项目介绍

2025年4月12日

Your function

The Department of Mathematics of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam welcomes applications for two fully-funded, 4-year PhD positions in applied probability and network optimization for climate-aware energy systems.  

Both positions are part of a NWO research project motivated by one of the biggest challenges of our time: keeping the lights on in a world of clean energy and climate extremes. As we move away from fossil fuels and embrace renewables like wind and solar, our power grids must adapt to the rising threat of extreme weather events. This joint research project brings together advanced math, applied probability, and network science to build smarter and more resilient energy systems. By modeling how climate-driven disasters ripple through energy networks and by optimizing how we design and operate them, the goal is to create a new generation of tools that help prevent cascading failure and blackouts —even in the face of storms, heatwaves, and the unpredictable future of our climate. 

Within this interdisciplinary research project, each of the two PhD positions tackles a different facet of energy resilience in the face of climate change:  
 
Topic 1: Modeling Weather-Driven Failures in Power Grids 
This PhD project uses applied probability and graph theory to develop parsimonious models that describe how extreme weather events—such as floods or storms—can trigger simultaneous failures across multiple components of a power grid. The goal is to understand how these spatially correlated disruptions interact with the network’s structure and dynamics. 

Topic 2: Optimizing Climate-Resilient Grid Operations 
This PhD project focuses on network optimization and stochastic simulation to build a climate-aware decision-making framework for power system planning and real-time operations. It aims to design flexible and cost-effective strategies to reconfigure the network and reduce the risk of large-scale failures under extreme weather conditions.  

The preferred starting date is 01/09/2025. 
We are an inclusive, interdisciplinary group, and diversity and internationalism are at the heart of our research principles, as well as our teaching practice. Applications from all groups currently underrepresented in academic posts are especially encouraged. We particularly welcome applications from women and people with ethnic minority backgrounds. 

Your duties 

• doing research towards writing a PhD thesis 
• teaching tasks (roughly 15% of your time), for instance, supervising exercise classes 

Your profile

• a (prospective) MSc. degree in Mathematics or Electrical Engineering (or an equivalent thereof) 
• good communication skills in English 

Priority will be given to candidates with 

• an interest in applied probability, operations research, network optimization, and network science 
• affinity with programming and data science. 

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2901 (at the start) and a maximum €3707 (in the fourth year). The job profile is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for 0.8-1.0 FTE. 

The appointment will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a further 3 years. Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as: 

• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus 
• contribution to commuting expenses 
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package 
• a maximum of 41 days of annual leave based on full-time employment 
• good paid parental leave scheme 

About us

The Department of Mathematics 
The Department of Mathematics strives for excellence in research. The department balances pure mathematical research with mathematical research motivated by applications. Researchers in the department are on one hand active at a fundamental and theoretical level, and, on the other hand, work on applications with links to business, the sciences, and societal issues. The department has a strong international research staff with expertise in dynamical systems, topology, geometry and algebra, as well as in stochastics (statistics, data analytics, probability). 

Faculty of Science 
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational and interdisciplinary nature. 

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorisation and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future. 

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterised by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programmes. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments. 

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. – a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.  

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility.  Over 5,500 staff work at the VU and over 30,000 students attend academic education. 

Diversity 
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences, and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest, and differences lead to new insights and innovation, sharpness and clarity, excellence, and a broader understanding. 

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalization contribute to the quality of education, research, and our services. Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.