Postdoc Bipolar Membrane Development for Acid-Base Flow Battery Systems

Job description

Energy storage is an indispensable factor for bridging electricity consumption with intermittent renewable energy supply. Electricity grids face significant challenges in balancing economic growth with sustainability targets. Rapid electrification across industrial, transport, commercial, and residential sectors strains existing grid infrastructure, leading to congestion and transmission bottlenecks. These issues limit the integration of renewable energy. Long-duration energy storage (LDES), providing 8+ hours of storage, can balance intermittent production and demand, thereby stabilizing the grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and ensuring more effective use of renewable energy. TenneT expects 4.9 GW of large-scale battery storage will be required in The Netherlands by 2030, while only 0.14 GW was installed in 2023. Hence, a rapid scale-up of LDES is needed.

In that light, a collaborative project has been started with universities (TU Delft, UTwente, TU/Eindhoven, HAN) and companies (AQUABATTERY, Elestor, Exergy Storage, RWE, Nobian) to develop batteries for long-duration energy storage. Specifically, this postdoc position focuses on acid-base flow batteries, and more specifically stack engineering in this system. Acid-base flow batteries are based on dissociating water into acid and base during charging using bipolar membranes, and recombining acid and base in this membrane to retrieve electrical energy.

We’re looking for an excellent postdoc with strong membrane development skills to study development of bipolar membranes for acid-base flow batteries. In close collaboration with researchers at TU/Eindhoven and AQUABATTERY, you will develop new bipolar membranes with high water dissociation efficiency, low resistance, and high selectivity. You will develop new materials and new configurations to improve membrane performance, and analyze directions for improvement. You will also study other membrane-related aspects and other applications for the same materials. Part of the job is to educate students in courses related to the research.

Job requirements

We’re looking for a candidate with:

• A PhD degree in chemical engineering or applied chemistry
• Proven experience in working with bipolar membranes
• Proven experience in nanostructures and catalytic membranes
• An excellent publication record
• Pro-active and creative mind-set
• Fluent in English; speaking Dutch is a plus
• Starting date October 2026

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

At TU Delft, people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, staff provide 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 joining an international community of professionals and students. Together, they create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 2 years. Temporary.
• 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), with the option to 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
• Relocation support for moving to the Netherlands, including information and events to help you settle in Delft
• A Dual Career Programme is available to support an accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands