"Postdoc in 3D Geoinformation for Energy Data and Flexibility Management for PEDs"

We are looking for a Postdoc that will work on the topic of 3D geoinformation for energy data and flexibility management for Positive Energy Districts. The 3-year position is part of the upcoming FlexPED (“Energy Data and Flexibility Management for Positive Energy Districts”) project. The interdisciplinary consortium of this project, consisting of partners from Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Netherlands and Poland, will develop new research methods and implementation strategies to tackle the need for energy flexibility in Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). Solutions based on AI-powered Urban Digital Twins (UDT) will be tested in two demonstrator cities, and will contribute to reduce the fragmentation in term of data gaps, poor interoperability, and silos-based decision making that very often hinder the deployment of coordinated flexibility measures.

The research topics to be addressed in the project are: How and to which extent can agent-based energy simulations, powered by AI-driven forecasts within a UDT platform, contribute to accelerating the realisation of PEDs? How can standards (e.g. in terms of data models and APIs) support this process, e.g. by streamlining data retrieval, integration and usage? How can specific, user-friendly dashboards be developed in order to facilitate the interaction of different stakeholders (e.g. municipal authorities, energy providers, citizens, etc.) with the Urban Digital Twins?

The 3D Geoinformation group (https://3d.bk.tudelft.nl) at TU Delft will be involved in several tasks dealing with technical aspects aimed at the development of data integration services for energy data management and flexibility in city districts. The main tasks of TU Delft, to be carried out in co-operation with the other project partners, will be: Investigation on and analysis of spatial and non-spatial data and requirements of the software tools to be used and integrated in the resulting “FlexPEDs” software platform to be developed within the project. Extension/update of the CityGML new Energy Application Domain Extension (ADE) (https://github.com/tudelft3d/Energy_ADE) to deal with energy data coming from industrial sites, and further development of the data model to better align with energy-related data from BIM models and standards (e.g. gbXML). Development of OGC-compliant APIs to deliver real-time, 3D, and cross-sectoral urban data to the UDT platform in a private and secure manner. This will include, for example, the implementation of the SensorThings API, which will stream real-time AI-generated forecasts into a FROST server.

To support the research work of the TU Delft team, we have opened this 3-year research position in our 3D Geoinformation research group, section Urban Data Science, Department of Urbanism, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. You are expected to contribute to and lead some of the above tasks.

Job requirements: To be eligible to apply, you should: Hold a PhD in geoinformatics/geomatics, computer sciences or engineering (or in a related discipline), ideally with some previous experience also in energy-related topics. Have experience primarily in data modelling, software development, data integration, management of data mainly from semantic 3D city model (e.g. CityGML) and, secondarily, in BIM (e.g. IFC). Have good programming skills, especially in Java, Python, and SQL. Have a good command of English (oral and written). Have an affinity with working in multi-disciplinary teams in an internationally oriented environment.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context. At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration. Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Architecture & the Built Environment: The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings. Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Conditions of employment: Duration of contract is 3 years. A job of 38-40 hours per week. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.