Are you interested in a research career and in developing tomorrow’s computer models for sustainable urban water management?
Apply before: 01.05.2008 at 12:00 (noon)
Then here is an opportunity to do a PhD in an internationally recognised research environment supported by one of the world’s leading environmental software developers.
Wider context of the project
The PhD scholarship is part of a large research project titled “Black, blue and green – Integrated infrastructure planning as key to sustainable urban water systems”, which is funded by the Danish Council for Strategic Research (2BG see www.2BG.dk). The ambition of 2BG is to contribute to global sustainable development by demonstrating novel ways for cities to interact with Earth’s water: from today’s “consume-and-discharge” to an integrated and recycling mode of interaction. To close the urban water cycle we need to focus on all assets of water in the city; from drinking water to ecosystem services and from industrial functions to water’s aesthetic and socio-cultural dimensions. The project aims to develop concepts, methods and tools for changing the prevailing sewer based discharge systems into self-sustaining and climate-change adapted solutions, based on infiltration of storm and wastewater at the source, combined with appropriate control of water quality and extended reuse. Several PhD students will be employed under the 2BG-project on topics spanning from landscape planning to hydrological modelling and design, and water quality control. Common case studies will furthermore make the project results operational in practice.
Scientific focus of the announced PhD position
Modern stormwater management options such as green roofs and rainwater harvesting, on-site detention, permeable pavements, infiltration swales and soakaways, detention ponds and constructed wetlands are often denoted sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDs), stormwater best management practices (BMPs), low impact development techniques (LIDs), or water sensitive urban design (WSUD). Although some development in the direction of integrating urban drainage models with groundwater models has been seen recently, state-of-the art modelling systems operate at a spatial scale that is too large to adequately describe the multi-scale options addressed by the 2BG project. Thus, the advertised PhD project focuses at developing models that allow for a quantitative approach to design and performance evaluation of such multi-scale systems as well as evaluating their impact on the whole urban water cycle including urban surface and ground waters.
The overall project is tentatively divided in 5 steps: 1) a “model topology” will be developed that characterises the physical scale and the internal process dynamics, and will be tailored to the amount of data realistically available for model set-up and calibration (linked to other PhD students working with regional scale hydrological modelling and urban landscape planning), 2) model components will be developed and validated that can facilitate modelling and simulation of small-scale stormwater systems, including interaction with the green infrastructure and groundwater system – e.g. evaporation from vegetation and infiltration, 3) the models will be integrated within the modelling frameworks normally used in the urban planning (GIS), urban drainage (MOUSE/MIKE URBAN) and groundwater (MIKE SHE) professions, 4) an interface (based on the OpenMI standard) between these modules and hydrological models operating on a larger spatial-temporal scale will be developed, and 5) model components and frameworks will be used in 2BG case studies to evaluate design of individual solutions as well as overall strategies.
The PhD scholarship is a joint project between the Department of Environmental Engineering at the Technical University of Denmark (DTUEnvironment) and DHI Water Environment Health (DHI), which will make its product family of hydrological models available.
Candidate requirements
At the date of appointment candidates must hold an MSc degree in engineering sciences, natural sciences and/or mathematics, preferably with a specialization in one of the following fields: hydrology/environmental engineering, numerical modelling and software engineering. Any model is a simplification of reality and therefore, the candidate must have a critical approach to modelling where formulation and testing of hypotheses are part of the natural workflow. Practical experience (e.g. consulting or research) is an advantage but not a prerequisite.
Terms of employment
The successful candidate will be employed at and enrolled as a PhD student at DTU, within the framework of the Urban Water Technology research school (www.urbanwatertech.dk) and under the supervision of Associate professors Philip Binning and Peter Steen Mikkelsen in collaboration with Dr. Ole Mark from DHI. Information about the general requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the PhD education at DTU may be found at: www.env.dtu.dk/English/Education/PhD%20Programme.aspx
The starting date is negotiable but a quick start is preferred.
The salary and further terms of employment (3 years) are consistent with the general terms for PhD students at DTU. Annual salary starts at 40,000 EUR before tax, including pension/holiday pay.
For any further information, please contact: Associate professors Philip John Binning (pjb@anv.dtu.dk) or Peter Steen Mikkelsen (psm@env.dtu.dk)
How to apply
Applicants must submit an application containing (1) a cover letter explaining their motivation to apply, their qualifications relevant for the research project and when they are able to start, (2) a curriculum vitae providing relevant academic, employment and personal details, (3) authorised academic transcripts, (4) contact details for at least two reference persons that we may contact for further inquires, and (5) documentation of English language competence.
Candidates will be evaluated based on their research potential and commitment and selected candidates will be invited for an interview.
Please send your application in English or Danish by e-mail as an attached pdf-file to pjb@env.dtu.dk
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. The scholarship is open to both Danish and international applicants.
The position will remain open until the position is filled or 1 May 2008 at 12:00 noon
http://www.dtu.dk/English/About_DTU/vacancies.aspx?guid=22209270
January
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