PhD Opportunity at Empa – Consumer Flexibility in Multi-Energy District Planning
Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology and part of the ETH Domain, is inviting applications for a fully funded PhD position within the Urban Energy Systems Laboratory in Dübendorf, Switzerland.
Position Title:
PhD candidate to investigate the Impact of Consumer Flexibility on Planning of Multi-Energy Districts
Program Details:
This position is part of the MSCA Doctoral Network (CoDEF) and focuses on modeling and optimization of consumer flexibility in multi-energy districts. You will work with real-world data from Empa’s NEST demonstrator to assess how demand flexibility can influence energy system design, sizing, and resilience.
The PhD candidate will be enrolled at KU Leuven (Prof. Erik Delarue) with planned secondments of 6 months at KU Leuven and 3 months at Urban Sympheny AG.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop models to incorporate consumer flexibility into multi-energy district planning
Perform data-driven simulations and optimization
Collaborate with interdisciplinary researchers and industry partners
Support master’s students and contribute to scientific publications and conferences
Candidate Profile:
MSc in Energy, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, or Environmental Engineering (or related field)
Solid background in energy systems, conversion, and storage
Strong programming skills in Python and/or R
Experience in optimization modeling is a plus
Excellent communication skills in English
Must not have resided in Switzerland for more than 12 months in the past 36 months (MSCA rule)
What Empa Offers:
A dynamic and modern research environment with excellent infrastructure
Collaborative work with leading academic and industrial experts
A four-year PhD program (initial 18-month contract)
Application Instructions: Submit your complete application including a motivation letter, CV, diplomas, certificates, and contact details of two referees via Empa’s official job portal. Email and postal submissions will not be considered.
Apply here:
https://apply.refline.ch/673276/2040/index.html?lang=en&cid=170
Location: Dübendorf, Switzerland
Start Date: Flexible, starting in 2025
Application Deadline: Open until filled
