Postdoc position in Grid Integration and Support Applications of Long-Duration Energy Storage Systems

Job description

The SLDbatt project aims to develop and deploy battery technologies to TRL 6-7, enabling LDES for 8+ hours to address energy transition goals and net congestion challenges. Six pilots will be deployed and validated to demonstrate LDES market potential.

The goal of this postdoc position is to contribute to the modelling, simulation, and optimisation across different LDES technologies, from device (ESS+inverter) to system level (grid integration) under different scenarios, providing techno-economic insights to accelerate their deployment in real-life applications. You will join the Center of Expertise (CoE), in charge of providing techno-economic assessments & manufacturability, scalability, & sustainability evaluations, recommendations for future LDES market frameworks, policies, & regulatory needs, and knowledge of best practices for grid- & industrial integration.

Your key responsibilities as Postdoc (include but are not limited to):

• Review, model and simulate LDES technologies
• Develop system-level grid-connected LDES models for grid support
• Research, design and development of control algorithms for optimal operation of grid-integrated LDES;
• Develop a co-simulation framework to analyse LDES performance under different grid scenarios.
• Collaborate with consortium partners to translate technology specifications into models, and lab designs into pilot-scale demonstrators.
• Contribute to scientific publications, project reporting, and dissemination through the UT CoE for LDES.

You are expected to take a leadership role in research integration and coordination within the project and contribute to joint publications, device & system modeling, and stakeholder engagement. The project is strongly supported by industry, with collaboration from: Exergy storage, aquabattery, Elestor, RWE, and others.

This position offers a unique opportunity to conduct high-impact research at the interface of power systems, power electronics, control, battery management, and market economics. You will work closely with a second postdoctoral researcher focused on converter and control designs, ensuring strong collaboration between hardware development and system-level optimization.

Your profile

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, preferably with a focus on Power Systems and Operations Research.
• Proven experience with modelling, simulation and analysis of power systems (steady-state and dynamic) using software such as OpenDSS, PandaPower, Matpower, DigSilent, PSCAD, PowerFactory, etc.
• Strong skills in mathematical modelling and optimization (linear/convex/mixed integer), stochastic modelling, statistical analysis and data science.
• Proven experience with programming languages, e.g., MATLAB/Simulink, Python, c++, GAMS, AMPL, etc.
• Experience in modelling, simulation, and control of ESS and experimental setups.
• Familiarity with real time-simulation tools such as HIL, RTDS, OPAL, etc is a plus.
• Strong ability to present results effectively and prepare scientific papers for publication in international journals and conferences.
• Creative mindset with excellent problem-solving, writing, analytical, and communication skills.
• Able to work independently while demonstrating strong teamwork skills in an interdisciplinary and international environment.

Our offer

• You will be appointed for a period of 1 year full-time within a very stimulating scientific environment with a possibility of 2-year extension.
• Your salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU);
• Gross salary between € 3.546,- (step 0) and € 5.538,- (step 12) per month depending on experience and qualifications;
• Excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, a year-end bonus of 8.3% and a solid pension scheme;
• The flexibility to work (partially) from home;
• Free access to sports facilities on campus
• A minimum of 232 leave hours in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A full-time employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis.
• Excellent support for research and facilities for professional and personal development.
• We encourage a high degree of responsibility and independence, while collaborating with close colleagues, researchers and other university staff.
• We are also a family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid) and career support for partners.

Information and application

Are you interested in this position? Please send your application via the 'Apply now' button below before November 29, 2025, and include:

• A Curriculum Vitae, including a list of all courses attended and grades obtained, and, if applicable, a list of publications and references.
• A cover letter (maximum 2 pages A4), emphasising your specific interest, qualifications, and motivations to apply for this position.
• An IELTS-test, Internet TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT), or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE). Applicants with a non-Dutch qualification and who have not had secondary and tertiary education in English can only be admitted with an IELTS-test showing a total band score of at least 6.5, internet. TOEFL test (TOEFL-iBT) showing a score of at least 90, or a Cambridge CAE-C (CPE).

For more information regarding this position, you are welcome to contact Nataly Banol Arias via [emailprotected].

About the department

The Power Electronics (PE) is a multidisciplinary group that investigates various aspects of energy conversion systems, including Battery Electronics, Energy Access, Smart Grids, Power Electronics Technology, and Power and Energy Measurement Systems. The PE possesses excellent laboratory facilities to perform HIL-based co-simulation of power systems and power electronics, and advanced battery characterisation, performance testing and next-gen BMS development.

About the organisation

The faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) uses mathematics, electronics and computer technology to contribute to the development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). With ICT present in almost every device and product we use nowadays, we embrace our role as contributors to a broad range of societal activities and as pioneers of tomorrow's digital society. As part of atech university that aims to shape society, individuals and connections, our faculty works together intensively with industrial partners and researchers in the Netherlands and abroad, and conducts extensive research for external commissioning parties and funders. Our research has a high profile both in the Netherlands and internationally. It has been accommodated in three multidisciplinary UT research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centre and Digital Society Institute.