Water quality and public health risk inhibit dealing with droughts in urban areas. The EngD contributes to the optimal re-use of urban wastewater by developing a monitoring and modelling strategy.
Job description
Cities depend on sufficient and sufficiently clean water. Urban wastewater re-use provides an opportunity for closing the urban water cycle, but can be costly and is not without potential risks to public health. The risks and, in parallel, the operational costs of the required treatment can be optimised through innovative monitoring systems. This EngD is part of the EU Horizon QleanUP project. The combination of active monitoring and design-optimisation will be implemented within one of the project partners, being Waterboard Amstel, Gooi and Vecht in Amsterdam. You will directly engage with this project partner and other stakeholders and do your research as part of the large international consortium.
Your role within the project is to translate the scientific output from the project into tangible, implementable solutions. This output combines novel water quality sensors, microbacterial contamination detection methods and deep learning based algorithms to track and predict the quality of the produced water. Your supervisory team includes Prof. Dr. Luuk Rietveld and Dr. Ir. Job van der Werf and you will be embedded in the Water Management department at the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences.
Job requirements
Need-to-haves:
- MSc degree in a relevant field (Environmental Engineering or Science, Civil Engineering, or equivalent).
- Strong analytical skills and experience with (data-driven) modelling, data analysis and/or monitoring.
- Affinity with urban wastewater (treatment) systems.
- Strong in English in both written and oral communication.
- Ability in working in mutli-disciplinary research teams.
If your mother language is not English and you do not hold a degree from an institution in which English is the language of instruction, you must submit proof of English proficiency from either TOEFL (minimum total score of 100) or IELTS (minimum total score of 7.0). Proof of English language proficiency certificates older than two years are not accepted.
TU Delft
Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.
For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.
At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.
Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.
Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences
The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.
Additional information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Dr. Luuk Rietveld, L.C.Rietveld@tudelft.nl
Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 19 July 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:
- CV
- Motivational letter
You can address your application to Luuk Rietveld.
Please note:
- You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
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