PhD Position on Justice Aspects of New Flexible Energy Consumption Systems

Do you want to work on just energy systems and are you interested in doing interdisciplinary research?

Job Description

The 2022 energy crisis in Europe painfully illustrated that current electricity markets leave consumers exposed to extreme price risks. Even in a future electricity system free of fossil fuels, prolonged periods without wind and sun may lead to extreme electricity prices, which consumers are unable to hedge in current retail electricity markets. At the same time, capturing the value of consumer flexibility typically requires exposing them to short-term, volatile price signals, further contributing to their risk exposure.

The PhD-candidate will be studying justice aspects of new flexible energy consumption systems through exploring institutional changes in different countries and identify the expectations about roles, responsibilities, and relations of households vis-à-vis the expectations of other actors in the energy system. The project will involve case-studies, and use approaches such as Q-method, pattern modelling and institutional analysis.

This PhD position is one of 15 positions funded under the MSCA Doctoral Network (DN) Consumer Energy Demand Flexibility in Electricity Use (CoDEF).

You will be supervised by dr.ir. Aad Correljé and dr.ir. Udo Pesch. The position is located at the Department of Values, Technology and Innovation (VTI), which focuses on the value dimension of comprehensive engineering, the overarching research theme of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management (TPM). TPM studies and contributes to sustainable solutions for technical challenges in society by combining the insights from engineering with the humanities and the social sciences.

We foresee a secondment during this PhD trajectory with the University of Stavanger.

Job requirements

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic researcher who combines an interdisciplinary background with strong collaboration and analytical skills.

We are looking for a candidate with the following background and qualities:

• An MSc degree in Institutional Economics, Energy Policy, Science and Technology Studies, Policy Sciences, Urban Studies, Organization and Management Studies, Spatial Planning or another relevant interdisciplinary specialization
• Experience with and enthusiasm for combining qualitative research and modelling approaches.
• Experience in collaborating with researchers, practitioners and decision-makers who have diverse organizational and disciplinary backgrounds.
• Strong analytical skills combined with a creative and innovative approach.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English
• Eligible applicants must not have lived in the Netherlands for more than 12 of the last 36 months, as a consequence of the funding rules for Horizon Europe Marie Curie Doctoral network projects.

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 Technology, Policy & Management

The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

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.