PhD in N-Dimensional Point Cloud Data Management for Adaptive Meshfree Urban Wind Simulation

Help push the boundaries of urban wind modelling by developing efficient, data-driven methods for meshfree simulation directly on large-scale LiDAR point clouds.

Job description

Accurate urban wind simulations are vital for understanding microclimate, urban heat, and pollutant dispersion. Yet conventional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) workflows rely on watertight geometric models and volumetric meshes that are slow, complex, and costly to produce. Within the POINT-TWINS project, you will help transform this field by enabling meshfree simulations directly on massive, real-world airborne LiDAR point clouds.

Nationwide LiDAR datasets contain billions of points and are increasingly enriched with additional time and scale dimensions for dynamic, space- and time-adaptive simulations. Managing this n-dimensional data efficiently is a central challenge. In your PhD research, you will explore advanced data structures, Spatial and non-spatial Database Management Systems, and high-performance computing strategies to enable fast, scalable handling of these datasets. You will also investigate deep learning methods for local data augmentation and adaptive point density control, addressing the anisotropy and uneven sampling typical of urban LiDAR.

You will work on a four-year doctoral project jointly supervised by Dr. Azarakhsh Rafiee, Prof. Peter van Oosterom, and Dr. Frits de Prenter. Your home base will be the Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology (Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment), where you will collaborate closely with a parallel PhD project within the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering focused on meshfree numerical methods. Together, you will work across disciplines to develop the foundations of next-generation urban wind simulation.

The project also offers collaboration opportunities with leading research and industry partners including Fraunhofer ITWM, Dassault Systèmes, ActiFlow, the Dutch Water Boards Association, and the Municipality of The Hague. You will join an international research environment with access to state-of-the-art computational facilities, and you will have ample opportunities for academic growth, conference participation, and scientific publication.

Requirements

• You hold a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science/Engineering, Geomatics, or a related field.
• You have knowledge of distributed, parallel, and high-performance computing suitable for handling large scientific datasets.
• You preferably have familiarity with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) principles.
• You have experience with Spatial or non-spatial Database Management Systems.
• You have strong programming skills in C++ and Python.
• You enjoy conducting independent research and are self-motivated, curious, and eager to learn.
• You are enthusiastic about linking real-world urban challenges to fundamental research questions.
• You have good communication skills and can work effectively in an international, multidisciplinary team.

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 Architecture & the Built Environment

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

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.

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Azarakhsh Rafiee, e-mail: a.rafiee@tudelft.nl.

For information about the application procedure, please contact Paulien Stastra, HR advisor, e-mail: recruitment-BK@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 18 January 2026 (local Dutch time + 2 hrs) via the application button and upload:

• Motivation letter (maximum 1 page) addressing your interests and describing how your experience and plans fit with the position.
• Detailed CV.
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts.
• The names of two references, with contact information (letters not required at this stage).

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
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