Associate Professor of Experimental Soil Mechanics

Job Summary

The position is proposed to improve our understanding of the fundamental mechanical behaviour of soils undergoing ageing and cyclic environmental loads, and to provide new solutions to the present and future challenges of the built environment. The focus is on developing new experimental techniques and strategies to better understand and tune the response of soils to increasingly high (time-dependent and dynamic) loadings. Emerging sensor and imaging technologies offer the opportunity to develop a new generation of experimental techniques for soil testing in the laboratory and in the field.

To achieve these goals, you will need to expand the world class laboratory facilities already available in the Department of Geoscience and Engineering. We aim for an assistant or associate professor with the capacities and desire to develop a fundamental research programme of international standing with a strong footing in the Dutch Geotechnical community. The appointee will develop collaborations within the faculty (e.g. with Resource Engineering, Applied Geology, Geophysics and Hydraulic Engineering), other faculties and universities.

This requires proven research qualities in combination with the capacity to reach out to the construction industry and the wider geotechnical engineering community. You are expected to attract research funding from a multitude of sources. Therefore you are comfortable finding new connections and communicating easily with external parties, colleagues and students.

Teaching and supervising researchers and students will be part of your duties. You are expected to actively contribute to the education portfolio of the section, department and faculty at all academic levels (BSc, MSc and PhD). Together with colleagues you will develop new approaches to engineering education using the state of the art facilities present at TU Delft.

Requirements

You should have a PhD in Geotechnical Engineering or another related discipline, with a strong expertise in soil mechanics and soil element testing in the laboratory. You should demonstrate outstanding research potential and have published in peer-reviewed, international scientific journals. You should enjoy pioneering and exploring new paths.

You should have a clear vision on modern education in engineering. You can inspire students and develop their passion for and knowledge of geotechnical engineering. You need to demonstrate that you have the potential to initiate, acquire, execute and coordinate research projects.

You should be a real team builder and have good communication skills in English. In order to develop close working relationships with the Dutch industry it is essential that you can speak Dutch, or are willing to learn Dutch within the first two years.

Conditions of employment

At the start of the tenure-track you will be appointed as Assistant Professor or Associate Professor for the duration of six years. You will meet with the section leader and department leader and you will agree upon expected performance and (soft) skills. You will receive a start-up package and formal feedback on performance and skills during annual assessment meetings and the mid-term evaluation. If the performance and skills are evaluated positively at the end of the tenure track, you will be appointed in a permanent Assistant or Associate Professor position.

TU Delft offers a customization compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. An International Children’s Center offers childcare and an international primary school. Dual Career Services offers support to accompanying partners. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.

TU Delft sets specific standards for the English competency of the teaching staff. TU Delft offers training to improve English competency. Inspiring, excellent education is our central aim. If you do not yet have your teaching certificate, we allow you up to three years to obtain this.