"PhD Position on High-Efficiency Power Electronics for Solar-Integrated E-Mobility Systems (SUN-TRANS Project)"

Job Description

Join the University of Twente’s Power Electronics group to pioneer the next generation of wide-bandgap, high-efficiency converters for solar-integrated electric buses and last-mile delivery vehicles. This PhD will develop automotive-grade DC-DC and bidirectional converter systems that enable vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV) and intelligent charging hubs under the Horizon Europe project SUN-TRANS - Solar Urban e-Mobility Transition.

Cities worldwide are racing toward zero-emission mobility. The Horizon Europe project SUN-TRANS-ranked #1 in its EU call, unites leading universities, OEMs, and technology companies to develop solar-integrated electric buses, smart charging hubs, and advanced grid services.

Within this project, the University of Twente is involved in developing multi-port, high-efficiency converters based on SiC/GaN wide-bandgap devices and resonant topologies to achieve > 98% efficiency.

You will design, simulate, and experimentally validate DC-DC and DC-AC converter prototypes for vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV) and PV-powered charging stations, ensuring compliance with safety standards.

Working in an interdisciplinary environment, you will collaborate closely with European partners such as TÜBITAK MAM, Siemens, University of Warwick, Bozankaya, and ODTÜ-GÜNAM, and contribute to pilot demonstrations in Romania, Türkiye, and Spain.

The project provides a good mix of hands-on lab development, modelling, and system-level optimization in one of Europe’s most vibrant research ecosystems for sustainable energy and transport.

Requirements

You are an enthusiastic and highly motivated researcher. You hold (or are about to obtain) an MSc in Electrical Engineering, Power Engineering, Power Electronics, or a closely related field. You have strong fundamentals in converter design, control, and magnetics. Experience with wide-bandgap devices (SiC, GaN) or automotive-grade power systems is a plus. You have hands-on skills in circuit simulation (e.g. PLECS, LTspice, MATLAB/Simulink) and laboratory prototyping. You are creative, self-driven, and enjoy collaborating across disciplines and cultures. You have excellent written and spoken English skills.

Conditions of Employment

As a PhD candidate at UT, you will be appointed to a full-time position for four years, with a qualifier in the first year, within a very stimulating and exciting scientific environment. The University offers a dynamic ecosystem with enthusiastic colleagues. Your salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU). You will receive a gross monthly salary ranging from € 3.059,- (first year) to € 3.881,- (fourth year). There are 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. A minimum of 232 leave hours in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A full-time employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis. Free access to sports facilities on campus. A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid). You will have a training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will determine a plan for a suitable education and supervision. We encourage a high degree of responsibility and independence, while collaborating with close colleagues, researchers and other staff.

Department

The Power Electronics (PE) group within the Faculty of EEMCS focuses on cutting-edge research in high efficiency, high power density power electronics, battery electronics, smart grids, power and energy measurements, power semiconductor devices, wireless power transfer, high frequency power conversion and sustainable energy systems. The team collaborates extensively with international universities and industry to accelerate Europe’s clean-mobility transition. You’ll work in an open, multidisciplinary environment that values curiosity, initiative, and impact.