"EngD or PostDoc Position on Future-Proof, Self-Organizing, Smart Logistics"

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated EngD or PostDoc researcher to join the Industrial Engineering & Business Information Systems section at the Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences. This role focuses on developing machine learning-based collaborative scheduling, resource sharing, and self-organization in logistics systems to address challenges in the Netherlands' logistics sector, including emissions reduction and supply chain resilience.

Responsibilities

• Design decentralized scheduling algorithms for operational scheduling and rescheduling of shared assets in connected logistics networks, addressing efficiency, sustainability, scalability, data sovereignty, and subsystem alignment.
• Investigate machine learning methodologies, such as federated learning, for collaborative logistics scheduling, and compare them to traditional operations research methods.
• Develop a proof of concept to integrate and evaluate decentralized scheduling approaches on real-world instances, determining suitable methods based on logistical challenges, collaboration agreements, and data availability.
• Contribute to a roadmap for implementing the Physical Internet concept to make logistics systems self-organizing, efficient, and future-proof.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Master’s degree (for EngD) or PhD degree (for PostDoc) in Industrial Engineering, Operations Research, Computer Science, Econometrics, Transport Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline.
• Affinity and/or experience with machine learning and optimization techniques.
• Willingness to work at both the University of Twente (Enschede) and TNO (Den Haag).
• Strong team spirit and ability to thrive in an interdisciplinary environment.
• Ability to conduct independent research and develop writing and publication skills.
• Passion for algorithmic design with outstanding skills in the field.
• Good communication skills and excellent command of English.

What the Employer Offers

• Gross monthly salary of €2,872 for EngD and between €4,060 and €5,331 for PostDoc, depending on experience.
• Excellent benefits, including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme.
• 29 holidays per year for full-time employment.
• A training program as part of the Twente Graduate School.
• Access to sports facilities and an international scientific community.
• Family-friendly policies, including parental leave.
• Full employee status with health care benefits and good secondary conditions under the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities.