Postdoc in Automated Inspection and Monitoring of Wind Turbine Blades

Join the TU Delft team developing sensor technology to automate the inspection and monitoring of wind turbines to support the clean energy transition.

Job description

Wind turbines play an important role in the future carbon-neutral society. To optimize the energy output and material usage of wind turbines, wind turbines need to be efficiently maintained, which requires new and improved automated inspection and monitoring technology. Two postdoc vacancies are available in the Groves Aerospace NDT/SHM Group at TU Delft.

This postdoc position will focus on the development of a lightweight ultrasonic phased-array sensor module in the AIRTuB-ROMI project. The AIRTuB-ROMI will develop cutting-edge, automated systems designed to control the health of the blades of offshore wind farms. Building upon the technological advancements achieved in the AIRTuB 1 project, such as ultrasonic sensing and drone/crawler platforms, this project will further enhance and integrate these technologies into a resident system within offshore wind farms. The ultimate ambition is to refine, test, and demonstrate these innovative technologies in real offshore conditions and offer them as “AIRTuB as a Service (AAAS)” to service providers.

Requirements

• PhD in Physics, Computer Science or an Engineering discipline (Aerospace preferred)
• Affinity with engineering structures and materials, ideally in the wind energy sector
• Expertise in non-destructive testing, structural health monitoring and/or other inspection techniques
• Interest in instrumentation development and automation.
• Good experimental and practical skills. Able to develop concepts, build and test them in the lab
• The following are an advantage: knowledge of sensor physics, ultrasonics, mechatronics, electronics
• Ability to work in a collaborative project

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 Aerospace Engineering

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at Delft University of Technology is one of the world’s most highly ranked (and most comprehensive) research, education and innovation communities devoted entirely to aerospace engineering. More than 200 science staff, around 270 PhD candidates and close to 3000 BSc and MSc students apply aerospace engineering disciplines to address the global societal challenges that threaten us today, climate change without doubt being the most important. Our focal subjects: sustainable aerospace, big data and artificial intelligence, bio-inspired engineering and smart instruments and systems. Working at the faculty means working together. With partners in other faculties, knowledge institutes, governments and industry, both aerospace and non-aerospace. Working in field labs and innovation hubs on our university campus and beyond.