PhD Position on Resilient Consumer-Centric Electricity Market Design Under Deep Decarbonization

• Do you want to work on the next generation of consumer-centric electricity markets?
• Do you have solid quantitative and analytical skills that you want to develop further in an international setting?

Job description
The 2022 energy crisis in Europe painfully illustrated that current electricity markets leave consumers exposed to extreme price risks. Even in a future electricity system free of fossil fuels, prolonged periods without wind and sun may lead to extreme electricity prices, which consumers are unable to hedge in current retail electricity markets. At the same time, capturing the value of consumer flexibility typically requires exposing them to short-term, volatile price signals, further contributing to their risk exposure.
In this PhD, we focus on a key challenge in the design of consumer-centric electricity markets: how do we allow consumers to hedge their long-term price risk, while providing sufficient incentives for operational efficiency and investments through real-time electricity price signals?

To address this question, you will develop state-of-the-art equilibrium models to capture market clearing and price formation processes, market distortions and policy interventions, as well as consumer behavior. The focus will be on consumer attitudes, preferences and potential bounded rationality, as well as institutional arrangements that influence consumers’ decision making. You will advance state-of-the-art market design concepts, such as capacity subscriptions and affordability options, tailored to the needs of small-scale consumers.

This PhD position is one of 15 positions funded under the MSCA Doctoral Network (DN) Consumer Energy Demand Flexibility in Electricity Use (CoDEF). Your daily supervisor and co-promotor will be dr. ir. Kenneth Bruninx, and your promotor will be prof. dr. ir. Laurens De Vries. You will join a lively community of internationally renowned interdisciplinary energy researchers in the Department of Engineering Systems and Services at TU Delft. You’ll get the opportunity to connect to the various labs in our faculty, such as the Energy Transition Lab, and cross-faculty institutes such as PowerWeb. Our faculty hosts a diverse group of people from different countries and disciplines, and we welcome candidates that contribute to and enjoy this diversity. For more information about the research and similar projects, please see: Research Engineering Systems and Services.

We foresee two secondments during this PhD trajectory: one at Copenhagen Business School (DK, Jens Weibezahn & Tooraj Jamash) and one at EMPA (CH, Binod Koirala). In addition, this doctoral network foresees extensive training in research and transferable skills, centered around annual workshops in Dublin (IE), Dübendorf (CH), Copenhagen (DK) and Bochum (DE).

Requirements
You must be able to demonstrate:

• Masters degree in science, engineering or economics (must have been awarded by the agreed-upon starting date of the PhD).
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills.
• Very good written and spoken communication skills in English (Dutch is not required).
• Eligible applicants must not have lived in the Netherlands for more than 12 of the last 36 months.

Bonus points if you have:

• Programming experience in Julia, Python or a similar language.
• Prior research experience, especially in energy system/market modelling or other energy-related research.

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 Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

TU Delft (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 values and we actively engage 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!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management
The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

Conditions of employment
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 Coming to Delft Service. 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 Dual Career Programme for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 15 December 2024 23:59 Amsterdam time via the application button.

We will contact shortlisted candidates for a two-stage interview process which will start early January, and we expect a decision shortly thereafter. The starting date will be flexible, but an early start is preferred.

Documents that must be included in the application:

• Motivation statement, including a paragraph outlining your main research interests within the areas outlined in the job advertisement (max. one A4 page).
• CV, including a brief description of your three most impactful achievements to date (these achievements can be anything relevant to your academic or professional life).
• Contact details for two references (contact details only - please do not submit reference letters).

Please do not attach any other documents to your application than those requested above. These documents will not be considered in the application procedure.    

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

For more information about this vacancy or the application procedure, please contact Kenneth Bruninx: k.bruninx@tudelft.nl. No applications by email.