PhD position in Climate-Resilient Strategies for Cities

Do you want to contribute defining new climate-resilient strategies and energy solutions in cities to enhance mitigation and adaptation responses to climate change? Do you want to join a dynamic research team at UCLouvain and be part of an international research consortium? Then, this PhD opportunity may interest you.

We offer a PhD scholarship based on a research collaboration between the Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment (LAB) at the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium), the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST, Luxembourg), the University of Antwerpen (Belgium), and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO, Belgium). The PhD scholarship is part of an interdisciplinary project – Climate-based Hybrid locally-Informed Adaptive Strategies from Modelling of the Urban Stock (CHIASMUS) – financed by the FNRS (Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique) within the international WEAVE cooperation. The PhD scholarship is offered for a duration of 4 years.

THE PROJECT

The CHIASMUS project aims to identify locally-informed district-and-building level climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, based on a geographically-differentiated representation of the urban building stock. This can allow accounting for energy use and indoor environmental quality in building operation, emission flows, and life cycle impacts, while quantifying the related uncertainty at diverse spatial resolution and in multiple contexts. The project brings together an interdisciplinary team led by Professor Sergio Altomonte (UCLouvain, project coordinator), Dr Antonino Marvuglia (LIST), Professor Amaryllis Audenaert (UAntwerpen), and Dr Dirk Lauwaet (VITO).

ACTIVITIES

You will carry out a doctoral thesis within the Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment (LAB) at the Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium), You will work in close collaboration with all the other members of the CHIASMUS project team, specifically being responsible for the following activities:

• Carry out a PhD thesis contributing to develop an integrated occupant and building archetype characterization to be included in a data-driven modelling approach (black-box) for energy use prediction, alongside geographic and microclimate representations. Engagement in the doctoral thesis will include active participation to the development of the CHIASMUS project, exchanges with the project team (particularly with LIST), contribution to meetings and activities, communication, etc. 

• Your research activities will include the evaluation of geospatial data – including urban and building attributes, census and energy-use survey data – and households’ occupant survey data, such as urban-and district-level socio-demographics (e.g., population density, incomes, etc.). 

• The PhD researcher will have opportunities to be involved in research seminars and upskilling workshops throughout their research work. This will include doctoral training focused on the development and writing of a thesis, and the scientific dissemination associated with the research.

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

Candidates must meet the following requirements

Essential criteria

1. A Master’s Degree of at least 300 ECTS in Architecture, Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Energy Engineering, Computer Science, Environmental Science or equivalent, with a top-tier final grade;
2. A top-tier grade final Master thesis on a topic of pertinence to this project;
3. Commitment and ability to work as part of a team;
4. Good interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to interact and collaborate with other researchers;
5. Be able to work independently and take the initiative in conducting research;
6. An excellent command of English, as demonstrated by English Language tests (i.e., IELTS, TOEFL, etc.), or secondary or tertiary education in English.

Desirable criteria

1. Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in energy modelling, building and energy performance simulation (e.g., Energy Plus, Tenses, etc.), and/or environmental analysis (e.g. ENVI-Met, Ansys, COMSOL);
2. Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in coding (e.g., Python, R) and/or be committed to further training;
3. Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in geospatial modelling tools (e.g., ArcgGIS, QGis) and/or be committed to further training;
4. Demonstrated skills and/or experience to write scientific reports and/or research papers in English, with precision, appropriateness of language, and methodological rigour;
5. Master software tools useful for research work (e.g., referencing, data management, etc.);
6. Knowledge of French and/or a third language (Dutch, preferably).

WORKING CONDITIONS

You will participate in an innovative research project and join a dynamic and multidisciplinary research team. The PhD thesis is project-oriented and allows a certain flexibility in the organisation of your work, while respecting working practices and coordination with all the other partners involved. The research team is located in Louvain-la-Neuve (with a commitment to reside in Belgium), the working hours are full-time, travel expenses related to the project (meetings, interviews) and normal home-to-work trips (public transport) are covered. The net monthly salary is approximately ~€2,200. The status is that of a full-time research fellowship for a period of 48 months, renewable each year (the conditions for renewal are linked to progress, admission to the doctorate, and confirmation).

APPLICATION

The final deadline for applications is the 29th March 2024, but applicants are invited to submit their candidature as soon as possible. Review of applications and eventual interviews of candidates, in fact, will be conducted on a rolling basis, as soon as applications are received. The start date for the PhD is expected to be on 1st June 2024.

To apply for this PhD position, interested candidates need to send the documentation specified below, as an email attachment, to Professor Sergio Altomonte sergio.altomonte@uclouvain.be from whom further information can also be obtained.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED (All points mandatory)

1. A cover letter presenting the motivations for applying to this position;
2. A detailed CV;
3. An itemised response to each of the qualifications and skills criteria (six essential and six desirable) listed above;
4. Academic transcripts of the candidate for their Bachelor and Masters Degrees (translated into English if they are not in English or in French).
5. Proof of English Proficiency (e.g. IELTS or TOEFL). Note: applicants with a Masters degree from an English-speaking institution are exempt from this, but must provide evidence.
6. Contact details of at least two academic references.

All files should be converted to PDF, presented in the order listed above, and sent as a single file via email to the attention of Professor Sergio Altomonte, sergio.altomonte@uclouvain.be, The file should be named as follows: .pdf

Please verify that your file is clearly readable from a conventional PDF Reader.

Selected candidates will be invited to an online interview consisting of: a) the presentation of their previous research activities and interests (e.g., their master dissertation, preliminary research, etc.); b) a series of tests to verify their previous skills and knowledge and their attitudes towards doctoral studies; and, c) an open discussion centred on motivations for engaging in such a project. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly. Incomplete applications, or those considered to be out of scope, will not be responded to.