PhD position “The impact of nature-based solutions on hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes in small rivers”

Job description

Western Europe and other parts of the world seem to experience more severe floods and droughts recently. These extreme events are not random, but are the manifestation of a changing climate. As a result, such events are anticipated to occur more frequently compared to the past. To reduce the impact of these extreme events, measures in river systems are needed to ensure flood safety and the availability of water for irrigation, navigation and other uses. To enhance water conveyance and water retention in rivers and at the same time restore the ecosystem functions of rivers, the Building with Nature (BwN) concept is often used. BwN promotes the utilization of natural processes to create a resilient water infrastructure that simultaneously satisfies societal and ecosystem needs. Such nature-based solutions include creating space for water retention and periodic flooding, re-meandering of straightened river sections, increasing flow resistance by promoting vegetation growth, which also improves water quality, and installing natural structures such as dead wood, which increases the flow variability and provides habitat for a wider range of species. Although these measures are expected to help preventing floods and droughts and to promote ecosystem services, they are being implemented on “ad-hoc” designs and it is not clear how they will affect the river biogeomorphology.

This PhD project aims to explore the impact of nature-based solutions on small river systems in the Netherlands. The River Dinkel and the River Vecht will be used as case studies to investigate how recent nature-based interventions have affected the hydro- and morphodynamics of these small rivers. The research will be carried out by a combination of field measurements, using acoustic instrumentation (ADCPs and ADVs), to evaluate the current situation and numerical modelling to investigate the future development of the systems. In addition, this research will develop tools to generalize the knowledge from the case studies and to assess the impact of different nature-based designs. The PhD project is part of the Growthfund NL2120 program, which includes many partners from academia, consultancy, and governmental organizations.

The PhD candidate will be based at the Marine and Fluvial Systems (MFS) group at the Department of Civil Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering Technology of the University of Twente (UT).

Your profile

• MSc in Civil/Hydraulic Engineering, Geosciences or related discipline.
• You have sound programming skills (e.g Python, Matlab).
• You have experience with data collection in the lab/field.
• You have experience with data analysis and hydraulic modelling.
• Your organizational skills are good.
• You are enthusiastic, independent and have a problem solving attitude
• You are willing to contribute to the Civil Engineering teaching program and to supervise MSc thesis projects.
• You are fluent in English, both spoken and written (IELTS ? 6.5 or equivalent).
• The knowledge of Dutch language is an advantage.

Candidates who do not possess all these skills but are willing to develop them along the PhD trajectory, are also encouraged to apply. Some of the desired skills can be acquired during an individual training program of 840 hours that is part of the PhD project.

Our offer

• Challenging work in an inspiring multidisciplinary environment with enthusiastic colleagues.
• Four-year fulltime PhD position, with a qualifier exam after 6-9 months
• Full status as an employee at the UT, including pension and health care benefits
• Tailor-made educational/development program of at least 6 months (30 EC), including visits to conferences.
• A starting salary of €2.770,- gross per month in the first year and increasing to €3.539,- gross per month in the fourth year.
• An annual holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, and an annual year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Minimum of 29 holidays per year in case of fulltime employment.
• You have to be willing to move to (the vicinity of) Enschede. A relocation allowance may be part of the offer.
• The University of Twente is situated on a green and lively campus with lots of facilities for sports and other activities.
• We provide excellent mentorship and a stimulating research environment to accelerate your further professional and personal growth.

Your first responsibility is to carry out the research, but you also will acquire teaching experience (about 10% of your time). We support you to broaden your knowledge by joining international exchange programs, by participating in national and international conferences and workshops and by visiting industrial companies, research institutes, and universities worldwide.

Information and application

Please upload your application until 8 September 2024 via the ‘Apply now’ button.

Your application should include:

• a cover letter (emphasizing your specific interest, motivation and qualifications)
• a detailed CV
• an academic transcript of B.Sc. and M.Sc. education with grades obtained and a publication list (if applicable)
• result of an English test (if you attended a non-English taught MSc program)
• contact details of 2 referees

The project will start as soon as possible after a suitable candidate is found.

Interviews are planned on 20 and 23 September 2024.

For more information about the position, you may contact Dr. Vasileios Kitsikoudis (v.kitsikoudis@utwente.nl , +31 53 489 9910) or Dr.ir. Denie Augustijn (d.c.m.augustijn@utwente.nl, +31 53 489 4510).

About the organisation

The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) engages in education and research of Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. We enable society and industry to innovate and create value using efficient, solid and sustainable technology. We are part of a ‘people-first' university of technology, taking our place as an internationally leading center for smart production, processes and devices in five domains: Health Technology, Maintenance, Smart Regions, Smart Industry and Sustainable Resources. Our faculty is home to about 2,900 Bachelor's and Master's students, 550 employees and 150 PhD candidates. Our educational and research programmes are closely connected with UT research institutes Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.