Full-time doctoral researcher for the project SMART-ETHIC: SMART energy Evaluation Through Human-centred Information Coordination

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Louvain Research Institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built Environment (LAB)

Research Group Architecture & Climat

Sciences and Technologies Sector main site: Louvain la Neuve

Full-time contract (100%) for an initial fixed term of 24 months (see funding details below)

Start date: from 1st January 2027

Background:

We offer a PhD scholarship at the Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment (LAB), Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium), with initial funding provided for 24 months.

PhD scope:

The PhD project provides a framework to simulate how decisions about smart energy transition affect and are affected by building owners and end-users. It focuses on the different degrees of ownership, control and data sharing building owners and end-users have over smart heating, cooling, ventilation and electricity and how these affect and are affected by energy efficiency, optimization and security. You will be developing simulations that enable decision-makers to assess the interplay between social and technical systems and the abilities of stakeholders to exert control over, and benefit from, smart building operation. This will empower designers to gauge justice, sufficiency and equity in energy transition.

Activities:

You will carry out a doctoral thesis within the Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment (LAB) and will be responsible for the following activities:

1. Mapping the state of the art on how decisions related to smart energy transition affecting and affected by building owners and end-users are currently defined and represented in policies, governance schemes, technical standards, and business models.
2. Extracting recurrent patterns of ownership, governance and their interdependencies, abstracting rules, mandates and models to build a Knowledge Base- a library that holds information plus rules to understand it.
3. Representing pseudocodes in the Knowledge Base using OntoAgency vocabulary, implementing them in the Open Access software Protégé using OWL/RDF computer language.
4. Digitally representing real decisions and their results based on case studies coming from collaborators to ground the framework into practice and cross-validate the Knowledge Base and Digital Representations.

During your PhD, you will have the opportunity to work in close collaboration with the LAB research group Architecture et Climat and will be involved in research seminars and upskilling workshops throughout your research work. This will include doctoral training focused on the development and writing of a thesis, and the scientific dissemination associated with the research.

Where to apply

• E-mail: clarice.bleil@uclouvain.be
• Website: https://jobs.uclouvain.be/Personnelscientifique/go/UCLouvain-Scientific-staff/3745401/

Requirements

• Research Field: Engineering — Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
• Research Field: Architecture — Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent
• Research Field: Computer science — Education Level: Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

Candidates must meet the following requirements

Essential criteria

1. A master's degree of at least 300 ECTS in Architecture, Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Energy Engineering, Knowledge engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent, with a top-tier final grade;
2. A top-tier grade final Master thesis on a topic of pertinence to this project;
3. Commitment and ability to work as part of a team;
4. Good interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to interact and collaborate with other researchers;
5. Be able to work independently and take the initiative in conducting research;
6. An excellent command of English, as demonstrated by English Language tests (i.e., IELTS, TOEFL, etc.), or secondary or tertiary education in English.

Desirable criteria

1. Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in energy modelling, building and energy performance simulation (e.g., Energy Plus EMS, etc.)
2. Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in coding (e.g., Python, R) and/or commitment to further training;
3. Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in ontologies used to describe built environment data and/or IoT data (e.g., BIM, SAREF, BRICK Schema, Project HAYSTACK, BOT, etc.) and/or commitment to further training;
4. Demonstrated skills and/or experience to write scientific reports and/or research papers in English, with precision, appropriateness of language, and methodological rigour;
5. Master software tools useful for research work (e.g., referencing, data management, etc.);
6. Knowledge of French and/or a third language (Dutch, preferably).

Specific Requirements

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED (All points mandatory)

1. A cover letter presenting the motivations for applying to this position;
2. A detailed CV;
3. An itemised response to each of the qualifications and skills criteria (six essential and six desirable) listed above;
4. Academic transcripts of the candidate for their Bachelor and Masters Degrees (translated into English if they are not in English or in French).
5. Proof of English Proficiency (e.g. IELTS or TOEFL). Note: applicants with a Masters degree from an English-speaking institution are exempt from this, but must provide evidence.
6. Contact details of at least two academic references.

All files should be converted to PDF, presented in the order listed above, and sent as a single file via email to the attention of Professor Clarice Bleil de Souza, clarice.bleil@uclouvain.be. The file should be named as follows: <LastName_FirstName_SMART-ETHIC>.pdf

Please verify that your file is clearly readable from a conventional PDF Reader.

Selected candidates will be invited to an online interview consisting of:

a) presentation of previous research activities and interests (e.g., their master dissertation, preliminary research, etc.);

b) verification of skills and knowledge and attitude towards doctoral studies; and,

c) an open discussion centred on motivations for engaging in such a project. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly.

Incomplete applications, or those considered to be out of scope, will not be responded to.

• Languages: ENGLISH — Level: Excellent
• Years of Research Experience: None

Additional Information

Benefits

You will develop an innovative and topical research project and join a dynamic and multidisciplinary research group. The position is located in Louvain-la-Neuve (with a commitment to reside in Belgium), the working hours are full-time and normal home-to-work trips (public transport) are covered within the scholarship. The net monthly salary is approximately ~€2,500. The status is that of full-time doctoral researcher for an initial period of 24 months, renewable for additional 24 months (4 years in total). Conditions for renewal are linked to progress, admission to the doctorate, and confirmation. Funding for renewal will be sought by the candidate and supervisor to external funding bodies (e.g., FNRS, FRIA, FRESH).

Selection process

The final deadline for applications is the 31st October 2026, but applicants are invited to submit their candidature as soon as possible. Review of applications and eventual interviews of candidates, in fact, will be conducted on a rolling basis, as soon as applications are received. The start date for the PhD is expected to be on 1st January 2027.

To apply for this PhD position, interested candidates need to send the documentation specified below, as an email attachment, to Professor Clarice Bleil de Souza clarice.bleil@uclouvain.be from whom further information can also be obtained.

Work Location(s)

• Number of offers available: 1
• Company/Institute: Louvain Research Institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built Environment (LAB)
• Country: Belgium
• City: Louvain la Neuve

Contact

• State/Province: Brabant-Wallon
• City: Louvain-la-Neuve
• Street: Place de l'Université, 1
• Postal Code: 1348
• E-Mail: clarice.bleil@uclouvain.be