Summary
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is offering a fully funded 4-year PhD position embedded within the Information Technology Group. This research role is part of the newly funded NWO (Dutch Research Council) KIC project “Sharing the Warmth”, an interdisciplinary collaboration between Wageningen University, TU Delft, Hogeschool Utrecht, CWI, Dutch municipalities, distribution system operators (DSOs), and societal partners.
The successful candidate will research and engineer next-generation energy data orchestration mechanisms, semantic interoperability frameworks, and privacy-preserving data-sharing solutions to accelerate sustainable heat transition planning.
PhD Position: Engineering Trustworthy Energy Data Spaces for Heat Transition Planning, WUR, Netherlands
Designation
PhD Candidate / Doctoral Researcher
Key Information at a Glance
| Parameter | Details |
| Position Title | PhD Position: Engineering Trustworthy Energy Data Spaces |
| Host Institution | Wageningen University & Research |
| Department | Information Technology Group |
| Project Leader | Dr. Tarek Alskaif |
| Project Title | Sharing the Warmth (NWO KIC Project) |
| Employment Type | Full-time (38 hours/week) |
| Contract Duration | 4-year temporary contract (Initial 18 months, extendable upon performance) |
| Salary Scale | €3,059 (1st year) to €3,881 (4th year) gross per month (CAO-NU Scale P) |
| Intended Start Date | November 2026 |
| Application Deadline | September 14, 2026 |
Research Area
- Energy Informatics & Data Spaces Architecture
- Distributed Systems & Data Orchestration
- Semantic Interoperability & API Integration
- Privacy-Preserving Analytics & Artificial Intelligence
- Heat Transition Planning & Energy Ecosystem Governance
Location
Wageningen, Netherlands (Wageningen University & Research Campus)
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Academic Qualification: An MSc degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Electrical Engineering, Information Systems, or a closely related field.
- Technical Skills: Strong scientific programming proficiency in Python or Java. Experience with APIs, databases, cloud platforms, or software frameworks is a plus.
- Domain Knowledge: Knowledge in software engineering, distributed systems, data engineering, semantic technologies, AI, or privacy-preserving data analytics.
- Language Proficiency: Excellent written and spoken English communication skills (minimum C1 level with an internationally recognized Certificate of Proficiency).
- Profile: Motivated, curious, comfortable working independently and collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams, and committed to open science and reproducible research.
Job Description & Responsibilities
- Analyze data requirements, heterogeneous data sources, and interoperability challenges in heat transition planning.
- Design and implement trustworthy data orchestration mechanisms based on energy data space principles.
- Develop methods for semantic interoperability, data integration, and API-based data exchange across distributed stakeholder systems.
- Integrate and evaluate privacy-preserving technologies and AI-assisted data engineering techniques within energy data spaces.
- Collaborate closely with municipalities, DSOs, households, and industry partners to address real-world operational needs.
- Validate and test proposed data orchestration solutions through technical evaluation and real-world case studies.
- Publish findings in leading international peer-reviewed journals and present research at top academic conferences.
How to Apply
- Visit the WUR Job Vacancy Portal and submit your application online through the official portal.
- Required Application Documents:
- Curriculum Vitae (CV, maximum 2 pages).
- Motivation Letter (maximum 1 page).
- Bachelor’s Degree Transcript.
- Mandatory Form: Complete the mandatory additional information form linked on the official job posting page.
- Contact Persons:
- Position & Academic Inquiries: Dr. Tarek Alskaif (tarek.alskaif@wur.nl)
- Application Procedure Inquiries: Jouke van Oostenbrugge, Corporate Recruiter (recruitment.ssg@wur.nl)
Last Date to Apply
Monday, September 14, 2026 (Interviews are scheduled for September–October 2026)
