Tenure Track Researcher in Building Energy Efficiency and Data-driven Technologies

Are you ready to drive building performance for the benefit of society as part of a sustainable technological transition?  

If you are establishing your career as a scientist and seeking a world-class foundation to realize your ambition to transform the built environment, this is your opportunity. At Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering (DTU Construct), you will break new ground at the absolute forefront of building science, moving beyond theoretical simulations to lead the mission of improving actual building operational performance. 

As a researcher in the Section for Energy and Services, you will tackle the socio-techno-economical complexity of the built environment. Your vision is to close the “performance gap” by integrating Advanced HVAC System Design & Control, Cyber-Physical Modeling, and Autonomous Building Operation. By monitoring actual buildings, understanding their dynamic behavior through high-resolution real-life data and sophisticated thermal system modeling, you will develop actionable solutions where buildings act as flexible, responsive entities integrated within energy networks - specifically district heating - and wider urban infrastructures. 

Responsibilities and qualifications

Your overall focus will be to strengthen the department’s expertise in closing the building “performance gap” through data-driven building operation optimization and system innovation. You will bridge advanced thermal modeling with real-world implementation, navigating the socio-techno-economic complexity of the built environment. Working across three integrated research pillars, Advanced HVAC System Design & Control, Cyber-Physical Modeling, and Autonomous Building Operation, you will lead the mission to transform buildings into active, efficient entities within wider energy ecosystems. 

Your primary tasks will be to: 

• Conduct evidence-based research on actual building and HVAC operational performance.
• Design and evaluate new HVAC system configurations and advanced control strategies to maximize energy efficiency and thermal comfort.
• Develop digital twins, grey-box models, and urban-scale models of thermal systems for design optimization and operational performance diagnostics.
• Develop and implement automated diagnostics and analytics for continuous building and HVAC performance optimization.
• Lead field investigations and full-scale demonstrations in real-life buildings to validate actionable solutions.
• Establish an independent research line and secure competitive external research funding.
• Teach and supervise BSc and MSc projects and act as a (co-)supervisor for PhD students.
• Collaborate with industrial stakeholders to translate research into market-ready solutions. 

Application procedure

To apply, please read the full job advertisement via the 'Apply' button above. 

DTU – For the benefit of society since 1829

DTU is one of Europe's leading elite technical universities. Through research and education at an international top level, we create solutions to the major societal challenges of our time and help secure Europe's global leadership in sustainable technological development. Since Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU almost 200 years ago, our mission has remained the same: We develop and create value through the natural and technical sciences for the benefit of society. DTU has 13,800 students, 1,600 PhD students, and 6,500 employees. We work in an international environment and have an inclusive, stimulating, and informal work culture. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland and collaborates with the best universities around the world.

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