Postdoc Researcher in AI-based Energy Management for Maritime ESS

Develop AI-based forecasting and predictive energy management to improve efficiency, safety, and lifetime of maritime batteries and fuel cells within the NWO SEANERGETIC project

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?

TU Delft’s Maritime & Transport Technology (MTT) department is looking for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to join 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.
• Contributing 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.
• Has strong programming skills in Python and/or MATLAB and is comfortable working with real operational datasets.
• Is able to work independently, while also collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary team of academic and industrial partners.
• Communicates clearly and professionally in English. Experience with maritime energy systems is considered a strong plus, but it is not a strict requirement.

Conditions of employment

• This is a full-time, temporary postdoctoral position (1.0 FTE) for 11 months, with an intended start in Q2/Q3 2026.
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave.
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

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.

Faculty Mechanical Engineering

Research and education at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering focuses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.