PhD in Sustainable Asset Management
Are you a graduated engineer or engineering manager with a ‘green’ heart, but haven’t decided yet between a career in industry or academia? Then you might interested in a PhD position in Sustainable Asset Management at the Asset Management & Maintenance Engineering group. We are looking for someone with a genuine interest in both sustainability and the world of asset management, forming a bridge between both worlds. If you have a background in Industrial Design Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, Environmental and Energy Management, or similar fields, you may be interested in the following position.
The challenge
Our society relies heavily on technical systems to provide essential products and services such as energy, transportation, food, and products. These systems (called assets) are typically large in scale or size, are costly to build and maintain, and have lifespans that are often expressed in decades. The world that these assets inhabit is rapidly changing. This is reflected by climate change, resources becoming scarce, or economic activity exceeding planetary or social boundaries. In addition, the energy sector is transitioning to decentralized and renewable energy systems, the industry is progressing towards an Industry 5.0 ideal, and resources are increasingly sourced from renewable or regenerative sources. Whether it is through intrinsic motivation (creating value) or extrinsic motivation (e.g. CSRD compliance), Asset Management organizations are becoming increasingly motivated to make their Asset Management organizations more sustainable.
In response, the financial, environmental, and social sustainability of these physical assets is of growing importance to academia, industry, and society as a whole. Sustainable Asset Management (SAM) is a rapidly developing research area that can be understood as the governance and realization of sustainable value from large-scale technical systems. SAM focuses on utilizing and adapting Asset Management strategies to develop state-of-the-art insights, plans, and strategies for attaining and aligning the sustainability objectives of asset management organizations.
As a PhD student, you will be responsible for leading and carrying out a challenging full-time 4-year research project on the further development of the field of Sustainable Asset Management by developing new methods, tools, and strategies at the intersection of sustainability and asset management. The research will focus on various aspects of SAM, including:
- Strategies for assets to adapt to changes in the environment, including Climate Change Adaptation, Energy Transition, and the transition toward a Circular Economy
- Translating these strategies into Asset Management practice through Strategic Asset Management Planning and Asset Management Planning.
Information and application
If you are interested in this position, please send your application via the ‘Apply Now’ button. In your application, please include:
- An application letter explaining your motivation to apply for this position (max. 1 page A4)
- A detailed and up-to-date CV (resume)
- Official transcripts of BSc and MSc education
- A publication list (if applicable)
For more information on this position please contact dr.ir. W. Haanstra (w.haanstra@utwente.nl) or dr. A.J.J Braaksma (a.j.j.braaksma@utwente.nl).
The application deadline is July 9, 2024.
The first interviews are planned for the week of 15 - 19 July 2024.
About the department
You will be appointed within the Asset Management & Maintenance Engineering (AMME) group, which is part of the Department of Design, Production, and Management (DPM) of the Engineering Technology (ET) faculty.
The AMME group focuses on three main research areas: Maintenance Engineering & Management; Sustainable Asset Management; and Smart Maintenance. Together with our (inter)national partners and contacts, our group strives to develop state-of-the-art solutions to fundamental and practical challenges in these fields. For further information click here.
The Department of DPM aims to understand and improve design processes and consequently also manufacturing processes. Focal points in this research field are the development of methods and tools for scenario-based, user-oriented product design against the background of the requirements and constraints of the entire product life cycle. For further information click here.
About the organisation
The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) engages in education and research of Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. We enable society and industry to innovate and create value using efficient, solid and sustainable technology. We are part of a ‘people-first' university of technology, taking our place as an internationally leading center for smart production, processes and devices in five domains: Health Technology, Maintenance, Smart Regions, Smart Industry and Sustainable Resources. Our faculty is home to about 2,900 Bachelor's and Master's students, 550 employees and 150 PhD candidates. Our educational and research programmes are closely connected with UT research institutes Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.
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