A three-year post-doctoral position: research coordinator AI and Energy

Are you interested in planning, setting up and coordinating research and innovation for artificial intelligence? Want to address how those challenges relate to the energy transition? Come join the Centre for Energy System Intelligence as a research coordinator AI and energy at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

The energy domain transforms into a transdisciplinary network of systems. Multiple energy carriers such as electricity, heat and gas and renewables like solar, wind and biomass will transform energy systems related to the power, transport, building and industry sectors. These will couple via digital transformation. Optimal planning and operations of such a complex system and the development of an integrated market for such a multi-fold system is anything but straightforward. 

For the next three years, this will be your focus as our new research coordinator AI and energy.

As our research coordinator AI and energy, you are eager to work with scientists from TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam to:

• Contribute to ongoing research projects with PhD students on the topic of AI and energy.
• Identify important new research and innovation topics.
• Match these with relevant partners, from society, industry and other academic partners.
• Write research proposals together with the scientists.
• Identify opportunities to support scientists in their work (tools, people, etc.)
• Initiate activities to provide this support in a team with business developers and scientists.
• Identify the business case for potential startups.

You have a relevant background in the research of AI and digitisation domains, and your research extends into the field of energy. You have a strong interest in acceleration and in supporting the research community in this field in Delft and Rotterdam.

Your qualifications include the following:

• A PhD in artificial intelligence, computer science, systems and control (control engineering), renewable energy, mechatronics, mechanical engineering or a related field.
• A proven track record in the field of AI digitisation with applications in the broad field of energy or smart energy systems.
• You are a self-starter and enjoy cooperating with researchers from academic and private and public organisations.
• You can communicate effectively with peers, students and stakeholders in the application field.

With your open personality and clear communication skills in written and spoken English, you thrive on transferring knowledge and presenting your work to larger audiences.

The conditions of employment correspond with the collective labour agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

Salary follows standard Dutch scales for post-doc positions with small adjustments subject to training and experience.

Erasmus University has attractive employment conditions, which include a holiday allowance of 8 percent, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3 percent, and a considerable amount of vacation days.

EUR offers all employees an annual personal career budget which can be used to advance employees' skills and competencies. There are lots of training, development and coaching opportunities at EUR too.

Within the Convergence cooperation between TU Delft and EUR, the Centre for Energy System Intelligence facilitates a data-driven approach to the energy transition and mainly focuses on the following:

1. To research and develop a growing toolbox of complex energy system models and methods that allow us to understand the needs of the energy transition. Not only for coordination and control of energy systems or for decision-making processes, but also for market mechanism design and supply chain simulation. Human behaviour and market interactions are incorporated on the energy modelling side to find the best AI-based market mechanisms in terms of sustainability, fairness and cost-effectiveness.
2. Datasets are crucial for energy analysis. Datasets are collected (or simulated based on available statistics) from different sources such as TSOs, DSOs, energy suppliers, industry, consumers/producers, geological surveys, weather data, market and behaviour data. At the Centre, we aim at creating and maintaining validated data sets that are safe to use, uphold privacy principles and stay accessible for the long term.
3. Performing (or helping others to perform) analyses, optimisations, assessments, design studies/solutions and using the methods and the data sets are amongst the other goals of this activity.

The Centre runs a 10-year research and innovation programme and strives to be self-supporting by servicing energy and climate research. Tools, models and data are not only made available for all Convergence energy researchers, but also for other researchers within the Netherlands or Europe. Users from different disciplines – e.g., controls, market design, material science, cyber-security, risk management, complexity science, statistics and energy engineers – will either use the generated data sets, the created twin models or create their own models to work with. The infrastructure, the models, and the data will be used by grid operators, equipment manufacturers, consultants and researchers.

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is one of Europe’s top-ranked business schools. RSM provides ground-breaking research and education furthering excellence in all aspects of management and is based in the international port city of Rotterdam – a vital nexus of business, logistics and trade. RSM’s primary focus is on developing business leaders with international careers who can become a force for positive change by carrying their innovative mindset into a sustainable future. Our first-class range of bachelor, master, MBA, PhD and executive programmes encourage them to become critical, creative, caring and collaborative thinkers and doers.

www.rsm.nl 

RSM is an equal opportunity employer and explicitly encourages applications from candidates of all genders, ethnicities, and nationalities.

Interested in this vacancy? Send your recent CV to Dr Yashar Ghiassi-Farrokhfal at y.ghiassi@rsm.nl with the subject title ‘CESI Post-doctoral position’. You can also contact Dr Ghaissi-Farrokhfl with any questions at the same email address.

Please note that our review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position has been filled.