Postdoc on Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Marine Propellers

This Postdoc position focuses on the development of assessment and monitoring methodologies for cavitation in marine propellers manufactured from fibre-reinforced composites.

Job description

Propellers are crucial components of ship propulsion system. Improving their efficiency and reducing underwater radiated noise are key objectives in marine engineering. One promising solution lies in using fibre-reinforced materials for propellers, which offer the additional advantage of passive shape adaptation to varying inflow conditions. This adaptability can mitigate cavitation and improve efficiency when the propellers are properly designed. Despite their potential, the transition to composite propellers still faces significant challenges. One of these outstanding challenges is cavitation erosion, which causes reduced performance and accelerated material degradation in seawater. 

This project will experimentally investigate cavitation erosion in composite materials and develop a structural health monitoring system based on active and passive guided waves for in-situ identification of the cavitation process in composite propellers under operational conditions.

Job requirements

We are seeking an outstanding and enthusiastic researcher with a focus on developing new methodologies for the assessment and monitoring of cavitation in composite propellers. The ideal candidate is expected to have:

• Fundamental knowledge and understanding of maritime structures.
• Familiarity with fibre-reinforced composite propellers.
• Competence in the measurement and analysis of guided waves.
• Experience with embedded piezoelectric sensors in composites.
• Strong mathematical background and experience with numerical methods for structural analysis.
• Proficiency in programming (e.g., MATLAB, Python).

You have obtained your PhD degree in Maritime engineering or expect to maintain such a degree very soon. Excellent spoken and written English and the ability to work independently are expected. Note that a minimum TOEFL score of 100 or IELTS of 7.0 applies to all candidates wishing to pursue a PhD programme at TU Delft.   

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 Mechanical Engineering 

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems. 

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation. 

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work. 

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 18 months Temporary
• A job of 38-40 hours per week. 
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch 
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP. 
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year. 
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages. 
• Flexible working week. 
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget. 
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses. 
• Partially paid parental leave 
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program. 

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.  

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Pooria Pahlavan, via l.pahlavan@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 24 September 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter

You can address your application to Pooria Pahlavan.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.