PhD Position on Effective Chemical Barriers against Rising Damp (Engineering)

TL;DR

PhD Researcher (Building Physics/Materials Science): Investigating and developing effective chemical barriers against rising damp in buildings with an accent on multiscale research, from laboratory experimentation to in-situ validation. Focus on developing a new laboratory testing protocol and modelling moisture transport in porous materials to improve building resilience.

Location: Onsite in Delft, Netherlands. Relocation support is available.

Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 gross per month

Company

hirify.global is a leading international university focused on pioneering research and education to solve global challenges in energy, climate, and digitalization.

What you will do

• Conduct multiscale research on chemical damp-proofing treatments across different scales.
• Develop and validate a new laboratory testing protocol for assessing damp-proofing products within practical timeframes.
• Perform moisture transport modelling in porous materials to identify variables influencing performance.
• Execute in-situ testing on real masonry structures at The Green Village living lab.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams from the University of Amsterdam and various industry and public-sector partners.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Engineering, Materials Science, Building Physics, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with laboratory work and experimental techniques for characterization of building materials.
• Knowledge of moisture transport modelling in porous materials.
• English: C1 level required (e.g., TOEFL 100 or IELTS 7.0).
• Location: Must be based in or be able to relocate to the Netherlands.

Nice to have

• Basic knowledge of organic chemistry.
• Previous academic research experience, including publications or conference contributions.

Culture & Benefits

• 4-year employment period provided as two successive contracts based on performance assessment.
• Compensation aligned with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, including 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Customisable compensation package and discounts on health insurance.
• Enrollment in the hirify.global Graduate School with a structured Doctoral Education Programme.
• Comprehensive relocation support via the Coming to Delft Service and a Dual Career Programme for partners.