Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS) is funding a Junior Research Group “Future Urban Coastlines”. The group focusses on the end-to-end design of novel coastal protection structures, bringing together knowledge of ecologists, civil and coastal engineers. Amongst others, the group develops context-specific, individualized, and eco-integrated design, construction, and fabrication processes for coastal protection structures. These novel structures provide habitat and improve corridors for flora and fauna, to support biodiversity and related ecosystem services.
Within the Junior Research Group, a 3-year PhD study (as research associate) is going to focus on the digital design and automated fabrication of novel, ecosystem-based or hybrid coastal protection structures. Applicants with a core competence in tcoastal engineering, civil engineering, architecture or similar and a strong interest in coastal and marine sciences are invited to apply.
Tasks In an interdisciplinary team between coastal engineering, structural engineering and geoecology, we aim at (1) diversifying the portfolio of protection measures in space-restricted areas, improving the ecological impact of man-made structures in aquatic environments and restore habitat connections which nowadays are disrupted through engineered solutions in estuarine and coastal areas. To achieve this, a novel approach on coastal protection is required, combining aspects of digital fabrication and additive manufacturing with recent advances of nature-based and hybrid solutions in coastal protection. This new perspective requires to (2) exploit digital methods of structural design and coastal engineering (for example with advanced digital design and fabrication techniques and hydrodynamic numerical modelling software) and (4) experiment with individualized adapted forms and construction processes in the laboratory facilities and real-word test sites available within the nexus of the research group’s participating institutes (for example the wave flumes and basins at Leichtweiß-Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Water Resources, LWI, as well as digital fabrication facilities of the institute for structural design, ITE of TUBS within the Collaborative Research Center Transregio 277 Additive Manufacturing in Construction).
Requirements Applicants for the PhD position must have (1) an excellent Master’s (or equivalent) degree in architecture, civil or coastal engineering, (2) a background in coastal engineering and marine sciences or structural design, digital fabrication, additive manufacturing and (3) a strong interest to advance their current skill set beyond their disciplinary background.
Candidates should have excellent communication skills in English and integrate well in a young and interdisciplinary research team. Furthermore, experiences in programming for data processing and numerical modelling are of benefit (for example in Python, MATLAB or C#). The candidates are expected to present their studies at international conferences and publish results in peer-reviewed international journals.
Working environment We offer a stimulating research environment within an interdisciplinary, collaborative context. The position starts at earliest convenience and is limited for a period of three years. The salary is in accordance with the German public service 13 TV-L (rates can be calculated via this online tool). TU Braunschweig is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from minority groups and women as well as international applicants from all nations and regions. Preference will be given to disabled applicants with the same qualifications. Please already mention this in your application and enclose proofing documents. Furthermore, our application process complies to the Lower Saxony Equal Rights Act (NGG) and we are working to fulfill the equality mandate.
We store personal data for the purpose of carrying out the application process. We do not reimburse application costs. Please understand that we will only return unsuccessful applications received via mail when a self-addressed, stamped envelope is added.
Application Please email complete application documents as a single pdf-file including a letter of motivation, CV, copies of relevant degrees, and contact details of two referees until January 8th to the contacts below. Review will start on January 9th and will continue until the position is filled. Applications will be received beyond January 8th, if no suitable candidate was identified until then.
Contact For informal enquiries please contact C. Gabriel David (g.david(at)tu-braunschweig.de) and Harald Kloft (h.kloft@tu-braunschweig.de).