PhD scholarship in System Implementation of Large Thermal Energy Storage for Buildings and Communities - DTU Construct

If you are establishing your career as a scientist and you are looking for the best possible foundation for fulfilling your dreams and ambitions, it is right here in front of you. At DTU Construct you will break new ground at the absolute forefront of large-scale thermal energy storage. 

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to strengthen the department’s competences within computational modelling, optimization and integration of thermal energy storage technologies – such as large water pits and phase change material storage. You will work with colleagues, and with both academic and industrial partners in Denmark as well as abroad. Your primary tasks will be to:

• Investigate suitable thermal storage configurations for centralized (district heating) and decentralized (building-integrated) scenarios based on technical and economic criteria.
• Work in the EU Horizon Europe funded TREASURE project (www.treasure-project.eu) focusing on simulation models and the integration of  pit thermal energy storage in thermal grids
• Collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology on building-integrated thermal energy storage
• Work as an assistant teacher in relevant courses and supervise BSc and MSc student projects

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) in engineering or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree in engineering. Candidates with the following knowledge and skills will be given priority consideration：

• Thermal energy storage or techno-economic analysis
• Heat transfer and heating/cooling systems
• Energy simulation software, such as TRNSYS, Modelica, EnergyPro
• Programming languages, such as Python
• Ability to communicate results in technical reports, and prepare scientific papers for publication in international conferences and journals, experience in publishing peer-review journal papers is the preference
• BSc/MSc thesis on topics like thermal energy storage, energy systems analysis, solar heating, domestic or industrial heating/cooling.

Approval and Enrolment  
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education . 

Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Associate Professor Jianhua Fan and Associate Professor Gerald Englmair.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here http://www.dtu.dk/english/about/job-and-career/working-at-dtu/career-paths.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Jianhua Fan, Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, email: [email protected] .

You can read more about Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at www.construct.dtu.dk.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark . Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar ” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU. 

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 27 April 2025 (23:59 Danish time) . Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file . The file must include:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae 
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• Publications and other files documenting your knowledge and skills 

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it. 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

DTU Civil and Mechanical Engineering develops and utilizes science and technical knowledge for the benefit of society and sustainable development. We undertake research, education, innovation, and scientific advice of the highest quality within building design and processes, building construction and safety, building energy and installation, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, materials technology, manufacturing engineering, engineering design and thermal energy systems. 

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.