Postdoc Federated Digital Twins for XCARCITY

Postdoctoral Researchers – Development and Application of a Federated set of Digital Twins in Urban Mobility Systems

Function description

Increasing housing density and decreasing space for transport infrastructure and private parking are threatening the sustainable accessibility of urban regions. Potential smart mobility solutions consist of flexible combinations of walking and cycling, shared electric vehicles, transport hubs, freight delivery and traffic management – but we lack the modelling tools to test these solutions.

In the XCARCITY research program we will develop realistic digital replicas of car-low areas in Amsterdam Zuidas, Almere Pampus and the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam-The Hague. We will use these ‘digital twins’ to study how people use different smart mobility services. This will help cities, area developers and mobility providers to make informed decisions about smart mobility, ensuring that the car-low urban regions of the future remain accessible.

In Work Package 6, a federated digital twin architecture has been developed to simulate and evaluate these mobility strategies. We are now entering the phase where a feedback-control loop needs to be established to estimate, calibrate and validate the digital twin models with real-world data and data from extended reality experiments. We are seeking two postdoctoral researchers to further develop the federated set of digital twins in two specific urban use cases – Almere Pampus and Rotterdam Merwe-Vierhavens in the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam-The Hague – each for a period of one year.

Position 1: Digital Twin Application in Amsterdam Zuidas

The Zuidas, an established urban district in Amsterdam, is transitioning to sustainable, low-car mobility solutions. Currently macroscopic strategic models for all modes of transport including a pedestrian model are being developed. The postdoctoral researcher will further develop and apply the federated digital twin framework to simulate and evaluate mobility strategies that align with Zuidas’ shift towards sustainable transport.

Key responsibilities include:

• Implementing the digital twin framework to assess car-restrictive interventions, active travel, and shared mobility strategies.
• Implementing a data-driven feedback-control loop to estimate, calibrate and validate the digital twin models.
• Evaluating the impact of proposed strategies on reducing car dependency and supporting sustainable mobility transitions.

Position 2: Digital Twin Application in Rotterdam

Rotterdam, part of the Metropolitan Region Rotterdam-The Hague (MRDH), is characterized by decentralized trip patterns and strategic mobility hubs. Currently, an activity- and agent-based co-simulation framework is being developed. The postdoctoral researcher will further develop and apply the digital twin framework to evaluate public transport, hub and shared mobility strategies in Merwe-Vierhavens which will be transformed from a port area into a car-low living area.

Key responsibilities include:

• Implementing the digital twin framework in Merwe-Vierhavens, focusing on optimizing public transport and shared mobility.
• Implementing an XR-based feedback-control loop to estimate, calibrate and validate the digital twin models.
• Evaluating how proposed mobility strategies can further reduce car dependency in areas with decentralized trip patterns.

General Responsibilities for both Positions:

• Collaborating with researchers across work packages (WP1-5) to align data inputs and methodologies.
• Identifying potential synergies between the digital twin framework and other mobility initiatives.

Function requirements

• PhD in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Transport (Engineering), Urban Mobility, Data Science, or a related field.
• Proven expertise in digital twins, data integration, and urban mobility modeling.
• Experience in working with diverse data sources and developing data-driven simulations.
• Strong programming skills.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

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 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. Our 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

• Duration of contract is 1 year.
• A job of 38-40 hours per week.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Jie Gao, e-mail: j.gao-1@tudelft.nl and Maaike Snelder, e-mail: M.Snelder.tudelft.nl.