About the position
PhD Position Future Energy Infrastructure Planning Under Uncertainty in collaboration with Stedin
Do you want to develop innovative solutions to support urgent energy infrastructure planning challenges?
Grid operators, such as Stedin, must urgently plan near-term investments in energy infrastructure to ensure a carbon-neutral, robust, adequate, cost-effective, and socially acceptable system in the long term, with impacts, opportunities, and barriers extending beyond 2050.
This planning task is extremely challenging due to deep uncertainty regarding technological and societal developments across all sectors of the economy that influence the energy system's demand, as well as parallel planning decisions taken by other system actors.
A relevant case in point of the complex and uncertain interdependency between energy planning and socio-technical developments is the greenhouse horticulture sector, which in the Netherlands significantly contributes to both the economy and the energy system.
Socio-economic developments may transform the overall size of the sector or the products they prioritise (e.g., vegetables or ornamental plants, whose energy requirements differ significantly).
At the same time, technological developments and carbon-neutrality goals may radically transform the sector's local energy infrastructure and business model, for example, transitioning from CHPs to renewable sources that cannot provide grid flexibility but rather require it.
In this PhD, we will develop methods and tools to go beyond such barriers and enable the robust, adequate, cost-effective, and socially viable planning decisions that grid operators need.
First, by investigating how to capture various plausible socio-economic developments for a given energy sector, such as greenhouse horticulture, and their implications on energy demand.
Second, by quantifying how these developments may transform the sector's local energy infrastructure, which may comprise various energy carriers such as heat, hydrogen and green methane.
TU Delft and Stedin jointly fund this PhD position.
At Stedin, you will work closely with experienced system strategists who focus on the long-term integral development of the energy system.
We comprise a community of experienced and innovative colleagues whose primary drivers are societal value creation and sustainable development goals.
Job requirements
Prior research experience, especially in energy system modelling or other energy-related research.
TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.
Are you interested in this vacancy?
Motivation statement, including a paragraph outlining your main research interests within the areas outlined in the job advertisement (max. one A4 page).
You can apply online.
What you’ll bring
- Master’s degree in engineering (e.g., CoSEM, SET, Electrical Engineering if you attended TU Delft), physics or other related discipline (must have been awarded by the agreed-upon starting date of the PhD).
- Bonus points if you have:
At a glance
- Position type
- PhD
- Institution
- TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
- Department
- Department of Engineering Systems and Services
- Research group
- Not stated
- Location
- Netherlands
- Supervisor / contact person
- Not stated
- Funding
- Salaried
Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3204 - €4051 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution.
Salary range:
€3204 - €4051 - Duration
- Not stated
- Expected start
- Not stated
- Vacancy reference
- Not stated
Research focus
- Discipline
- Physics
- Research area
- Not stated
- Methods
- Not stated
- Software
- Python
Dates to know
- Listed on FOSS Positions
- 23 Sep 2026
- Original advertisement date
- Not stated in the source
- Application deadline
- 08 Oct 2026 Timezone not stated. Check the original advert.
- Priority review date
- Not stated
- Last checked
- 23 Sep 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Sep 2026
We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
How to apply
Apply now »
Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 8 October 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:
You can address your application to Francesco Lombardi.
You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
Apply now »
https://careers.tudelft.nl/talentcommunity/apply/1371575857/?locale=en_US
Contact: f.lombardi@tudelft.nl
Original sources
https://careers.tudelft.nl/talentcommunity/apply/1371575857/?locale=en_US ↗
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