Join TU Delft as a PhD researcher developing design strategies and digital tools for climate-resilient historic cities in the Netherlands and China.

Job description

Historic cities increasingly face climate-related risks such as flooding, heat stress, and environmental degradation. At the same time, climate adaptation measures often conflict with heritage preservation and spatial quality. Addressing these challenges requires integrated approaches that combine landscape urbanism, climate resilience, and heritage conservation.

This PhD position is part of the PAST-FORWARD project (Preserving & Adapting Spatial Transformations toward Future-Oriented Resilient Development), an international research collaboration between universities and planning institutions in the Netherlands and China. The project aims to develop innovative strategies and tools for climate-adaptive Historic Urban Landscapes (HULs).

PAST-FORWARD brings together leading institutions from the Netherlands (TU Delft and Erasmus School of Law) and China (South China University of Technology and Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology) to develop evidence-based strategies for climate-proofing historic urban landscapes. The project explores how cities can adapt to climate change while safeguarding their cultural heritage and spatial identity.

As a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment at TU Delft, you will investigate how landscape-based design strategies can strengthen the resilience of historic urban areas while maintaining their cultural and socio-ecological value.

Your research will combine design research, spatial analysis, and stakeholder engagement. The project includes case studies and living labs in Delft, Rotterdam, Xi’an and Guangzhou, where strategies will be tested and refined in collaboration with researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

Key research activities include:

• analysing climate vulnerabilities and spatial structures in historic urban landscapes.
• developing climate-adaptive spatial design principles and strategies.
• integrating nature-based solutions and green-blue infrastructure into historic districts.
• contributing to digital planning tools and geospatial analysis for adaptive planning.
• testing and evaluating strategies through case studies and living labs.

You will develop methodologies for climate data collection, spatial mapping, and vulnerability analysis, and contribute to climate modelling and spatial analysis. Through an iterative design-based research approach, you will explore and design climate-adaptive solutions for historic urban areas.

The research includes building and managing a GIS database containing spatial and descriptive data, performing spatial analyses and visualisations, and translating results into scientific publications and a PhD dissertation.

You will work in an interdisciplinary and international research team with expertise in urban design, landscape architecture, geospatial analysis, governance, and climate adaptation. The project involves collaboration with academic partners, planning institutes, and municipalities in both the Netherlands and China.

You will also engage with stakeholders such as urban planners, heritage experts, local communities, and municipal officials to ensure the research addresses real-world challenges and contributes to socially inclusive solutions. Research findings will be shared with academic and professional audiences through international conferences, workshops, and collaboration with project partners and municipalities.

The PhD position is for four years and will lead to a doctoral degree from TU Delft. The candidate will publish scientific articles, participate in international workshops and consortium meetings, and contribute modestly to teaching activities within the faculty.

Job requirements

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with a strong interest in climate-adaptive urban design and historic landscapes.

You have:

• A Master’s degree in landscape architecture, urban design, urban planning, architecture, or a related field.
• A strong interest in climate adaptation, urban resilience and heritage landscapes.
• Experience with spatial analysis, GIS or digital planning tools, or willingness to learn.
• Knowledge of or affinity with climate adaptation strategies, nature-based solutions or water-sensitive urban design.
• Strong analytical and conceptual skills, with an affinity for design-based research.
• Experience with or interest in interdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
• The ability to work independently as well as in an international research team.
• Excellent English communication and writing skills.

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 Architecture & the Built Environment
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy from early in the morning until late at night, with four thousand people studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

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 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.

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 Prof.dr.ing. Steffen Nijhuis, e-mail: s.nijhuis@tudelft.nl.

For more information about the application procedure, please contact Stephanie Ip, HR Advisor,
e-mail: recruitment-bk@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Would you like to contribute to developing climate-resilient strategies for historic urban landscapes? Please apply no later than 19 April 2026 (local Dutch time + 2 hrs) via the application button and upload the following documents:

• A motivation letter.
• A detailed CV.
• A brief research statement. In your research statement, outline your research interests, relevant experience, and how you would approach research on climate adaptation and design strategies for historic urban landscapes.
• Graduate transcripts.
• The names of two references, with contact information (letters not required at this stage).

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

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:

• 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.