PhD Position: Coastal Dune Landscape for Climate Change Adaptation

About the role

Four-year fully funded PhD in the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences at TU Delft, part of the EU-funded CORRAL project (28 partners across 9 countries). The position focuses on building a “Growing Dune Landscape” at Scheveningen, near The Hague, using natural wind-driven sediment deposition and vegetation growth to reinforce coastal defences against sea-level rise. Gross salary starts at EUR 3,059/month in year 1 and rises to EUR 3,881/month in year 4, plus 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus. Start date: 1 October 2026. Contact Sierd de Vries (sierd.devries@tudelft.nl). Deadline: 1 June 2026.

Responsibilities

• Investigate natural dune growth processes in urban coastal settings through field campaigns using GPS surveys, drones, and remote sensing.
• Run and calibrate the AeoLiS dune and vegetation dynamics model.
• Translate findings into guidance for policymakers and municipal stakeholders in The Hague.
• Contribute to the CORRAL project deliverables and international consortium meetings.
• Publish in coastal engineering and geomorphology journals.

Requirements

• MSc in Hydraulic Engineering, Civil Engineering, Physical Geography, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in coastal process modelling or field measurements.
• Programming skills in Python, SQL, Java, or similar.
• Fluent English, written and spoken.
• Willingness to travel for international collaboration within the CORRAL consortium.

Nice to have

• Experience with AeoLiS, Delft3D, XBeach, or similar coastal simulation software.
• Knowledge of remote sensing or drone data processing.
• Dutch language ability.

How to apply

Apply through the TU Delft careers portal using the link above. Submit a CV, motivation letter, transcripts, and two referee contacts. TU Delft provides relocation assistance, housing guidance, and visa support through the Coming to Delft Service. Deadline is 1 June 2026.