Internship artificial reefs (Hydronamic)

Internship Opportunity at Boskalis

Boskalis is currently looking for an intern to join the CREST project (March/April 2025) for a period of three months and contribute to innovative solutions for coastal protection. CREST is a research project led by TU Delft in collaboration with Plymouth University, Deltares, Coastruction, and Boskalis. It also builds on the ARISE initiative led by Plymouth University, which investigates how atoll islands naturally adapt to rising sea levels. One of its aims is to explore innovative solutions to protect low-lying coral islands from the growing threat of climate change. These islands are protected by coral reefs, which act as natural breakwaters to mitigate coastal flooding. However, the rapid decline of coral reefs in recent decades has left many of these islands at increased risk of flooding. Recognizing the need for sustainable coastal resilience, the CREST project conducted large-scale experiments in the Deltaflume of Deltares to evaluate the effectiveness of artificial reef structures in dissipating wave energy and protecting the coast.

Boskalis, a leading global dredging and offshore contractor, is closely involved in the CREST project, with a particular interest in understanding how artificial reef structures can be used in coastal projects. Boskalis aims to gather experimental evidence on the effects of reef restoration on wave-induced flooding and to assess the optimal placement of different structures along the reef profile. The aim is to translate this scientific research into practical engineering applications, potentially integrating reef restoration with traditional coastal protection measures such as revetments. This work will assist Boskalis in developing new design concepts that could incorporate reefs as a component of coastal defence. By comparing scenarios with and without artificial reefs, Boskalis aims to quantify the differences in material volumes, costs, emissions, and overall impact, thus laying the foundations for more sustainable coastal infrastructure.

An internship with the CREST project is an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to both research and real-world engineering solutions for climate adaptation. This internship provides a valuable opportunity to apply technical skills in wave data analysis and its application to real-world coastal engineering practice while having a tangible impact on the advancement of both environmental and technical engineering solutions that enhance resilience to climate-related threats to coastal regions.

In this internship, you will

• Analyze hydrodynamic data to assess the impact of artificial reef structures on wave dissipation.
• Process velocity and pressure data to estimate incident wave characteristics.
• Use MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for data processing and analysis.
• Assist in coastal protection design calculations, focusing on revetment designs.
• Compare coastal protection designs with and without artificial reefs.
• Document findings and present results in reports and presentations.

Your qualities

• You are currently pursuing a master’s degree in coastal engineering, or a related field.
• Strong analytical skills and a keen interest in wave data analysis.
• Strong interest in and basic understanding of coastal protection designs (i.e., revetment designs).
• Good programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar tools for data analysis.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently.

We offer

What you can expect:

• Internship guidance: We offer you the opportunity to get the most out of your internship by giving you the right guidance. The supervision and support will be provided by Samantha Haage (Lead of the Artificial Reef Program and Coastal Engineer at Boskalis) on revetment designs and by Marion Tissier (Project Lead of CREST and Associate Professor at TU Delft on Waves) on the wave data analysis.
• Resources: Access to experimental data from large-scale flume tests conducted at Deltares.
• Warm welcome: You can count on a warm welcome so that you quickly feel at home at Boskalis.
• Salary and more: As an intern, you will receive an internship allowance. In addition, we offer a fun work environment with lots of challenges.
• A dynamic work environment: An internship where you can learn a lot from a leading company and where you will be part of a diverse team of experts.
• Young Boskalis: Are you younger than 36? Then join Young Boskalis! Monthly social and sporting activities ranging from pub quizzes, yoga, bootcamps, and an annual sailboat race. Networking and knowledge sharing are also an important part of Young Boskalis.

This is a practical internship for 3 months, so this assignment can’t be used as a graduation/thesis project.

About Boskalis

Working at Boskalis is about creating new horizons and sustainable solutions. In a world where population growth, increased global trade, demand for (new) energy, and climate change are driving forces, we challenge you to make your mark in developing innovative solutions for complex coastal and marine projects.

Within a vibrant company culture, you will be part of a diverse, international team of experts. We offer you the opportunity to realize your full potential and expand your professional career by creating new horizons together.

Interested?

Want to know more? We’ll be happy to answer your questions. Please get in touch with Samantha Haage via samantha.haage@boskalis.com