Assistant Professor Urban Planning and Digitalization

Description

Are you interested in developing and applying urban planning models and methods pertinent to specific planning domains (public space, infrastructure, retail, jobs, housing, and public facilities)?

In this role you will be teaching these methods and planning concepts to students, in both lectures and projects. With a focus on the planning of sustainable built environments that cater to the diverse characteristics, preferences, needs, and activity patterns of individuals and communities. In particular, you will conduct research on the use of digitalization in relation to urban planning, including digital twin technology and VR experiments applied to smart healthy urban environments and transportation systems.

Urban Planning and Digitalization

Urban planning refers to a scientific approach to support multi-objective decisions concerning the location, size, and quality of a set of interconnected land uses considering environmental, societal, cultural and economic perspectives and people’s preferences, needs and behavior. The scientific orientation is reflected in theories, concepts, and modeling approaches that may be used to guide these location decisions, to quantify the demand for land use and assess the impacts of plans, and a set of supporting methods and models that support the plan development and implementation process.

Urban planning is closely related to transportation planning. The  change in the spatial distribution of demand and facilities has a direct impact on generated and attracted traffic, while in turn traffic volumes influence the feasibility of land use patterns and facilities.

Recent years have witnessed an increased policy focus on safe and healthy living environments promoting the development of urban planning and designs to support such policies. The development of digital twinning and mixed-reality (in particular VR) facilities has enabled new ways to support the generation of various urban forms and planning and allows citizens to evaluate and co-create new design and planning solutions in a semi-real world context. Moreover, it has been widely recognized that due to the complexity of the urban system, any (urban) planning and policy can have secondary and higher order effects which are essential to be understood. Digital twining of built environment provides the opportunity for examining and communicating the effects of planning and policies to a large group of stakeholders.

You are expected to develop and maintain an accurate overview of the state of the art (intersection of urban planning, VR experiments,  digital twining, big data and machine learning) and recent developments in this field of study in academics and urban planning practice. And help students to apply this knowledge and skills set through a series of lectures and projects.

In addition, you will play an active role in an international research frontier in this area of research relevant to the creation of smart, healthy urban systems.

The Urban Planning and Transportation Group

As an assistant professor, you will contribute to achieving the educational and research objectives of the Chair of the Urban Planning and Transportation Group, under the leadership of Prof. Rasouli, and participate in the teaching and research program of the group within the unit Urban Systems and Real Estate (USRE).

The Urban Planning and Transportation Group is a young group and consists of 37 academics of different disciplinary and background. Further information about the group’s research activities and profiles can be retrieved here.

Part of your task is supervising BSc and MSc students and co-supervising PhD candidates. You will teach lectures/courses and supervise student projects at the Bachelor and Master level. You are expected to write research proposals to acquire funding, publish in high quality journals and be a member of education, research and/or management committees within the faculty and/ or university.

The Department of the Built Environment (BE)
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is a leading research university specializing in engineering science and technology with strong bonds to industry practice. Following the strategic goals, the Department of the Built Environment (BE) aims to educate future generations of students and meet today’s and tomorrow’s societal challenges.

Job requirements

We offer a stimulating and ambitious educational and research environment and are looking for candidates with the following qualifications:

• A PhD Degree in Urban Planning or a closely related discipline
• Has one to two years’ work experience since gaining PhD as a postdoc researcher
• Demonstrated research skills evidenced by publications in leading planning journals and conference proceedings.
• Expertise in/affinity with the application of digital twin technology to smart and healthy urban systems
• The ability to create a vibrant and effective learning environment and motivate students both in research-based and challenge-based types of education (academic proficiency and design and engineering attitude).
• Broad (inter)national network in academia and industry to acquire research grants.
• Good command of English, both orally and in writing.
• Team player by nature, willing to develop teaching and research in close collaboration with other members of the group and the department, respectively TU/e.

Conditions of employment

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance to the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

•  A full-time position in a dynamic and ambitious university with a broad (inter) national network. 
• The opportunity to focus your career on education, research or impact. You can develop your personal ambitions and goals within the strategic objectives of the university.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 11 (min. €4.537,-max. € 6.209,-).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• A dedicated mentoring program to help you get to know the university and the Dutch (research) environment.
• High-quality training programs for academic leadership and teaching.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team, a tax compensation scheme (30%) and partner career support is available for international candidates

Information

About us
Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top-five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow. 

Curious to hear more about what it is like at TU/e? Please view the video.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact Prof. Dr. Soora Rasouli, Head of the Urban Planning and Transportation Group,  s.rasouli@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment. You can also contact Hella Ploegmakers, Senior Recruiter, h.a.m.ploegmakers@tue.nl or 06 43559625.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references.
• Description of your scientific interests and plans (1-2 pages).
• Statement of your teaching goals and experience (1-2 pages).

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible.