Project Leader - European Synthetic Cell Initiative

Job description

You will be project leader of SynCell-nExUs, a new pan-European postdoctoral excellence programme on the topic of synthetic cell research and technology. Your workplace will be at the Coordination Office of the European Synthetic Cell initiative (SynCellEU), faculty of Applied Sciences,TU Delft. You will work independently in close collaboration with the program manager of SynCellEU - which is the TU Delft partner in the project- as well as the scientific coordinators of the SynCell-nExUs which are located at the Max Planck Society in Germany.

In this varied job you will be responsible for the successful implementation of the SynCell-nExUs postdoctoral programme, ensuring the successful execution of all the work packages, deliverables and milestones. You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project, keeping track of the progress and ensuring compliance with Horizon Europe rules and the Grant Agreement. This entails:

• Preparing and managing the complex selection and recruitment process of the 40 postdoctoral fellows, acting as liaise with the selection committees and ensuring transparent evaluation procedures
• Providing administrative and logistic support throughout the recruitment process, including training and instructing selection committee members on the proper use of the recruitment system and ensuring that the selection process is carried out in compliance with project guidelines.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for selection committee members and for the TU Delft Recruitment Assistant supporting the process, as well as for the postdoctoral fellows and their hosts with respect to the programme activities.
• Organizing the programme activities, e.g. events, training, meetings, workshops.
• Collaborating with the other partners in the project, establishing and maintaining contacts with external parties.
• Developing dissemination, communication and exploitation strategies and maintain visibility of the programme, in collaboration with the SynCellEU Communication Officer.
• Reporting to the internal Management Team of the programme and preparing the periodic reporting to the European Commission on the programme, including financial reporting.
• Ensuring ethical compliance, open science practices and IP management.

Job requirements

• HBO+ or an academic degree.
• Strong analytic, organizational and operational process management skills. Management of similar European projects (e.g. Horizon Europe/MSCA), is an asset.
• Experience with delivering activities within set timelines and resources to achieve project objectives. Willingness to take on a hands-on approach.
• Experience with stakeholder management, preferably within a complex academic environment
• Experience with data management and the ability to retain overview while working with large numbers of candidates and committee members.
• Strong communication, coordination and teamwork skills. An excellent command of the English language is a must; Dutch is an advantage.
• Strong computer skills; experience with common institutional software systems and Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is an advantage.
• After your onboarding period, you are able to work independently, recognize what needs to be done and proactively initiate discussions when needed.

You are available to start preferably in August 2026. Only candidates from EU countries or with a Dutch work permit can be considered for this vacancy (due to Dutch regulations).

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 Researcher in AI-based Energy Management for Maritime ESS

Job description
Are you passionate about applying artificial intelligence and predictive control to accelerate the transition toward zero-emission shipping?

We are looking for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Maritime & Transport Technology (MTT) department at TU Delft within the NWO KIC project SEANERGETIC (Ship system expanded energy storage devices lifetime via AI-empowered control).

SEANERGETIC aims to make electrochemical energy storage systems (batteries and fuel cells) economically and environmentally viable for maritime applications by leveraging operational data and hybrid modelling approaches. The project focuses on extending lifetime, improving efficiency, ensuring safety, and enabling circular use of energy storage technologies.

This position contributes to Work Package 3: Energy, Health and Safety Management and Sizing Optimization.

You will work within the Sustainable Drive and Energy Systems group at TU Delft, in close collaboration with leading industrial partners including Damen, RHMarine, Praxis Automation, EST-Floattech, Nedstack, Wärtsilä, MARIN, and shipowners providing real operational datasets.

Your main tasks will include:

• Developing time-series forecasting models for vessel power demand and operational profiles.
• Designing forecast-informed optimal energy management strategies for hybrid and full-electric vessels.
• Contribute to the development of multi-objective control approaches (e.g. MPC or reinforcement learning) that explicitly account for efficiency, degradation, and safety constraints.
• Validating developed methods on real-world datasets and demonstrator platforms.
• Publishing results in high-impact journals and conferences.
• Contributing to project deliverables and collaboration with industrial partners.

You will be part of an interdisciplinary consortium combining expertise in maritime engineering, electrochemical energy storage, AI and data science, power electronics, and sustainable business models.

The position offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of AI-based control and maritime energy transition, directly contributing to reduced CAPEX, reduced OPEX, extended lifetime of energy storage systems, and accelerated adoption of zero-emission vessels.

Job requirements
We are looking for an outstanding and enthusiastic postdoctoral candidate with expertise in control systems, energy systems, or AI-based modelling.

The ideal candidate:

• Holds a PhD (or is close to completion) in control engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, maritime engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, or a related field.
• Has strong experience in at least one of the following: i) Time-series forecasting, ii) Model Predictive Control, iii) Reinforcement Learning.
• The ideal candidate has strong programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB and is comfortable working with real operational datasets.
• You are able to work independently, while also collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary team of academic and industrial partners.
• You communicate clearly and professionally in English. Experience with maritime energy systems is considered a strong plus, but it is not a strict requirement.

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 Mechanical Engineering
From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.

Postdoc Researcher in Control & Optimisation for Maritime Hybrid Energy Systems

Job description
Are you motivated to develop advanced control and optimisation methods that accelerate the transition toward zero-emission shipping?

We are looking for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Maritime & Transport Technology (MTT) department at TU Delft within the NWO KIC project SEANERGETIC (Ship system expanded energy storage devices lifetime via AI-empowered control).

SEANERGETIC aims to make electrochemical energy storage systems (batteries and fuel cells) economically and environmentally viable for maritime applications by leveraging operational data and hybrid modelling approaches. The project focuses on extending lifetime, improving efficiency, ensuring safety, and enabling circular use of energy storage technologies.

This position contributes to Work Package 3: Energy, Health and Safety Management and Sizing Optimization. You will work within the Sustainable Drive and Energy Systems group at TU Delft, in close collaboration with industrial partners and data owners in the SEANERGETIC consortium.

Your main tasks will include:

• Developing optimisation-based energy management strategies for hybrid and full-electric vessels, with explicit constraints on safety, efficiency and component limits.
• Designing and evaluating predictive control approaches (e.g., MPC/stochastic MPC) for real-time power split between batteries, fuel cells, and auxiliaries.
• Integrating battery and fuel cell health indicators (SoC/SoH, thermal constraints, degradation proxies) into control and decision-making.
• Formulating and solving multi-objective optimisation problems (e.g., efficiency vs lifetime vs availability), including Pareto analysis and sensitivity studies.
• Contributing to sizing optimisation of batteries and fuel cells using operational profiles and lifecycle objectives, linking design choices to operational control policies.
• Validating methods on real-world datasets and, where applicable, demonstrator environments with consortium partners.
• Publishing results in high-impact journals and conferences, and contributing to project deliverables.

The position offers a unique opportunity to work at the interface of control engineering, optimisation, and maritime energy systems, with direct impact on reduced CAPEX/OPEX and extended lifetime of energy storage devices. 

Job requirements
We are looking for an outstanding and enthusiastic postdoctoral candidate with a strong background in control engineering, optimisation, and energy management for electrochemical energy systems.

The ideal candidate should hold a PhD (or is close to completion) in control engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, maritime engineering, applied mathematics, or a related field.

Moreover, the candidate should demonstrate experience with at least one of the following:

• Model Predictive Control (MPC) / stochastic MPC / constrained control
• Optimal control and mathematical optimisation (convex optimisation, nonlinear programming, dynamic programming)
• Energy Management Systems (EMS) for hybrid powertrains and/or microgrids
• Battery and/or fuel cell modelling, including operational constraints and degradation-aware control

The ideal candidate has strong programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB and is comfortable working with real operational datasets.

The candidate must be able to work independently while collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary consortium of academic and industrial partners and communicates clearly and professionally in English.

Experience with maritime hybrid energy systems is considered a strong plus, but it is not a strict requirement.   

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 Mechanical Engineering
From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.

Project Leader - European Synthetic Cell Initiative

Job description

You will be project leader of SynCell-nExUs, a new pan-European postdoctoral excellence programme on the topic of synthetic cell research and technology. Your workplace will be at the Coordination Office of the European Synthetic Cell initiative (SynCellEU), faculty of Applied Sciences,TU Delft. You will work independently in close collaboration with the program manager of SynCellEU - which is the TU Delft partner in the project- as well as the scientific coordinators of the SynCell-nExUs which are located at the Max Planck Society in Germany.

In this varied job you will be responsible for the successful implementation of the SynCell-nExUs postdoctoral programme, ensuring the successful execution of all the work packages, deliverables and milestones. You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the project, keeping track of the progress and ensuring compliance with Horizon Europe rules and the Grant Agreement. This entails:

• Preparing and managing the complex selection and recruitment process of the 40 postdoctoral fellows, acting as liaise with the selection committees and ensuring transparent evaluation procedures
• Providing administrative and logistic support throughout the recruitment process, including training and instructing selection committee members on the proper use of the recruitment system and ensuring that the selection process is carried out in compliance with project guidelines.
• Serving as the primary point of contact for selection committee members and for the TU Delft Recruitment Assistant supporting the process, as well as for the postdoctoral fellows and their hosts with respect to the programme activities.
• Organizing the programme activities, e.g. events, training, meetings, workshops.
• Collaborating with the other partners in the project, establishing and maintaining contacts with external parties.
• Developing dissemination, communication and exploitation strategies and maintain visibility of the programme, in collaboration with the SynCellEU Communication Officer.
• Reporting to the internal Management Team of the programme and preparing the periodic reporting to the European Commission on the programme, including financial reporting.
• Ensuring ethical compliance, open science practices and IP management.

Job requirements

• HBO+ or an academic degree.
• Strong analytic, organizational and operational process management skills. Management of similar European projects (e.g. Horizon Europe/MSCA), is an asset.
• Experience with delivering activities within set timelines and resources to achieve project objectives. Willingness to take on a hands-on approach.
• Experience with stakeholder management, preferably within a complex academic environment
• Experience with data management and the ability to retain overview while working with large numbers of candidates and committee members.
• Strong communication, coordination and teamwork skills. An excellent command of the English language is a must; Dutch is an advantage.
• Strong computer skills; experience with common institutional software systems and Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is an advantage.
• After your onboarding period, you are able to work independently, recognize what needs to be done and proactively initiate discussions when needed.

You are available to start preferably in August 2026. Only candidates from EU countries or with a Dutch work permit can be considered for this vacancy (due to Dutch regulations).

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 Researcher in AI-based Energy Management for Maritime ESS

Job description
Are you passionate about applying artificial intelligence and predictive control to accelerate the transition toward zero-emission shipping?

We are looking for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Maritime & Transport Technology (MTT) department at TU Delft within the NWO KIC project SEANERGETIC (Ship system expanded energy storage devices lifetime via AI-empowered control).

SEANERGETIC aims to make electrochemical energy storage systems (batteries and fuel cells) economically and environmentally viable for maritime applications by leveraging operational data and hybrid modelling approaches. The project focuses on extending lifetime, improving efficiency, ensuring safety, and enabling circular use of energy storage technologies.

This position contributes to Work Package 3: Energy, Health and Safety Management and Sizing Optimization.

You will work within the Sustainable Drive and Energy Systems group at TU Delft, in close collaboration with leading industrial partners including Damen, RHMarine, Praxis Automation, EST-Floattech, Nedstack, Wärtsilä, MARIN, and shipowners providing real operational datasets.

Your main tasks will include:

• Developing time-series forecasting models for vessel power demand and operational profiles.
• Designing forecast-informed optimal energy management strategies for hybrid and full-electric vessels.
• Contribute to the development of multi-objective control approaches (e.g. MPC or reinforcement learning) that explicitly account for efficiency, degradation, and safety constraints.
• Validating developed methods on real-world datasets and demonstrator platforms.
• Publishing results in high-impact journals and conferences.
• Contributing to project deliverables and collaboration with industrial partners.

You will be part of an interdisciplinary consortium combining expertise in maritime engineering, electrochemical energy storage, AI and data science, power electronics, and sustainable business models.

The position offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of AI-based control and maritime energy transition, directly contributing to reduced CAPEX, reduced OPEX, extended lifetime of energy storage systems, and accelerated adoption of zero-emission vessels.

Job requirements
We are looking for an outstanding and enthusiastic postdoctoral candidate with expertise in control systems, energy systems, or AI-based modelling.

The ideal candidate:

• Holds a PhD (or is close to completion) in control engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, maritime engineering, applied mathematics, computer science, or a related field.
• Has strong experience in at least one of the following: i) Time-series forecasting, ii) Model Predictive Control, iii) Reinforcement Learning.
• The ideal candidate has strong programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB and is comfortable working with real operational datasets.
• You are able to work independently, while also collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary team of academic and industrial partners.
• You communicate clearly and professionally in English. Experience with maritime energy systems is considered a strong plus, but it is not a strict requirement.

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 Mechanical Engineering
From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.