Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
NExTWORKx * is the strategic partnership between the Telecom and ICT service provider KPN and Delft University of Technology. NExTWORKx aims to develop new concepts & technology in telecommunication and artificial intelligence, to respond to new disruptive technologies and to continue the development of talent. NExTWORKx enters its second research phase with a focus on developing and applying concepts from network science to model the huge number of real-time interactions between software components and data sets and to enable monitoring and control. AI-based algorithms will be developed for monitoring information flows and smart contracts. A trusted layer for monitoring and control is crucial for every network and digital infrastructure individually, but also across critical infrastructures, data sharing and smart city platforms. NExTWORKx announces the hiring of 4 PhD students who will be mentored by both TUDelft and KPN staff. The 4 PhD projects contribute to the above goals, but each with a different focus:
Resilient cross-domain networks for critical infrastructure : Each critical infrastructure consists of its physical elements, operated and controlled via management systems and procedures. These management systems and procedures are becoming increasingly automated. Moreover, critical infrastructures become increasingly dependent on telecommunication networks due to digitalization, while telecommunication networks are depending on an operational power grid.
Due to these interdependencies, we need to implement coordination mechanisms between the automated management systems of the various digital infrastructures. For example, in case of an outage in the telecommunication network it might be crucial to very quickly and automatically revert to a safe, albeit less efficient, operating mode in the smart grid that does not rely on real-time connectivity.
Scientific challenges include: how to model the various critical infrastructures and their control systems to reflect their interdependencies both in the physical and digital domain, how to assess the resilience of such interconnected critical infrastructure and how to design and implement automated (real-time) controls with adequate governance across different infrastructures.
This PhD position will be based at the Network Architectures and Services Group in the Department of Quantum and Computer Engineering (QCE), supervised by prof. Robert Kooij. In your role, you will collaborate with partners of NExTWORKx and presumably other collaborators within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.
Specifications
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)
Requirements
We are looking for brilliant PhD candidates with a strong interest to the join a university-company collaboration on future Networking. The ideal candidate is multidisciplinary, well-versed in network science, complex systems, data science and telecommunications (protocols, architectures, design and performance). You also have an MSc degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics or Applied Physics.
Because of project definitions, we are looking for EU citizens.
Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the .
Conditions of employment
Fixed-term contract: 4 years.
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.
Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.
The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.
For international applicants, TU Delft has the . This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.
Employer
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 and we actively 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!
Department
Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.
Click to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.