PhD on design and supply chain resilience of novel materials for aerospace

PhD on exploring the impact of design decisions on supply chain resilience, geopolitics, and sustainability of novel high-performance materials for zero-emission aircraft.

Job description

The TU Delft Faculties of Industrial Design Engineering and Aerospace Engineering are jointly seeking a motivated PhD candidate to join our research group to explore the impact of design decisions on supply chain resilience, geopolitics, and sustainability of next generation high-performance materials for zero-emission aircraft.

Production of high-performance materials – such as the next generation of carbon fibre reinforced polymer composites – is a highly specialised process with a relatively narrow industrial base. This leads to concerns about supply chain resilience and criticality. The PhD work will address vulnerabilities such as geopolitical risks on the supply side, sustainability, and recycling challenges at end-of-life. You will be part of the Growth Fund project ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’, aiming to develop next generation zero emission aircraft. As part of a multidisciplinary environment, you will work closely with academic and industry to advance the design and application of novel high-performance materials. The novel materials developed by project partners during this project will serve as a case to develop new and improved sustainable design methods for the use, reuse and recycling of highly architected materials such as carbon fibre composites.

Your work includes developing design methods for light weight systems that use high performance materials, in combination with other assessment methods such as Life Cycle Assessment. This work is both conceptual and by developing several prototype products or workflows that can be implemented in software during or after the project. In the process of developing new design methods, you will also explore the criticality, sustainability, and resilience of the supply chains of these materials. The overall range of topics is quite broad, so the PhD position offers significant flexibility in terms of the focus of research.

As a candidate you bring a strong interest in interdisciplinary thinking and complex systems, have experience with design, Life Cycle Assessment and/or another suitable system level analysis method, proficiency in Python for data analysis, modelling, or LCA tool development, and an affinity to mechanics of materials.

Besides a salary and benefits package and the opportunity to work with a team of experts in the field of sustainable design engineering, and leading industrial partners, this is an excellent opportunity to make a significant scientific contribution to the scientific fields of sustainable design engineering and aerospace engineering, while also having a real-world impact on how products are designed.

Job requirements

• Masters in Industrial Ecology, Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related field;
• Demonstrable experience with design, supply chain analysis, Life Cycle Assessment, or materials engineering;
• Affinity with design and / or aerospace engineering;
• Excellent scientific writing and communication skills;

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.

Faculty Industrial Design Engineering

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Delft designers act as a bridge between advances in technology and the needs of people, organisations and society to create products, services and systems with purpose.

IDE is a leader in design research across the application areas of mobility, sustainability and health, as well as its development of design tools and methods. A 350-strong research team and over 2,000 students work together in our inspiring hall, labs and studios.

In close cooperation with industry, the public sector and NGOs we rehearse possible futures in research and education to design for a complex future.

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.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2872 per month in the first year to € 3670 in the fourth year. 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.

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service. This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.