Position: PhD-student

Irène Curie Fellowship: No

Department(s): Electrical Engineering

FTE: 1.0

Date off: 01/09/2024

Reference number: V36.7646

Job description

Research Programme Description

The E2GO project – Cost-reduction of EV fast-charging stations to enable large-scale electrification of mobility is hiring 9 Doctorate Candidates (DCs) funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks-Industrial Doctorates (DN-ID), 2021, within the European Union's EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Europe Horizon under Grant Agreement No. 101072414.

The E2GO consortium includes Eindhoven University of Technology, Delta Electronics (Poland) Ltd., Heliox BV, University of Minho, Efacec Electric Mobility SA, Aalborg University, Silicon Austria Labs GMBH, Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Shell Global Solutions International BV, Kema Lab BV, and University of Innsbruck. This consortium covers the complete value chain of high-power fast-charging stations for EVs, creating an in-depth training programme that spans hardware design, electronics, modelling, and control algorithms. This multidisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration aims to develop innovations to reduce the cost of fast-charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) for massive deployment. The Doctorate Candidates (DCs) involved in this project will gain valuable experience at the interface of industrial and academic collaboration, making them highly attractive to the automotive industry as experts in the rapidly growing field of fast-charging. This experience will significantly advance their career paths in both industry and academia.

E2GO will hire 9 DCs, amplifying the impact of their training and experience by sharing newly acquired technical expertise and "soft knowledge" about the different approaches between industry and academia. These fellows will gain high employability and become translational researchers capable of integrating both academic and industrial worlds.

The 9 DCs will be enrolled as PhDs, gaining industry experience.

Eligibility and mobility criteria (mandatory requirements EU rules)

• Researchers must be doctoral candidates, not already holding a doctoral degree at the recruitment date.
• Researchers can be of any nationality but must not have resided or conducted their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the recruiting country for more than 12 months in the last 36 months before recruitment.

Conditions of employment in General

Successful candidates will receive an attractive salary according to MSCA regulations, including a mobility allowance. The guaranteed PhD funding is for 36 months, with additional funding possible depending on the local Supervisor and regular PhD duration in the country of origin. Fellows will benefit from continuing education, including internships, secondments, training modules, transferable skills courses, and conference participation.

About University and Companies hosting this position

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is a world-leading research university in engineering science & technology. The Department of Electrical Engineering covers technologies and electrical phenomena in computer engineering, information processing, energy transfer, and telecommunication, with a focus on smart sustainable systems, the connected world, and care & cure. TU/e is renowned for its research cooperation with industry.

Delta Electronics, founded in 1971, is a global provider of power and thermal management solutions, focusing on innovative, clean, and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow. Delta's business categories include Power Electronics, Automation, and Infrastructure, contributing to sustainable development through energy-saving products and services.

Job Description

• Research field: Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics
• Research Objectives: Investigate, optimize, and implement control and protection methods for the reduced dissipation converter (RDC) to enable safe EV fast-charging under normal and fault conditions.
• Research Activities: DC2 focuses on the control and protection of RDC, including system-level power control of battery buffered fast-charging stations, designing protection circuits and fault handling controls, and developing smart battery management systems for safe charging and discharging of local buffering batteries.
• Employment and Secondment: The selected DC will enroll as a PhD student at TU/e (NL) for a 4-year program, with the final year funded by TU/e. The DC will be hired by TU/e for 18 months, supervised by Dr. Dongsheng Yang, and then by Delta Electronics (PL) for 18 months, supervised by Dr. Krzysztof Puckzo.

Job requirements

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following requirements:

• Creative, ambitious, hard-working, and persistent.
• MSc degree in electrical engineering or a related field.
• Theoretical and applied knowledge of modeling, analysis, and control of power electronics.
• Hands-on experimental experience in power converter control design and implementation; experience with battery storage systems is a plus.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work effectively in a research team.
• Proficiency in English (spoken and written).

Conditions of employment

• A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university with opportunities to present work at international conferences.
• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation after nine months.
• 10% of employment dedicated to teaching tasks to develop teaching skills.
• Access to the PROOF program for personal development during the PhD.
• Gross monthly salary and benefits in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities, including a pension scheme, pregnancy and maternity leave, and partially paid parental leave.
• Annual holiday allowance of 8% and a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• Potential access to the ‘30% facility’ for tax benefits on 30% of the salary for international candidates meeting certain conditions.
• A broad package of fringe benefits, including technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes.
• Family-friendly initiatives such as an international spouse program and excellent on-campus childcare and sports facilities.

Information and application

Documents requested

• Eligibility Statement: Include exact dates of the degree entitling you to pursue a PhD and positions and country of residence in the last 5 years.
• Complete CV in Europass format (obligatory: https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae). Indicate all positions applied for in the E2GO programme on the first page of the CV.
• Motivation letter (maximum 1 page per position) explaining why the applicant wishes to pursue the research and why they are an ideal candidate.
• Scans of certificates showing BSc, MSc, and other courses taken, with grades and rankings if available.
• Up to 3 recommendation letters or contact email addresses with a brief professional description of the referrer.
• If possible, up to two selected publications (e.g., MSc thesis, conference paper) in English.

Selection Process

E2GO follows a recruitment process based on European principles of openness, fairness, and transparency, ensuring a merit-based and gender-balanced selection. The targeted starting date is 1 September 2024.

For more information about the project or informal enquiries, please contact Dr. Dongsheng Yang (d.yang1@tue.nl), Prof. Michael Golombok (Michael.Golombok@shell.com), or Dr. Krzysztof Puckzo (Krzysztof.Puczko@deltaww.com).