Postdoc Evaluation of Demonstrations of Ground Operations of Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft

Challenge:
Airport ecosystems are not ready yet for new hydrogen-powered aircraft. Change:
Develop an evaluation framework for real-life ground operations for hydrogen-powered aircraft.

To achieve the ambitious goals of climate neutrality by 2050, the aviation sector is actively investing in the development of new disruptive technology, infrastructures, and operational concepts. Hydrogen-powered aircraft and other hydrogen technology are considered to be among the key enablers of the drive towards sustainable air transport operations. Various companies have announced plans to put on the market first hydrogen aircraft by mid-2030s.

However, considerable efforts are still to be made to prepare the airport ecosystems to the arrival of these new aircraft. In particular, this includes research and development on required airport infrastructure and operational procedures.

To contribute to these developments, EU Horizon project GOLIAT will develop and demonstrate beyond state‑of‑the‑art technologies as well as the operational framework and economic assessment that will enable widespread use of hydrogen  a unique contribution, GOLIAT will practically demonstrate ground operations (such as aircraft parking, ground handling, refuelling, manoeuvring) of a small liquid‑hydrogen‑powered aircraft at three different European airports. These goals will be achieved by joint efforts of technology providers (aircraft and ground support equipment manufacturers, cryogenic component manufacturers, and standardisation experts), academia, and several European airport operators.

Your main role within the GOLIAT project is to develop and implement in collaboration with other academic and industrial partners a quantitative and qualitative evaluation framework for the demonstration of the ground operations of the hydrogen‑powered aircraft at three European airports. The lessons learned from these demonstrations, as well as the identified operational and infrastructure challenges, guidelines and best practices will need to be documented in project deliverables.

Moreover, the findings and measurements obtained in these demonstrations will be used for the ongoing techno‑economic computational and mathematical modelling and analysis in GOLIAT, in which you will also participate. You will also contribute to writing academic papers, will attend project meetings, and will be actively engaged in collaboration and discussions with the GOLIAT partners and other aviation stakeholders concerning the project.

You may also have a limited involvement in teaching activities.

Who are your fellow team members? We are an interdisciplinary and internationally diverse group of some 30 driven assistant and associate professors, lecturers, project managers, PhD candidates, and postdocs. We share the ambition to develop models and tools in which we accumulate our expertise to enable future adaptive and sustainable air transport operations. Fostering an open, friendly, and collaborative atmosphere in which people are approachable, we share knowledge, help each other, and meet socially.

Learn more about the Operations and Environment group (https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).).

The expected starting date is 1st of July 2026.

• Preferably PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering
• Strong communication and collaboration skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to learn independently and passion for applied research
• Proactive team player, open to discussion and constructive criticism
• Previous involvement in (European) projects is a plus

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world‑famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world‑class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial…