Postdoc in Tsunami Engineering

Work on globally unique experimental data to shape understanding of tsunami inundation of coastlines and interaction with buildings.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and talented Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Hydraulic Engineering Department at TU Delft and contribute to this global effort in advancing Tsunami Engineering.

Job description

Tsunami engineering is a field that has grown rapidly over the last 22 years, spurred by a number of devastating events. In particular, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami that devastated coastlines across the Indian Ocean and killed over 230,000 people across 14 countries, resulted in a significant worldwide effort towards a better characterisation of tsunami induced scour and forces on structures. The subsequent 2010 Maule earthquake and tsunami in Chile and 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan, which damaged numerous modern engineered buildings, industrial facilities, bridges and large coastal defence infrastructure, resulted in the revision of building codes for tsunami design and the development of analytical methods for assessing buildings under tsunami loads. Despite this growth in activity, there are still many areas of tsunami interactions with the built environment that are not well understood.

This role specifically aims to build insights from the extensive tsunami experimental programmes already conducted under the ERC funded URBANWAVES project and in the MAKEWAVES project. In both projects, experiments were conducted in very large flumes at HR Wallingford (UK) using a pneumatic tsunami simulator that is globally unique in its capacity to generate waves with representative tsunami wavelengths. The experiments involved the simulation of tsunami of different form and wavelengths propagating along the flume, running up a beach and interacting with engineered coastal defence structures, natural defences, single and multiple buildings with different characteristics founded on solid and mobile sediment beds. This rich dataset has only been partly published and presents a unique opportunity to develop new knowledge and insights on both the physics of these destructive waves and their interaction with the built and natural environment.

In this role, you will analyse data sets from the experimental programmes to develop new insights, which you will disseminate through academic publications and outreach materials aimed at influencing the development of future codes of practice. New insights into loading on structures may also be translated into structural response impacts using the structural analysis software OpenSEES and the bespoke VDPO toolkit for tsunami analysis of structures developed by the group. For this work, beyond TU Delft, you will need to collaborate with a wider consortium of international researchers, academics and engineers that contributed to the experimental campaigns, including University College London, HR Wallingford, London Southbank University, Imperial College, University of Naples Federico II, and others.

Our team promotes a healthy and collaborative work environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and where you will receive full support to develop your skills and expertise, including mentoring, opportunities to co-supervise students, and access to TU Delft’s training programme.

This vacancy is positioned within the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, where research and education address key challenges including climate change, energy transition, and biodiversity loss. The department offers cutting-edge facilities, a collaborative culture, and a diverse team of permanent staff, PhD students, and postdocs driving innovative research.

Job requirements

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with the following qualifications:

• A PhD in Civil (Hydraulic) Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• PhD thesis must have been submitted by start of the appointment.
• Strong skills in data processing, signal analysis, and programming (e.g. Python/Matlab).
• Demonstrated experience in publishing scientific journal papers.
• Ability to work well independently as well as in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Fluent in English (oral and written).
• Availability to start on or before January 2027.

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 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.

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences

The Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences is committed to international research and education in civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Its research addresses societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation, and clean water, and is conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 24 months. Temporary appointment.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave.
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.