PhD Position in Marine Renewables: Energy and Societal Impacts under Climate Change

Join TU Delft to model the future ocean. Work on Digital Ocean Twins and climate scenarios shaping marine energy and coastal resilience across Europe.

Climate change is transforming our oceans: reshaping wave climates, marine renewable energy potential, and coastal systems. This PhD position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to this challenge by working on resilient future energy systems and their societal impacts under Climate Change (EU-INTERCHANGE, EU-FUSION), led by Dr George Lavidas.

As a PhD candidate, you will join the Marine Renewable Energies Lab at TU Delft and work within an interdisciplinary and international research team. Your work will focus on high-fidelity Energy System Modelling (ESM), and the development of coupled pwathway frameworks for "what-if" scenario analysis derived by Integrated Assessment Models (IAM).

You will develop different pathways based on multiple realisations of CMIP6 and/or CMIP7 datasets, aligned with IPCC scenarios, to assess their future implications on energy systems and societal indicators (such as GDP, etc). Your research will include developing new modules in ESM, IAM and active coupling between them, comprehensive econometric analysis and development of pathways based on what-if scenarios. A key component of your work will be integrating these insights into the European Digital Ocean platform (EDITO).

You will collaborate closely with academic and industry partners across Europe, contributing to joint research activities and project deliverables.

In addition to your research, you will:

• Contribute to the coordination of project activities and ensure timely delivery of milestones.
• Publish in leading scientific journals and present at international conferences.
• Engage with project partners through reporting and collaboration.
• Support the supervision of MSc students, and assist in teaching.

We are looking for a researcher who can work both independently and collaboratively, with strong organisational and communication skills, and a proactive approach to research and teamwork.

You will be part of the Marine Renewable Energies Lab, a dynamic group of researchers working at the forefront of Marine Renewables within the Offshore Engineering Section of the Department of Hydraulic Engineering at TU Delft. The lab is known for its interdisciplinary approach and strong links to European research initiatives.

Through this role, you will also collaborate with colleagues from Coastal Engineering, contributing to advancing marine renewable energy and coastal resilience in the face of climate change.

Required:

• An MSc in Civil Engineering, Mechanical, Electrical, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in ESM and IAM.
• Experience with High Performance Computing (HPC) and large-scale dataset analysis.
• Strong programming skills (e.g. Python, MATLAB) and familiarity with FAIR open source practices.
• Excellent command of English (written and spoken).

Preferred:

• Knowledge of CMIP datasets and climate scenarios
• Experience with marine renewable energy applications in ESM

Personal profile:

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams.
• Strong organisational skills and a proactive approach to research.
• Interest in application-driven research with real-world impact.
• Enthusiasm for sharing research through scientific publications, conferences, and broader outreach.
• Comfortable working in an international research environment and collaborating with external partners.

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

For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow. These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

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…