Postdoc Adaptive Damping of Electrical Oscillations in Offshore Energy Systems

Postdoc Adaptive Damping of Electrical Oscillations in Offshore Energy Systems

Job description

The postdoc position focuses on the assessment and enhancement of the oscillatory stability performance of multi-gigawatt offshore energy systems. As an innovator, you'll unveil the physical properties and develop adaptive damping control for poorly damped electrical oscillations, which have time-varying properties that can result in unstable multi-converter dynamic interplay. The research activities will be based on off-line and real-time digital simulation for laboratory scale experiments, data analytics, multi-variable non-linear control, and advanced optimization methods.

This postdoc position, starting from June/July 2025, offers a great opportunity to work in a multidisciplinary team and with industrial partners. In addition, you will be organising co-creation workshops and meetings and will report your progress and findings to the stakeholders. You will, of course, publish papers and disseminate your findings and knowledge in relevant communities.

Your research is part of a multi-disciplinary drive towards stable, reliable sustainable energy systems. Which is why you’ll work closely with your colleagues in the Dynamic Stability of Sustainable Electrical Power Systems team led by Dr. Jose Rueda. The team belongs to the Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG) Section of the Electrical Sustainable Energy (ESE) Department, which is part of the Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science (EEMCS) Faculty. We are an innovation-driven and multidisciplinary team of early-stage and senior professors, postdocs, PhDs, and MSc researchers with different cultural backgrounds. You will be coaching and mentoring master students. Fostering a synergetic, open-minded, and win-together culture, we regularly interact and share views, unlocking opportunities, forms of incubation, and deployment of knowledge and ground-breaking developments. We also stimulate a healthy and inclusive work environment in which you can bring out the best in yourself. And we value autonomy, professionalism, and a balanced work-life approach.

The research in the Department of Electrical Sustainable Energy is inspired by the technical, scientific, and societal challenges originating from the transition towards a more sustainable society and focuses on four areas:

• DC Systems, Energy Conversion and Storage (DCE&S)
• Photovoltaic Materials and Devices (PVMD)
• Intelligent Electrical Power Grids (IEPG)
• High Voltage Technologies (HVT)

The department owns a large ESP Laboratory assembling High Voltage testing, DC Grids testing environment, and large RTDS that is actively used for real-time simulation of future electrical power systems, AC and DC protection and wide-area monitoring and protection. The Intelligent Electrical Power Grid (IEPG) group, headed by Professor Peter Palensky, works on the future of our power system.

Job requirements

You thrive on conducting independent research, while being part of a team working together on stable energy systems meeting the demands of an accelerated energy transition. To help achieve our goals, you have the flexibility to align your research and are able to collaborate to work towards solutions. You harness your communication and organisation skills, convincing and motivating your partners and your team to achieve tangible results. You also enjoy interacting with and coaching PhD candidates and master students.

You also have:

• A PhD degree in Electrical Engineering or Power Systems or a closely related field.
• Background in power system stability with emphasis on EMT modelling and simulation of power electronic interfaced devices.
• Demonstrated competences in one or more of the following complementary categories: Working principles of Power Electronic Converters, Control Systems Design and Testing, EMT Modelling and Simulation (emphasis on real-time digital simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing), Software programming (e.g. Python).
• An affinity with teaching and guiding PhD candidates and MSc students.
• A proven record and interest in further developing your modelling, programming, analytical and scientific writing skills.
• Ability to work in a team, take initiative, good time management, open to feedback and eager to continuously improve, be results oriented and systematic.
• A good command of English, because you will be working in an international environment.
• A command of Dutch would help you communicate with industrial partners and students.

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 Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 12 months with the possibility for extension of 10 months.

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

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Jose Rueda Torres, e-mail: j.l.ruedatorres@tudelft.nl.

For information about the selection procedure, please contact Brenda Reyes Munoz, Secretary, email: b.reyesmunoz@tudelft.nl.