amsterdam, Port of Amsterdam, etc.)

Job requirements

• Phd/MSc in Architectural Engineering / Building Technology, Civil Engineering, Building Physics, Spatial Planning, Computer Science or other related disciplines;
• Knowledge on circular economy and, ideally, experience in reseach and/or practice in circular urban development;
• General knowledge on the latest research, innovations, novelties and tools on MFA and urban metabolism analysis (preferable but not mandatory);
• Affinity with spatial development and the spatial dimension of circular economy.
• Experience with programming (e.g. Python);
• Experience in data collection, management and analysis, both qualitative and quantitative, including spatial data.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, ideally including academic writing experience in English;
• Ability to work in a team, take initiative, and be results-oriented;
• You enjoy performing research. You are independent, self-motivated and eager to learn;
• You are keen to develop new fundamental knowledge and engineer novel solutions for addressing real-world sustainability challenges and promoting circular urban development.    

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 Architecture & the Built Environment
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.