PhD Position in Multi-Scale Assessment of Circular and Climate-Resilient Building Construction

Job description

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment of Delft University of Technology is hiring a PhD researcher to work on a recently awarded Horizon Europe project, entitled AURORA (Shaping safe, sustainable, and human-centered places) under the supervision of Assistant Professors Simona Bianchi and Olga Ioannou, and Associate Professor Maria Pregnolato.

The broader AURORA project aims at accelerating the transformation of the built environment towards climate resilience and circularity. The project has a strong social perspective aiming at both technological and governance innovation. It combines innovative construction technologies, digital workflows, multi-level governance approaches, and participatory processes to support the development and implementation of resilient renovation strategies. Through demonstration pilots across Europe, AURORA provides practical frameworks for municipalities, practitioners, and stakeholders to evaluate and implement sustainable construction and renovation pathways.

In your role as a PhD researcher, you will contribute to the development of AURORA resilient and circular strategies multi-scale assessment framework for designing circular and climate-resilient building construction and renovation pathways. Your research will focus on mapping and cataloguing innovative building technologies and investigating how individual products and product systems interact and can be combined into circular and resilient building configurations. Furthermore, you will contribute to the development of a digital database containing structured data for construction and renovation pathways, exploring how these can be adapted to different building typologies and hazard scenarios. You will then apply the developed framework to a Dutch urban neighborhood case-study.

Key activities include:

1. Mapping integrated construction and renovation strategies, covering structural systems, façades and building systems equipment across different building typologies, climatic conditions and hazard contexts.
2. Developing a catalogue of pre-evaluated configurations, supporting informed selection of resilient and circular construction and renovation options.
3. Assisting in the integration of assessed technologies and pathways into decision-ready parametric datasets and a structured database, enabling direct integration into AURORA digital planning workflows.
4. Applying the framework in real-time in a Dutch urban neighborhood.

You will collaborate with two research groups within the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment: Structures and Materials (restructgroup) and Building Design & Technology (architectural-facades-products), and one group within the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences: Hydraulic Structures and Flood Risk (hydraulic-structures-and-flood-risk). The position is funded for 48 months, during which the candidate will conduct doctoral research while contributing to the broader AURORA research program. The project offers opportunities to collaborate with leading European universities, industry partners, municipalities and public authorities working on circular construction, digital workflows and resilient urban development.

Job requirements

• You have a MSc degree in Building Sciences, such as Architectural Engineering, Building Technology, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline;
• You have demonstrated knowledge of one or more of the following areas: circular construction, resilience analysis, building technologies, building performance;
• You have demonstrated experience in multi-scale approaches linking materials, components, buildings and urban systems and quantitative performance assessment methods;
• Knowledge of GIS, digital workflows or programming (e.g. Python) is an advantage;
• You have excellent oral and written communication skills in English. For more details, please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.
• Knowledge of Dutch is considered a plus;
• You are able to work independently and as part of a team, and to build collaborative, interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary networks;
• You are motivated to develop innovative methods to support circular and resilient transformation of the built environment.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

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, with four thousand people enthusiastically 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.

Postdoc Position Whole Life Cycle Design for Climate-Responsive Buildings

Job description

Delft University of Technology is hiring a Post-doc researcher on “Whole Life Cycle Decision-Support for Climate-Responsive Buildings and In-Between Spaces”. The Post-doc position is part of the Horizon Europe WEAVE project.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will lead the development of an innovative Whole Life Cycle (WLC) decision-support framework that integrates environmental, circularity, economic, social and resilience indicators to support evidence-based design and planning from the earliest project stages. Moreover, you will develop innovative methodologies that place climate-responsive in-between spaces—such as balconies, loggias, winter gardens, atria and transitional outdoor areas—at the heart of low-carbon, resilient building renovation. You will identify, classify and evaluate in-between space archetypes, assessing their climatic performance, adaptability, buildability, circularity and integration into both new construction and renovation projects. Your research will be validated through demonstrators in different European countries, where you will collaborate with architects, engineers, municipalities and industry partners to assess and refine innovative renovation solutions. Working within the Horizon Europe WEAVE project, you will contribute to practical design methods and digital decision-support tools that accelerate the transition towards climate-resilient, circular and people-centred built environments. Next to the project, the postdoc will support the research group’s research and network activities, such as editorial assistance, project acquisition, and conference organisation.

The successful candidate will be a part of the Architectural Facades and Products research group (architectural-facades-products), within the Building Design & Technology section, in the Architectural Engineering and Technology (AE+T) department of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft. In the past 10 years the AE+T department has positioned itself at the interface of architecture and engineering that underpins excellent structural design. It has a world-leading academic reputation, a high impact in real-world applications and an excellent reputation with national and international employers in architectural engineering. The AE+T department is uniquely placed to grasp the exciting opportunities in this field such as advanced materials, novel methods of construction; powerful computational design tools; the internet of things etc. All of which are rooted in a deep understanding of fundamental principles, strong conceptual design skills and excellent teaching that are a hallmark of TU Delft.

The position is funded for 36 months full time, but it is possible to discuss options for part-time employment and the relative extension of the contract length up to 4 years. During this period, the candidate will lead the project tasks assigned to TU Delft and contribute to the broader WEAVE research agenda.

About WEAVE: WEAVE is a European funded research project that aims at overcoming the siloed approach between building and urban design by developing an early-stage decision-support system for building design that brings building-scale and urban-scale performance metrics into a unified framework. WEAVE places people and communities at the centre of building and urban design, and this will harness community codesign to deliver climate responsive, resilient and circular design strategies towards resilient decarbonization of buildings and precincts. In WEAVE’s approach, indoor and outdoor environments are evaluated together, and the building envelope is conceived as the crucial interface that connects building and urban scales, mediating not only between indoor and outdoor environments, but also between professions and stakeholders, and reciprocally between the outdoor and the indoor.

Job requirements

Our ideal candidate has:

• A PhD degree in architecture, building technology, building engineering, façade engineering, or similar disciplines.
• Affinity with sustainability standards, LCA, and circular economy in the construction sector
• Motivation to develop innovative methods addressing real-world challenges in sustainable and resilient building renovation.
• Experience with research acquisition and project management
• Strong analytical skills and interest in interdisciplinary research
• Ability to work independently, take initiative and collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team
• Good planning skills, scientific rigour and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

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, with four thousand people enthusiastically 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.

Nieuwsredacteur

Functieomschrijving

Delta is het onafhankelijke journalistieke platform van de TU Delft. We brengen nieuws, achtergronden en interviews over alles wat medewerkers en studenten aangaat. We volgen bestuur en medezeggenschap, pluizen beleid uit, duiken dossiers in en zijn voortdurend op zoek naar verhalen op de campus.

We zoeken een journalist met een neus voor nieuws, die scherpe vragen stelt, kansen voor verhalen herkent en complexe onderwerpen helder kan opschrijven. Iemand die niet alleen reageert op wat er gebeurt, maar ook zelf onderwerpen aandraagt en uitzoekt.

Werken bij Delta betekent journalistiek bedrijven op een bijzondere plek. Je bericht over een organisatie die tegelijk je werkgever is. Dat vraagt om onafhankelijkheid, zorgvuldigheid en soms een lange adem. Maar het biedt ook kansen. Je bouwt een netwerk op binnen een van de grootste technische universiteiten van Europa, spreekt studenten, medewerkers en bestuurders, en volgt ontwikkelingen van dichtbij.

Delta is een prijswinnend journalistiek platform met een betrokken lezerspubliek. Onze berichtgeving wordt gelezen door mensen die rechtstreeks te maken hebben met de onderwerpen waarover we schrijven. Daarmee vervullen we een belangrijke rol binnen de universitaire gemeenschap.

Wat ga je doen?

• Je volgt het nieuws binnen en rond de TU Delft.
• Je schrijft nieuwsberichten, interviews en achtergrondverhalen.
• Je spreekt medewerkers, studenten, bestuurders en medezeggenschappers en bouwt een netwerk op waaruit nieuwe verhalen ontstaan.
• Je komt met eigen ideeën en werkt die zelfstandig uit.
• Je publiceert voor website en sociale media.
• Je werkt samen met collega's aan grotere journalistieke producties.

Wat bieden wij?
Je komt terecht in een kleine redactie met een hoofdredacteur, twee eindredacteuren, twee nieuwsredacteuren en twee wetenschapsredacteuren. Je werkt afwisselend op de redactievloer en thuis en krijgt veel vrijheid om eigen verhalen te maken, bronnen op te bouwen en nieuwe onderwerpen te ontwikkelen.

Bovenal bieden we een journalistieke functie waarin je iedere dag nieuwe mensen ontmoet, nieuwe verhalen ontdekt en de ruimte krijgt om onafhankelijk verslag te doen van wat er speelt binnen de TU Delft.

Functie-eisen
Wie zoeken we?
Je bent nieuwsgierig, kritisch en zelfstandig. Je weet wanneer een verhaal nieuws is, kunt hoofd- van bijzaken onderscheiden en schroomt niet om lastige vragen te stellen.

Daarnaast:

• heb je ervaring als journalist of redacteur;
• schrijf je uitstekend in het Nederlands en goed in het Engels;
• heb je ervaring met online publiceren, contentmanagementsystemen en sociale media;
• kun je snel en zorgvuldig werken;
• kun je complexe onderwerpen begrijpelijk maken voor een breed publiek.

Ervaring met video, fotografie of podcasts is een pré.

TU Delft
Werken bij TU Delft betekent bijdragen aan oplossingen die er echt toe doen.

Al meer dan 180 jaar leiden we ingenieurs op die wereldwijd impact maken bij bedrijven, overheden of als ondernemer. Onze alumni zetten kennis om in concrete oplossingen voor de uitdagingen van vandaag en morgen. Die uitdagingen veranderen snel. Daarom werken we elke dag aan thema’s zoals energie, klimaat, digitalisering, AI en slimme mobiliteit. Ons onderwijs en onderzoek sluiten direct aan op wat de samenleving nodig heeft, nu en straks.

Bij TU Delft maken mensen het verschil. Met hun kennis en nieuwsgierigheid zorgen zij voor sterk onderwijs, vernieuwend onderzoek en innovaties die verder komen dan de campus. Je krijgt de ruimte om initiatief te nemen, samen te werken en jezelf te ontwikkelen. Wie bij TU Delft werkt, sluit zich aan bij een internationale community van professionals en studenten. Samen bouwen we aan kennis, innovatie en oplossingen die de wereld vooruithelpen.

Universiteitsdienst – Directie Communicatie
Impact voor een betere samenleving; dat is de missie van TU Delft. De Marketing & Communicatiemedewerkers van de directie Communication dragen daar steeds meer ‘accountable’ aan bij en daar zijn ze trots op! We begeleiden onze 28.000 studenten in hun ‘engineer journey’ van studiekiezers tot en met professionals in de maatschappij. Binnen de wetenschapscommunicatie benadrukken we de vraagstukken en onderzoeksresultaten in de maatschappelijke thema’s Klimaatactie, Energietransitie, Digitale Samenleving, Veerkrachtige Steden & Mobiliteit, en Gezondheid. Vanuit TU Delft Campus leggen we de verbinding naar bedrijven en beleidsmakers in ons innovatieve ecosysteem, waar onderzoeksresultaten versneld hun weg naar de samenleving vinden. En onder het motto #BetterTUgether! verbinden we onze bijna 8.000 TU Delft-collega’s. Zo versterken we samen het merk TU Delft, dat staat voor grensverleggend onderzoek, excellent onderwijs en baanbrekende innovaties.

Nieuwsredacteur

Functieomschrijving

Delta is het onafhankelijke journalistieke platform van de TU Delft. We brengen nieuws, achtergronden en interviews over alles wat medewerkers en studenten aangaat. We volgen bestuur en medezeggenschap, pluizen beleid uit, duiken dossiers in en zijn voortdurend op zoek naar verhalen op de campus.

We zoeken een journalist met een neus voor nieuws, die scherpe vragen stelt, kansen voor verhalen herkent en complexe onderwerpen helder kan opschrijven. Iemand die niet alleen reageert op wat er gebeurt, maar ook zelf onderwerpen aandraagt en uitzoekt.

Werken bij Delta betekent journalistiek bedrijven op een bijzondere plek. Je bericht over een organisatie die tegelijk je werkgever is. Dat vraagt om onafhankelijkheid, zorgvuldigheid en soms een lange adem. Maar het biedt ook kansen. Je bouwt een netwerk op binnen een van de grootste technische universiteiten van Europa, spreekt studenten, medewerkers en bestuurders, en volgt ontwikkelingen van dichtbij.

Delta is een prijswinnend journalistiek platform met een betrokken lezerspubliek. Onze berichtgeving wordt gelezen door mensen die rechtstreeks te maken hebben met de onderwerpen waarover we schrijven. Daarmee vervullen we een belangrijke rol binnen de universitaire gemeenschap.

Wat ga je doen?

• Je volgt het nieuws binnen en rond de TU Delft.
• Je schrijft nieuwsberichten, interviews en achtergrondverhalen.
• Je spreekt medewerkers, studenten, bestuurders en medezeggenschappers en bouwt een netwerk op waaruit nieuwe verhalen ontstaan.
• Je komt met eigen ideeën en werkt die zelfstandig uit.
• Je publiceert voor website en sociale media.
• Je werkt samen met collega's aan grotere journalistieke producties.

Wat bieden wij?
Je komt terecht in een kleine redactie met een hoofdredacteur, twee eindredacteuren, twee nieuwsredacteuren en twee wetenschapsredacteuren. Je werkt afwisselend op de redactievloer en thuis en krijgt veel vrijheid om eigen verhalen te maken, bronnen op te bouwen en nieuwe onderwerpen te ontwikkelen.

Bovenal bieden we een journalistieke functie waarin je iedere dag nieuwe mensen ontmoet, nieuwe verhalen ontdekt en de ruimte krijgt om onafhankelijk verslag te doen van wat er speelt binnen de TU Delft.

Functie-eisen
Wie zoeken we?
Je bent nieuwsgierig, kritisch en zelfstandig. Je weet wanneer een verhaal nieuws is, kunt hoofd- van bijzaken onderscheiden en schroomt niet om lastige vragen te stellen.

Daarnaast:

• heb je ervaring als journalist of redacteur;
• schrijf je uitstekend in het Nederlands en goed in het Engels;
• heb je ervaring met online publiceren, contentmanagementsystemen en sociale media;
• kun je snel en zorgvuldig werken;
• kun je complexe onderwerpen begrijpelijk maken voor een breed publiek.

Ervaring met video, fotografie of podcasts is een pré.

TU Delft
Werken bij TU Delft betekent bijdragen aan oplossingen die er echt toe doen.

Al meer dan 180 jaar leiden we ingenieurs op die wereldwijd impact maken bij bedrijven, overheden of als ondernemer. Onze alumni zetten kennis om in concrete oplossingen voor de uitdagingen van vandaag en morgen. Die uitdagingen veranderen snel. Daarom werken we elke dag aan thema’s zoals energie, klimaat, digitalisering, AI en slimme mobiliteit. Ons onderwijs en onderzoek sluiten direct aan op wat de samenleving nodig heeft, nu en straks.

Bij TU Delft maken mensen het verschil. Met hun kennis en nieuwsgierigheid zorgen zij voor sterk onderwijs, vernieuwend onderzoek en innovaties die verder komen dan de campus. Je krijgt de ruimte om initiatief te nemen, samen te werken en jezelf te ontwikkelen. Wie bij TU Delft werkt, sluit zich aan bij een internationale community van professionals en studenten. Samen bouwen we aan kennis, innovatie en oplossingen die de wereld vooruithelpen.

Universiteitsdienst – Directie Communicatie
Impact voor een betere samenleving; dat is de missie van TU Delft. De Marketing & Communicatiemedewerkers van de directie Communication dragen daar steeds meer ‘accountable’ aan bij en daar zijn ze trots op! We begeleiden onze 28.000 studenten in hun ‘engineer journey’ van studiekiezers tot en met professionals in de maatschappij. Binnen de wetenschapscommunicatie benadrukken we de vraagstukken en onderzoeksresultaten in de maatschappelijke thema’s Klimaatactie, Energietransitie, Digitale Samenleving, Veerkrachtige Steden & Mobiliteit, en Gezondheid. Vanuit TU Delft Campus leggen we de verbinding naar bedrijven en beleidsmakers in ons innovatieve ecosysteem, waar onderzoeksresultaten versneld hun weg naar de samenleving vinden. En onder het motto #BetterTUgether! verbinden we onze bijna 8.000 TU Delft-collega’s. Zo versterken we samen het merk TU Delft, dat staat voor grensverleggend onderzoek, excellent onderwijs en baanbrekende innovaties.

Postdoc Position in Digital Planning Framework for Circular and Climate Resilient Urban Environments

Job description
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment of Delft University of Technology is hiring a Postdoctoral researcher to work on a recently awarded Horizon Europe project, entitled AURORA (Shaping safe, sustainable, and human-centered places) under the supervision of Assistant Professors Simona Bianchi and Olga Ioannou, and Associate Professor Maria Pregnolato.

The broader AURORA project aims at accelerating the transformation of the built environment towards climate resilience and circularity. The project has a strong social perspective aiming at both technological and governance innovation. It combines innovative construction technologies, digital workflows, multi-level governance approaches, and participatory processes to support the development and implementation of resilient renovation strategies. Through demonstration pilots across Europe, AURORA provides practical frameworks for municipalities, practitioners, and stakeholders to evaluate and implement sustainable construction and renovation pathways.

You will contribute to the development of AURORA resilient and circular strategies multi-scale assessment framework. You will do so by assessing and classifying existing products, product systems and building configurations in accordance with the AURORA assessment framework and the project’s demonstrator contexts. You will also establish data structures that enable the exchange and integration of this information within those contexts. You will ultimately develop a user-friendly, intuitive digital interface to enable decision-making of circular and resilient building pathways for built environment stakeholders (governance bodies, construction companies, and individual users). The developed digital workflows will be tested, and validated through pilot applications, ensuring applicability across different building typologies, spatial scales and data availability conditions.

Key activities include:

1. Assessing integrated construction and renovation strategies, covering structural systems, façades and building equipment across different building typologies, climatic conditions and hazard contexts.
2. Translating assessed technologies and pathways into decision-ready parametric datasets and a structured database, enabling direct integration into AURORA digital planning workflows.
3. Developing a user-friendly, intuitive, digital interface to enable decision-making between built environment stakeholders.

As a Postdoctoral researcher, you will collaborate with two research groups within the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment: Structures and Materials (restructgroup) and Building Design & Technology (architectural-facades-products), and one group within the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences: Hydraulic Structures and Flood Risk (hydraulic-structures-and-flood-risk). The position is funded for 18 months, during which the candidate will conduct postdoctoral research while contributing to the broader AURORA research program. The project offers opportunities to collaborate with leading European universities, industry partners, municipalities and public authorities working on circular construction, digital workflows and resilient urban development.

Job requirements

• You have a PhD degree in Civil Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Building Technology, or a related field;
• You have demonstrated experience working in one or more of the following areas: resilience planning, decision support systems, building technology, sustainability assessments;
• Demonstrated knowledge of building and/or geographic information systems, data structures or software integration is a must;
• You have excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• You are able to work independently and as part of a team, and to build collaborative, interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary networks;
• You are motivated to develop digital solutions supporting sustainable and climate-resilient built environments;
• Work experience in multi-institutional projects is not essential but will be considered an asset.   

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

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, with four thousand people enthusiastically 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.