Summary
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is offering a fully funded 4-year PhD position focused on understanding how climate change impacts the predictability of hydrological extremes (floods and droughts) and seasonal water supply. The candidate will research vegetation adaptation to changing climatic conditions and integrate these dynamics into the wFlow-SBM hydrological model for the Rhine-Meuse river basin. This project is carried out in close partnership with Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) and Deltares.
PhD Position in River Basin Hydrology: Climate Change & Hydrological Extremes at TU Delft, Netherlands
Designation
PhD Candidate / Doctoral Researcher
Quick Overview
| Category | Information |
| Position Title | PhD Position in River Basin Hydrology: Climate Change & Hydrological Extremes |
| Institution | TU Delft (Delft University of Technology) |
| Faculty / Department | Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences (Department of Water Management) |
| Project Partners | Rijkswaterstaat (RWS) & Deltares |
| Location | Delft & Lelystad, Netherlands |
| Duration | 4 years (1.5-year initial contract + 2.5-year extension) |
| Working Hours | 38 hours per week (1.0 FTE) |
| Salary Range | €3,059 – €3,881 gross/month (+ 8% holiday allowance & 8.3% end-of-year bonus) |
| Job ID | 3561 |
| Application Deadline | August 9, 2026 |
Research Area
- Primary Domains: Hydrology, Water Resources Management, Climate Change Adaptation, Environmental/Civil Engineering.
- Key Focus: Vegetation-climate feedbacks, soil moisture and groundwater dynamics, streamflow predictability, hydrological extremes (floods/droughts), and wFlow-SBM hydrological modeling.
- Study Basin: Rhine-Meuse River System.
Location
- Delft, Netherlands: TU Delft Campus (4 days per week).
- Lelystad, Netherlands: Rijkswaterstaat Watermanagement Center (1 day per week on secondment).
Eligibility / Qualification
- Education: MSc degree in Hydrology, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
- Technical Skills: Excellent computer programming and GIS skills.
- Language Proficiency: Proficient in spoken and written English (must meet TU Delft Graduate School requirements). Knowledge of Dutch is advantageous.
- Interdisciplinary Interest: Demonstrated enthusiasm for cross-disciplinary approaches linking plant physiology, soil science, geology, and hydrology.
Job Description
Climate change causes shifts in precipitation patterns and atmospheric water demand, which cascaded to vegetation adaptations and altered water cycles. Current hydrological models poorly account for these feedbacks.
As a PhD researcher, your key responsibilities will include:
- Quantifying natural vegetation adaptation in response to climate change.
- Further developing the wFlow-SBM hydrological model to incorporate time-variable vegetation parametrization.
- Simulating and analyzing feedbacks on streamflow, soil moisture, and groundwater predictability across the Rhine-Meuse river basin.
Supervision: Lead supervisor Prof. Markus Hrachowitz (TU Delft).
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online through the TU Delft Career Portal. (Applications sent via email or post will not be considered.)
Required Application Documents (addressed to Markus Hrachowitz):
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Motivation Letter (1 page)
- Copies of MSc degree certificate and academic transcripts
Last Date for Apply
- Application Deadline: August 9, 2026
