Interested in working with science and engineering partners on researching how we can better assess and mitigate risks associated with deep-sea mining technology?
Job descriptionWe are looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join a research team exploring the technical and environmental performance of deep-sea mining concepts. You will be part of the team working with dr.Rudy Helmons (dredging, marine minerals) and dr. Austin Kana (design methodology, complex systems), where you will work on the development of an assessment framework to identify Best Available Technology (BAT).
As technology matures, leaving the concept development stage and entering the pilot testing stage, highlighting the needs for standards and guielines to facilitate assessment of what is the Best Available Technology. Within this project, we will develop a framework to assess BAT at a practica level, with an emphasis on the technology analysis. Facilitating qualitative and, where possible, quantitative comparison of technologies will aid in defining what technology has the potential to become BAT. The suitability of the framework will be tested according to case studies for various technology concepts for the exploitation of polymetallic nodules and seafloor massive sulphide deposits. The postdoc will have a close collaboration with project partners from especially from Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and Norwegian University for Science and Technology (NTNU). Furthermore, together with the TU Delft and NTNU team, we expect to bring the engineering perspective to the entire MiningImpact3 project
MiningImpact is an international research project studying the environmental impacts of future deep-sea mining, focusing on polymetallic nodule fields in the Pacific and seafloor massive sulfides in the Atlantic. The third phase examines changes in environmental variables, biodiversity, and ecosystem functions over space and time, including the long-term effects of test-mining conducted in 2021. Dutch researchers from the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Utrecht University, Naturalis, and TU Delft contribute by studying biodiversity, plume dispersal, food-web changes, restoration options, and governance frameworks. The findings will support regulations and management tools for deep-sea mining. Public engagement through exhibitions and science-art collaborations ensures transparency on environmental risks and knowledge gaps.
Job requirementsWe seek an enthusiastic, independent, and energetic candidate who has a keen interest in offshore, dredging or (marine) mining applications to study the best options for robust, reliable deep-sea mining systems, and how to encourage industry to use and develop equipment with the least negative impacts for potential future deep-sea mining.
You are a team player, with:
- A PhD degree in mechanical engineering, maritime/ocean engineering, civil engineering, mining engineering or a closely related field.
- A solid background in fluid mechanics, offshore applications and/or systems design.
- Experience with (design of) complex coupled systems, preferably in the maritime/offshore environment.
- An open, communicative, and collaborative attitude.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary setting.
We want to be a transparent institute with a healthy working climate and an inclusive culture, where people from diverse backgrounds and gender bring their talents and further develop these talents. We aim for inclusive decision-making processes and expect our leadership to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)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 Mechanical EngineeringFrom chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.
ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It's a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME's outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.
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