PhD Position on Finite Element Modelling of Backward Erosion Piping in Spatially Variable Soils (Civil Engineering)

TL;DR

PhD Position on Finite Element Modelling (Civil Engineering): Developing 3D RFEM tools to investigate soil spatial variability and backward erosion piping under dikes with an accent on numerical modelling and stochastic ground variability. Focus on building reliability-based surrogate models and improving dike safety through probabilistic risk assessments.

Location: Must be based in or relocate to Delft, Netherlands

Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 gross per month

Company

hirify.global is a top international university combining science, engineering, and design to address global challenges in energy, climate, and digital society.

What you will do

• Develop and validate a 3D Random Finite Element Method (RFEM) tool for groundwater flow and piping modelling in heterogeneous soils.
• Investigate the influence of geological layering and spatial variability on the initiation and progression of backward erosion piping.
• Utilize RFEM results to develop, train, and test a reliability-based surrogate model for practical risk assessments.
• Investigate design protocols for monitoring and measurement systems to reduce uncertainty and improve dike safety.
• Collaborate with partners within the Digital Dikes consortium and various industry and government stakeholders.

Requirements

• MSc degree in Civil Engineering, Geosciences, or a related field.
• Strong background in numerical modelling and computer implementation of probabilistic-based algorithms.
• Excellent computer programming skills and experience with teamwork.
• Proficiency in verbal and written English for academic communication and thesis writing.
• Willingness to relocate to the Netherlands.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of machine learning techniques.
• Knowledge of soil mechanics.

Culture & Benefits

• 4-year employment period with a progressive salary scale.
• 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Customisable compensation package, health insurance discounts, and monthly work costs contribution.
• Structured research environment through the hirify.global Graduate School including mentorship and transferable skill training.
• Comprehensive relocation support via the Coming to Delft Service, including social networking and a Dual Career Programme for partners.