Postdoc in Structural Performance and Monitoring of Storm Surge Barriers

Join us at TU Delft to develop monitoring and modelling tools for the Maeslant Barrier, the world’s largest movable structure ever built, and help to extend its lifetime in a changing climate.     

Job description

The Maeslant Barrier is one of the world’s largest movable structures and one of the most iconic engineering achievements of the Dutch Delta Works. Ensuring its continued reliability under changing climate is both a national priority and an exciting scientific challenge.

Within the NWO-funded programme SSB-Δ: Informed Decision-Making for Storm Surge Barriers in a Liveable Delta, nine PhD and postdoc, in collaboration with many partners, are studying the two major Dutch storm surge barriers to improve estimates of their functional and technical lifetime. Within this program, you will contribute to the work package on the technical performance of storm surge barriers, focusing specifically on their structural performance and monitoring. The overall goal of this work package is to improve the understanding of the technical performance of existing storm surge barriers. Your primary focus will be on developing tools and methods to assess and monitor the structural behavior of the Maeslant Barrier, with potential application to the other storm surge barriers.

Within this position, you will advance the development of vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) system for large movable hydraulic structures. The work will primarily address the fluid-structure interaction of the Maeslant Barrier, combining field modal testing, numerical modelling, and signal processing to capture and interpret its dynamic response under current and future hydraulic and environmental conditions.

The activities you will be responsible for combine numerical modelling with the analysis of field data from both structural measurements (e.g. vibration, displacement and strain data) and hydraulic observations (e.g. ADCP, water-level signals and water pressure), and the integration of these datasets into structural and hydrodynamic models. You will contribute to the design and implementation of a monitoring system capable of capturing the barrier’s dynamic behavior at rest and under operational conditions, supporting the identification of technical tipping points and helping to extend the barrier’s service life.

You will work in the Hydraulic Engineering Department of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at TU Delft, in close collaboration with the Department of Engineering Structures and the University of Exeter, a world leader in vibration-based SHM.

In addition to your research activities, you will contribute to joint publications, participate in project meetings, and support the supervision of MSc students. This position offers a unique opportunity for developing an independent research profile at the intersection of structural dynamics, hydraulic engineering, and infrastructure resilience.      

Job requirements

Need-to-haves:

• A PhD degree in civil, structural, hydraulic, or offshore engineering.
• A master’s degree in civil or mechanical engineering.
• Proven experience in vibration-based structural health monitoring, signal processing, or system identification techniques.
• Proven experience in data analysis using tools such as Python or MATLAB.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to work independently and collaboratively in multidisciplinary academic and professional teams.

Nice-to-haves:

• A background in structural dynamics and/or fluid–structure interaction.
• Proficiency in numerical modelling (e.g., FEM).
• A record of scientific publications demonstrating strong analytical and writing skills.    

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 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.

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 32 months.
• A job of 32-40 hours per week. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. 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 Alessandro Antonini (a.antonini@tudelft.nl) and Alessandro Cabboi (a.cabboi@tudelft.nl)

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy?
Apply via the application buttom below no later than 11 January 2026 and upload:

• CV including the list of publications.
• A cover letter specifically explaining why this position matches your interests and competencies.
• The names and contact details of two references.

Candidates shortlisted for interview will be asked to prepare a short presentation on their previous scientific activities relevant to this position.

Interviews are expected to take place in February 2026.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.