Job description

Resilient mounts (shock mounts) are used to connect machinery to a ship’s decks, and to prevent noise and vibration generated by the machinery operation from travelling through the ship structure. For naval vessels in particular, these mounts should also protect equipment against the large displacements imparted by underwater explosions. These diverse objectives often generate conflicting requirements regarding the mechanical behaviour of these mounts, which should vary for different frequency ranges. The range of needs becomes even wider when considering other types of machinery, for instance radar systems.

Although the technology has been used for many years, there has been little development in adapting the designs for modern applications. These mounts are designed based on semi-empirical methods, meaning that the current designs cannot be extrapolated to satisfy significantly different challenges and requirements. This project will develop theoretical modelling techniques based on existing experimental data, to enhance our understanding of the complex dynamic behaviour of these mounts. It will then utilise this knowledge to develop optimised metamaterials that have unique dynamical properties and can be used for tailored solutions.

We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate to be the main developer of the analytical & numerical methods that will allow us to better understand these challenges. The outcomes of this project will be disseminated to the scientific community and to a general audience through presentations at (inter-)national conferences and through publications in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, the candidate is expected to take part in educational activities within the department (for example, assist in teaching or supervise master thesis work).

The PhD candidate will be located at Delft University of Technology but will also receive support from TNO. The supervisors in Delft University of Technology will be Dr. A. Grammatikopoulos and Dr. Jovana Jovanova from the department of Maritime & Transport Technology. You will be part of a growing lab of researchers working on dynamics and nonlinear mechanics. The supervisor in TNO will be Dr. Kirk Green.

Job requirements

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate to conduct doctoral research focusing on marine hydroelasticity including structural nonlinearities.

Your description should fit most of the below qualities:

• You hold or are about to obtain a MSc degree in maritime engineering, mechanical engineering, applied/engineering mathematics, aerospace engineering, or similar.
• You have a background in structural mechanics (ideally structural vibration) or nonlinear dynamics.
• You have a strong interest in nonlinear structural mechanics & dynamics.
• You are familiar with and interested in the use of smart metamaterials to achieve tailored mechanical behaviour.
• You demonstrate a good level of mathematical skills and enjoy deriving equations for systems analytically.
• You are good at focusing on the important aspects of a real-life problem to model it in a simplified manner.
• You demonstrate a good level of programming skills and are flexible about learning new programming languages, if necessary.
• You enjoy building your own scripts to solve engineering problems and are also comfortable solving advanced problems using commercial FEA packages.
• You are creative, take initiative, and enjoy working independently.
• You are research-oriented, inherently curious, versatile, and a fast learner.
• You enjoy presenting your work to others and having constructive discussions about scientific topics.
• You have good communication skills and are fluent in both written and spoken English*.

Any of the below is considered an advantage:

• Experience with vibration of continuous systems.
• Experience with nonlinear (structural) dynamics.
• Experience deriving equations for structural and/or dynamic systems.

Please highlight your specific skills matching the criteria for this position explicitly in your motivation letter. Motivation letters that do not address any of these requirements will not be considered.

*Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at high level to ensure that the candidate can communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details, please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Mechanical Engineering

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3059 per month in the first year to €3881 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.

Additional information

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Apostolos Grammatikopoulos at A.Grammatikopoulos@tudelft.nl. This address should only be used to ask information about the project - not the application procedure or candidate eligibility.

Application procedure

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 15 September 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• A detailed curriculum vitae that explicitly states your educational record, recent major achievements, and list of publications (if any).
• A separate motivation letter stating why the proposed research topic interests you and how your background fits the description provided.
• The names and contact details of two persons (and your relationship to them) who could be contacted for a reference and any other information that might be relevant to your application (do not include pre-written reference letters).
• (Optional) Additional supporting documents, such as academic transcripts from your previous degree(s), or examples of your writing.

You can address your application to Apostolos Grammatikopoulos.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Please note:

• The motivation letter and other application material is taken as evidence of your writing skills and your ability to make convincing logical arguments. They should, therefore, be used as an opportunity to demonstrate these skills by explaining why you would be a good fit for the position.
• The starting date is negotiable based on the candidate’s availability, but the project is expected to start before the end of 2025.
• You must apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• Preliminary interviews and shortlisting of candidates might take place before the end of the application period.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.