PhD Position Simulating Airspace : Fleet & Network Optimization Aircraft

PhD Position Simulating the Airspace of the Future:
Fleet & Network Optimization for Future Aircraft

Design the simulation models that will help airlines fly future aircraft types profitably and sustainably before they take off. This PhD project focuses on developing new methods and models that efficiently couple new aircraft designs with new fleet allocation and schedule decisions, enabling airlines to minimize fleet‑wide emissions when new aircraft types are introduced. The methods and models will form part of a larger simulation environment that evaluates the airspace of the future.

• Characterizing the key performance differences between current and future aircraft models
• Evaluating how these differences affect fleet assignment and network planning
• Optimizing airline operations (fleet composition, scheduling, routing) based on new aircraft capabilities
• Assessing the resulting fleet‑wide economical and climate impact
• Facilitating future expansion to include other domain models for optimization (e.g., noise) in collaboration with other departments of the faculty of aerospace engineering.

Job requirements

• MSc degree in Aerospace Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
• Strong programming skills in Python and experience building simulation environments.
• Experience with fleet planning, airline network scheduling, and/or optimization methods.
• Genuine interest in sustainable aviation.
• Proactive, problem‑solving attitude, strong communication and academic writing in English, and teamwork skills.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a four‑year period of employment, in principle two employment contracts: an initial 1.5‑year contract with a performance assessment within 15 months, followed by a contract for the remaining 2.5 years assuming satisfactory performance.

Salary and benefits

Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, ranging from €3,059 to €3,881 gross per month, increasing from the first to the fourth year for a full‑time contract of 38 hours. Benefits include an 8% holiday allowance, an end‑of‑year bonus of 8.3%, a monthly work‑costs contribution, and a customisable compensation package (discounts on health insurance, flexible work schedules).

The candidate will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School.

The applicant must possess sufficient English proficiency to communicate, participate in English‑taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis.