PhD in Coastal Climate Change Adaptation

Do you want to improve life in coastal environments facing threats from climate change? Be part of a pioneering European project tackling real-world climate challenges!

Job description

CORRAL is a European project that aims to support local and regional authorities in driving the socio-ecological-technological transformations required to build coastal resilience. The project will co-design and implement locally grounded, systemic solutions that address diverse climate risks while strengthening ecological integrity and community preparedness. The CORRAL consortium consists of 28 partners from 9 countries.

In particular, in collaboration with the municipality of The Hague, the TU Delft Green Village and Hydraulic Engineering department, CORRAL will develop a “Dune Park” in Scheveningen that consists of a “Growing Dune Landscape”. The plan is inspired by the Zandmotor pilot project and involves developing vegetation planting strategies to trap wind-driven sediment, leading to natural elevation of the local morphology providing functions to society. The hypothesis is that, as the sediment accumulates, vegetation growth and dune development will progress hand in hand, demonstrating how natural processes can generatively support coastal protection and provide a nature-based solution to combat sea-level rise.

In this ambitious plan, you will:

• Study the natural processes that govern the growth of coastal dunes in an urban coastal environment.
• Lead a fieldwork program to measure vegetation dynamics and morphological changes using GPS surveys, drones, and advanced remote sensing techniques.
• Simulate vegetation and dune evolution with the AeoLiS model.
• Disseminate observations and modelling results to stakeholders to showcase the site’s evolution and the potential of dune landscapes as a sustainable coastal defence strategy.

You will join the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, a collaborative and international team where curiosity, interdisciplinary research and scientific excellence are valued. You will also be part of the European project CORRAL. Our department closely collaborates with the other departments within our Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geoscience and many research groups around the world. We offer strong support for your professional growth, including mentoring, student supervision, training, and ample opportunities for international collaboration and networking.

Job requirements

We are looking for an enthusiastic and inquisitive computational researcher who enjoys working in an international and multidisciplinary environment. You have:

• An MSc degree in Hydraulic Engineering, Physical Geography, Hydro-informatics or Civil Engineering (or in a related discipline).
• Demonstrated experience or deep interest in modelling and coastal engineering.
• Affinity with international collaborations that require travelling.
• Scientific and/or practical knowledge of coastal processes.
• Excellent programming skills (e.g. in Python, SQL, Java, PyTorch, etc.).
• A critical, creative and pro-active approach to research, with good problem-solving skills.
• Excellent command of English (oral and written).

We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology 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, its engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months, followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

After the first selection, online interviews will be held in early July. The candidate is expected to start on 1 October 2026.