PhD on hardware design of RDC for Electric Vehicle Fast Chargers (E2GO DC1)

Position PhD-student

Irène Curie Fellowship No

Department(s) Electrical Engineering

FTE 1,0

Date off 01/09/2024

Reference number V36.7646

Job description

Research Programme Description

“E2GO– Cost-reduction of EV fast-charging station to enable large-scale electrification of mobility” is hiring 9 Doctorate Candidates (DCs)” to be funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks-Industrial Doctorates (DN-ID), 2021, within the European Union's EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation Europe Horizon under Grant Agreement No. 101072414.

The E2GO consortium contains Eindhoven University of Technology, Delta Electronics (Poland) Ltd., Heliox BV, University of Minho, Efacec Electric Mobility SA, Aalborg University, Silicon Austria Labs GMBH, Infineon Technologies Austria AG, Shell Global Solutions International BV, Kema Lab BV, University of Innsbruck, which brings together the stakeholders that cover the complete value chain of high-power fast-charging stations for EV creating an in-depth training programme that covers the spectrum from hardware design and electronics, to modelling and control algorithms. The multidisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration described here provides the unique opportunity to achieve the ambitious goal of E2GO to develop innovations to reduce the cost of fast-charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) for massive deployment. Hence the Doctorate Candidates (DCs) involved in this project will not only be highly sought-after individuals due to their gained experience at the interface of industrial and academic collaboration, but additionally they will be highly attractive for the automotive industry as experts in the strongly growing field of fast-charging, a frontier research area that will help to address the infrastructural needs and sustainability goals of the 21st century. This constellation will significantly further their individual career paths in industry and academia.

E2GO will hire 9 DCs in total, which will multiply the immediate impact of their own training and experience by sharing not only the newly acquired technical expertise but also the “soft knowledge” concerning the different ways of thinking between industry and academia. By this, these fellows will gain a high level of employability and become real translational researchers capable of integrating both worlds of academia and industry.

The 9 DCs will be enrolled as PhDs earning experience in the industry.

Eligibility and mobility criteria (mandatory requirements EU rules)

• Supported researchers must be doctoral candidates, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
• Recruited researchers can be of any nationality and must comply with the following mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment date. For 'International European Research Organisations' (IERO), 'international organisations', or entities created under Union law, the researchers must not have spent more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before their recruitment in the same appointing organisation. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent by the researcher as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention (1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol) are not considered.

Conditions of employment in General

The successful candidates will receive from both employers an attractive salary in accordance with the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) regulations for Doctoral Candidate researchers and will include a mobility allowance.

The guaranteed PhD funding is for 36 months (i.e. EC funding, additional funding is possible, depending on the local Supervisor, and in accordance with the regular PhD time in the country of origin). In addition to their individual scientific projects, all fellows will benefit from further continuing education, which includes internships and secondments, a variety of training modules as well as transferable skills courses and attractive participation in conferences.

About University and Companies hosting this position

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is a world-leading research university specializing in engineering science & technology. The Department of Electrical Engineering is responsible for research and education in Electrical Engineering. The discipline covers technologies and electrical phenomena involved in computer engineering, information processing, energy transfer, and telecommunication. The department strives for societal relevance through an emphasis on the fields of smart sustainable systems, the connected world and care & cure. The TU/e is the world’s best-performing research university in terms of research cooperation with industry.

Delta Electronics, founded in 1971, is a global provider of power and thermal management solutions. Its mission statement, "To provide innovative, clean and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow," focuses on addressing key environmental issues such as global climate change. As an energy-saving solutions provider with core competencies in power electronics and automation, Delta's business categories include Power Electronics, Automation, and Infrastructure. In response to the challenge of climate change, Delta will remain committed to the research and development of innovative, energy-saving products, solutions and services that contribute substantially to the sustainable development of mankind.

Job Description

• Research field: Electrical Engineering, Power Electronics
• Research Objectives: Investigate, optimize and implement control and protection methods for the reduced dissipation converter (RDC) to enable the safe operation of EV fast-charging under normal and various fault conditions.
• Research Activities: DC2 mainly focuses on the control and protection of RDC, and will 1) investigate the system-level power control of battery buffered fast-charging station with RDC, 2) design of protection circuit and fault handling control to ensure the safe operation of battery buffered fast-charging station under different fault conditions, 3) smart battery management system to ensure the safe charging and discharging of the local buffering battery and long life-time. 
• Employment and Secondment: The selected DC will be enrolled as PhD student at TU/e (NL) (4-year PhD program, of which last year will be funded by TU/e). The DC will be hired by TU/e for 18 months and supervised by dr. Dongsheng Yang. Then the DC will be hired for 18 months by Delta Electronics (PL) where he/she will be supervised by dr. Krzysztof Puckzo.

Job requirements

We are looking for a candidate who meets the following requirements:

• You are creative and ambitious, hard-working, and persistent.
• You have a MSc degree in electrical engineering or any other relevant program.
• You have theoretical and applied knowledge of the modeling, analysis, and control of power electronics
• You have hands-on experimental experience in power converter control design and implementation. Experience with the battery storage system is a big plus.
• You have good communicative skills, and the attitude to partake successfully in the work of a research team.
• You have a good command of the English language (Spoken and Written).

Conditions of employment

• A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university with the possibility to present your work at international conferences.
• A full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate evaluation (go/no-go) after nine months.
• To develop your teaching skills, you will spend 10% of your employment on teaching tasks.
• To support you during your PhD and to prepare you for the rest of your career, you will make a Training and Supervision plan and you will have free access to a personal development program for PhD students (PROOF program).
• A gross monthly salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• Should you come from abroad and comply with certain conditions, you can make use of the so-called ‘30% facility’, which permits you not to pay tax on 30% of your salary.
• A broad package of fringe benefits, including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes.
• Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children day care and sports facilities.

Information and application

Documents requested

• Eligibility Statement: for verifying MSCA requirements, the candidates clearly indicate exact dates of (1) degree entitling to pursue a PhD (typically a Master of Science degree or Engineering degree), (2) positions and country of residence in the last 5 years.
• Complete CV (Europass format obligatory: https://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/documents/curriculum-vitae). The candidates are allowed to pursue a maximum of three positions in the E2GO programme. If more than one position is pursued, please clearly indicate all the positions that applied with priorities on the first page of the CV. 
• Motivation letter (maximum 1 page per position applied) should state why the applicant wishes to pursue the specific research and why she thinks s/he is an ideal candidate for the position.
• Scan of certificates showing BSc, MSc and other courses followed, with grades and if it is possible a ranking.
• Up to 3 recommendation letters and/or contact e-mail addresses with a brief professional description (title, position, relationship with applicant) of the referring person.
• If possible up to two selected publications (e.g. MSc thesis, conference paper) in English

Selection Process

E2GO deals with a recruitment process based on the European principles of openness, fairness and transparency that guarantee a selection of candidates in respect of merit and gender balance. Targeted Starting date is 1 September 2024.

For more information about the project and any informal enquiries, please contact Dr Dongsheng Yang (d.yang1@tue.nl), prof. Michael Golombok (Michael.Golombok@shell.com, or dr. Krzysztof Puckzo (Krzysztof.Puczko@deltaww.com)