PhD Position in River Basin Hydrology: Climate Change & Hydrological Extremes

PhD research project on climate change, hydrological extremes and seasonal water supply

Climate change leads to shifts in the magnitudes and timing of precipitation and atmospheric water demand, i.e. potential evaporation. This will directly affect soil moisture, groundwater dynamics and eventually streamflow. In addition, these changes will have cascading effects on vegetation that adapts to new conditions. As vegetation regulates the fraction of available water that is released into the atmosphere as evapotranspiration, these adaptations will feed back and either amplify or moderate the direct effects of climate change on soil moisture, groundwater and streamflow. These feedbacks and their effects on extreme events, such as floods and droughts, but also on seasonal water supply are poorly understood and not accounted for in current-generation hydrological models.

The PhD research project will address these issues for more reliable hydrological predictions with a focus on the Rhine-Meuse river basin, aiming to:

1. quantify natural vegetation adaptation to a changing climate;
2. further develop the wFlow-SBM hydrological model to account for these changes with a time-variable vegetation parametrization;
3. use this model to quantify and analyze the effects of changing vegetation on predictions of soil moisture, groundwater and streamflow under a changing climate in the Rhine-Meuse system.

In this project you will work in close collaboration with Rijkswaterstaat RWS (Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) and the industry project partner Deltares. At TU Delft, you will be hosted by the Water Management Department in the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences and the supervision team at TU Delft will be led by Prof. Markus Hrachowitz.

Job requirements

• MSc degree in Hydrology, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering or a related field
• Excellent computer programming and GIS skills
• Proficiency in written and spoken English (Dutch language is an advantage)
• Demonstrated interest in and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary approaches, linking plant physiology, soil science and geology to hydrology.

Working at TU Delft

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

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a 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.

The Faculty of Civil Engineering & 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.

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.

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.

Four days per week you will work at TU Delft in Delft and one day per week you will work on a secondement at the Rijkswaterstaat Watermanagement Center in Lelystad.