Can you help drive the energy transition by building a battery that uses water and table salt?

Job description

Energy storage is an indispensable factor for bridging the electricity consumption with the intermittent renewable energy supply. Electricity grids face significant challenges in balancing economic growth with sustainability targets. Rapid electrification across industrial, transport, commercial, and residential sectors strains existing grid infrastructure, leading to congestion and transmission bottlenecks. These issues limit the integration of renewable energy. Long-duration energy storage (LDES), that provide 8+ hours of storage, can balance intermittent production and demand, thereby stabilizing the grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and ensuring more effective use of renewable energy. TenneT expects 4.9 GW of large-scale battery storage is required in The Netherlands by 2030, while there was only 0.14 GW installed in 2023. Hence, a rapid scale-up of LDES is needed.

In that light, we started a collaborative project, with universities (TU Delft, UTwente, TU/Eindhoven, HAN) and companies (AQUABATTERY, Elestor, Exergy Storage, RWE, Nobian), to develop batteries for long-duration energy storage. Specifically, this postdoc position focuses on acid-base flow batteries, and more specifically the stack engineering in this system. Acid-base flow batteries are based on dissociating water into acid and base during charging, using bipolar membranes, and recombining acid and base in this membrane to retrieve electrical energy.

We’re looking for an excellent postdoc, with strong engineering skills, to study stack designs and operational conditions, experimentally, to increase the power density, energy density and stack lifetime. The aim is to better understand the effects of each design aspect and to develop new strategies to improve the technology of acid-base flow batteries. This includes developing designs for flow fields and spacers, assessing different electrolytes, studying sealing properties and interaction with the (bipolar) membranes, and developing sensors for fast analysis of the stack performance. The work could also include advanced characterization of flow distribution (such as optical dye experiments and MRI flow experiments) and strategies for new operational modes that affect the battery performance. Close collaboration with particularly the company AQUABATTERY will be required, and you will work together with a group of postdocs and other researchers that develop components (such as membranes and electrodes).

For this postdoc position, you need to have an outstanding scientific track record, good skills for engineering and experience in electrochemical systems. Your daily operation is in the EFS research group of David Vermaas. The work of our group addresses electrochemical flow systems, including applications of electrolysis, water technology, CO2 capture and flow batteries. You will collaborate with other researchers in the department and with companies in this project. The work will also contribute to TU Delft’s e-Refinery institute on electrochemical conversion that includes >20 principal investigators across the campus, where electrochemical advances are used and valorised in upscaled prototypes, in collaboration with industrial partners.

Job requirements

We’re looking for a candidate with:

• A PhD degree, in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, applied physics or similar
• Proven experience in working with electrochemical systems
• Experience in engineering or designing setups
• An excellent publication record
• Experience in stack design is considered a plus
• Knowledge of process technology and system-level thinking is considered a plus
• Experience in working at larger scale and/or industrial collaboration is considered a plus
• Pro-active and creative mind-set
• Fluent in English. Speaking Dutch is a plus
  
  

Starting date Q1-Q2 2026. TU Delft creates equal opportunities and encourages women to apply.

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 Applied Sciences

With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 2 years Temporary
• A job of 32-40 hours per week.
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

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
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact David Vermaas, via D.A.Vermaas@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 18 February 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• A one-page motivation letter that is specific to this vacancy
• Detailed resume (1-3 pages)

Interviews will be scheduled for February, and starting date is Q1-Q2 2026.

You can address your application to David Vermaas.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.