Job Description
The Climate and Energy Policy Division at DTU’s Department of Technology, Management and Economics offers a three-year PhD position in the Energy Economics and Modelling section in the suburban area of beautiful Copenhagen, Denmark. We are committed to producing outstanding research with the highest academic and social impact and to offer excellent research conditions. The division hosts a dynamic community of PhD students.
We are looking for a talented and motivated applicant who wants to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge energy modeling and analysis and impact the green transition while working alongside a dedicated team that values collaboration and mentorship. We offer the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research on the value of developing and using energy system modeling tools, including economic, technical and environmental aspects, as a basis to assess the role of ports as energy hubs in a green transition.
The Ports as Energy Transition Hubs (POTENT) Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network is looking for 15 qualified PhD candidates interested in the field of Energy Infrastructure, Maritime Economics, Ports, and Data Science (see short descriptions of other positions below). The primary objective of the POTENT Network, led by Copenhagen Business School, is to investigate how ports can support and accelerate the clean energy transition in Europe. The research will focus on:
- Identifying gaps in renewable energy, green fuel infrastructure, and technologies to address these gaps, especially integration of digital technologies to optimize energy use, improve efficiency, and integrate renewables.
- Considering the systemic aspects of integrated energy ports, including the implications of integrating ports into electricity grids, and the socioeconomic and regulatory aspects of port development.
- Investigating the governance and business model challenges and opportunities that ports face in the energy transition and exploring how they can create and capture value, manage stakeholder relationships, and make decisions that align with the energy transition goals.
This research project provides a fantastic opportunity for researchers interested in the energy transition. It aims to integrate knowledge of engineering (e.g., energy and electrical engineering) and social sciences (economics, sociology, and anthropology) in a doctoral training program across 8 European research institutions and 15 industry actors. The POTENT consortium brings together a multidisciplinary research team from across Europe to train experts in port energy systems and develop key skills to deliver a just and sustainable energy transition. The energy transition of our ports is being rapidly acknowledged as a crucial tool as Europe undergoes the energy transition to climate neutrality and energy security.
The Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Network aims to increase mobility for students and therefore only accept students who have not lived more than 12 of the last 36 months in the country to which they apply. Please keep this rule in mind as you submit your applications.
You will be based at The Technical University of Denmark working with Marie Münster and Josef Oehmen as project leads and will focus on the topics of infrastructure adaptability and scalability, PtX technologies, de-risking strategies, and flexibility assessment. You will be applying methods such as sensitivity analysis, robust optimization, and stochastic modelling as you work on your project. You will be seconded with the Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) and Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (Denmark) during the project.
You will be working on a project called “Green Maritime fuel transition taking into account risk and uncertainty”. During this project you will:
- Assess promising green fuel production locations depending on local availability of resources and infrastructures as well as quantifying the cost risks via advanced sensitivity and uncertainty assessments.
- Categorize options for adaptability in green fuel infrastructures and de-risk investments by considering the quantified key uncertainties and ensure solutions that are adaptable, scalable, and robust.
A main challenge in achieving a cost-efficient energy transition of the maritime sector is to identify where, when, which and what quantities of green fuels to produce in the future. Furthermore, the future is uncertain, and research identifying the most influential parameters as well as the uncertainty space for green fuels production costs is urgently needed. In addition, decision-makers need to de-risk future investment, thus future investments need to be adaptable, scalable, and robust.
To address these key challenges the project will apply and further develop large-scale integrated energy system models, with a focus on economic analysis of energy infrastructure, PtX and green fuels, as well as system integration. The main tool applied will be the modeling tool, Balmorel, which is built in GAMS.
During your studies you are expected to deliver:
- a large-scale energy system modelling framework, including sector coupling opportunities and different green fuel production pathways, to provide insights into where, when and which fuels to produce along green corridors.
- a modelling framework for assessing fuel costs risks and their underlying uncertainties along green corridors.
- a structured catalogue of adaptability options (flexible usage of infrastructure, scalable, and robust)
- improved energy system modelling framework with adaptability options integrated to compute the probability distribution for investments into green fuel infrastructure.
Qualifications
As a formal qualification, you must have a two-year master’s degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master’s degree. Furthermore, strong English communication skills are essential. Applicants should be highly motivated, ambitious, and eager to seek and share knowledge, willing and able to work independently and in a team.
You should have:
- A master’s degree in engineering or economics with a focus on energy system analysis or similar.
- Experience with energy system modeling – ideally of large-scale multiple country energy systems, PtX and renewable fuel production.
- Strong writing and presentation skills.
- A willingness and desire to engage in interdisciplinary collaboration and teaching.
- Good programming capabilities in advanced analysis software (e.g., Python, R, MATLAB, Julia, or similar) and mathematical optimization suites (e.g., GAMS, Pyomo, JuMP, or similar).
Besides, the candidates’ ability and willingness to collaborate effectively with the project’s team will play a role in our assessment.
Beyond research and teaching, the successful candidate will be expected to participate in community activities such as workshops and seminars.
We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility. The position provides support for research and travel expenses, including to conduct research at another institution in Denmark or abroad.
Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU’s rules for the PhD education.
Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.
The period of employment is three years, starting latest 1 September 2025. The position is a full-time position.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information
Further information about these positions may be obtained from Professor Marie Münster (maem@dtu.dk) and Head of Section Professor Dogan Keles (dogke@dtu.dk).
You can read more about the research carried out in the Section for Energy Economics and Modeling at Energy Economics and Modelling.
If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.
Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 1 April 2025 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link “Apply online”, fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:
- A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
- Scientific publications (if any)
You may apply prior to obtaining your master’s degree but cannot begin before having received it.
Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Short-listed candidates will be invited for an interview.
All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.
DTU Management conducts excellent research in the intersection between management, technology and economics. We develop solutions in close cooperation with companies and public authorities. Our research aims at strengthening welfare, productivity and sustainability within the society. A key element is the role of technology and its interaction with industry and individuals. The department offers a wide range of courses and programs at bachelor, master and PhD level across DTU’s study programs. The department has around 200 employees, 50% coming from abroad.
Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.
Other PhD positions in the network
DC1: Facilitators of the clean energy transition: Port governance and business model innovation- Based at Copenhagen Business School, this DC will work with Henrik Sornn-Friese and Michele Acciaro on port governance, business model innovation, institutional entrepreneurship, and clean energy transition.
DC2: “Socio-economic aspects of energy port transition”- Based at Copenhagen Business School, this DC will work with Tooraj Jamasb and Christine Brandstätt on the topic of infrastructure development, public acceptance, economic regulation, and innovation dynamics.
DC3: “Energy Ports in System and Network Perspective”- Based at Copenhagen Business School, this DC will work with Henrik Sornn-Friese and Tooraj Jamasb on the topics of energy technology systems, renewable energy supply chain, and environmental impact assessment.
DC4: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) working with Sonia Yeh and Paul Pop as project leads and will focus on the topics of Digitalization transformation risk, SoS integration and complexity management, Energy-efficient digitalization. You will be applying methods such as Risk-based SoS analytical modelling, Implementation algorithms as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with the Technical University of Denmark and Danfoss Power Electronics (Denmark) during the project.
DC5: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) working with Sonia Yeh and Selma Brynolf as project leads and will focus on the topics of maritime policy analysis, e-fuel supply chain dynamics, electrification, and energy resilience. You will be applying methods such as performance indicators, SWOT analysis, and framework development as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with the Technical University of Denmark and DNV (Norway) during the project.
DC6: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) working with Sonia Yeh and Anh Tuan Le as project leads and will focus on the topics of synthetic grid dynamics and constraints, e-fuel production, and electrified ports. You will be applying methods such as simulation algorithms, data-driven optimization techniques, and system integration methods as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with the Technical University of Denmark and Fortum Power and Heat (Finland) during the project.
DC8: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at the Technical University of Denmark working with Paul Pop and Sonia Yeh as project leads and will focus on the topics of IoT integration edge computing, energy management, and digital security. You will be applying methods such as edge analytics algorithms, real-time data processing, optimization, and system integration techniques as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with the Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) and Danfoss Power Electronics (Denmark) during the project.
DC9: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Kühne Logistics University (Germany) working with Gordon Wilmsmeier and Johannes Meuer as project leads, and will focus on the topics of governance structures, low-carbon management and strategies, electrification, hydrogen operations, infrastructure life cycles, policy impact assessment. You will be applying methods such as agent-based simulation modelling, systems dynamics and comparative analysis, and mixed-method integration as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with the Copenhagen Business School (Denmark) as well as the Port of Cartagena (Colombia) and Conecta Logistica (Colombia) during the project.
DC10: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Kühne Logistics University (Germany) working with Gordon Wilmsmeier and Hanno Friedrich as project leads and will focus on the topics of global shipping networks, port system transformation, and hydrogen value chains. You will be applying methods such as system dynamics modelling, scenario and location factor analysis, and value chain optimization as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with Kedge Business School (France) and the World Bank (USA) and the Department of National Planning (Columbia) during the project.
DC11: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at the Norwegian University of Technology and Science working with Niki Gaitani and Henrik Madsen as project leads, and will focus on the topics of energy systems dynamics, port-city interactions, municipality governance, and uncertainty quantification. You will be applying methods such as stochastic digital twins modelling, optimization, and state-space models as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with the Technical University of Denmark and the Trondheim Municipality (Norway) during the project.
DC12: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology working with Anne Neumann and Henrik Madsen as project leads and will focus on the topics of grid flexibility functions and impact assessment, tariff design, and sector coupling. You will be applying methods such as stochastic control and grid balancing algorithms, spatiotemporal forecasting, and optimization as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with Copenhagen Business School (Denmark) and the Center Denmark Drift during the project.
DC13: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at World Maritime University (Sweden) working with Fabio Ballini and Alessandro Schönborn as project leads, and will focus on the topics of circular economy, port-city integration, business models, emerging market strategies, and life cycle assessment. You will be applying methods such as case study designs, scenario analysis, and system dynamics models as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with Copenhagen Business School (Denmark) and the ENEA (Italy) and Kenya Ports Authority during the project.
DC14: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Norwegian School of Economics working with Julio Cesar Goez and Haiying Jia as project leads and will focus on the topics of port system electrification, hydrogen production. You will be applying methods such as system dynamics, multicriteria decision making, scenario planning, data analytics, investment optimization and forecasting as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with Copenhagen Business School (Denmark) as well as DNV (Norway) and the Suez Channel Authorities (Egypt) during the project.
DC15: This Doctoral Candidate will be based at Kedge Business School (France) working with Jason Monios and Pierre Cariou as project leads and will focus on the topics of business model adaptation, public-private partnerships, sustainable finance and revenue modelling. You will be applying methods such as cost-benefit analysis, forecasting algorithms, and energy system optimization as you work on your project. The successful candidate will be seconded with Kühne Logistics University (Germany) and the Port of Marseille (France) during the project.
