Research Technician Lake Victoria Field Campaign; ERC QUASI

Job description

Challenge:
Operate a unique buoy network in the tropics.
Change:
Solve real time technical, logistical and data challenges.
Impact:
Enable breakthrough science and better forecasts for East Africa.

Do you enjoy building and operating technical systems in challenging environments? Are you excited by new technology, offshore deployments, and making complex instrumentation work reliably? QUASI is an ERC funded project that will deploy a year long multi sensor buoy array on Lake Victoria to measure wind, waves, rain, currents, underwater temperatures and air–lake heat exchange. As our research technician, you will ensure that sensors work, data flows, and the observing system performs at its best—directly enabling advances in climate science and weather forecasting for vulnerable regions.

You will be responsible for the technical and operational performance of QUASI’s buoy array. Working with the buoy manufacturer, you will help shape technical requirements, develop workable solutions, and ensure system readiness before deployment. Together with the PI, you will design the final buoy array and create practical solutions for complex integration challenges. This includes testing performance, preparing systems for field conditions, and adapting designs as needed.

You will initiate technical improvements—such as enhanced robustness, maintenance procedures, calibration steps and data quality workflows—and contribute to criteria for data management. You will independently oversee project components including shipment, integration timelines, hardware installation, data stream continuity and the guidance of colleagues or local partners. During fieldwork, you will coordinate activities, monitor safety and ensure continuous system operation.

With the PI, postdoctoral researcher and East African partners, you will install the buoy array, support a month long field campaign and later assist in decommissioning. You will conduct maintenance, troubleshooting and repairs on site and remotely during 12–18 months of autonomous buoy operation, including multiple extended stays in Africa.

On the data side, you will set up delayed mode data streams; structure and curate Level 0 netCDF files; maintain clear documentation; and support the scientific team by ensuring that raw sensor data are accessible, organized and reproducible. You will also develop tools (e.g. Python) for system monitoring and data quality control.

This is a hands on, international role suited to someone who enjoys technical problem solving and outdoor fieldwork.

You will join the Geoscience and Remote Sensing department at TU Delft, working closely with Dr Louise Nuijens, a postdoctoral researcher and partners in East Africa. You will collaborate with the buoy manufacturer during integration and shipment, and act as a key contact during field operations. You will work with meteorological services, the navy, initiatives around Lake Victoria (e.g. the TAHMO network) and local fishing communities.

The role offers the chance to contribute to a cutting edge scientific campaign, travel internationally and apply your technical expertise with immediate, high impact value.

Applications from current TU Delft technical staff seeking a new challenge or wishing to broaden their fieldwork and data engineering experience are also encouraged and will be fully considered. Preferred start date:
Aug – Nov 2026

QUASI—Stormy Atmospheres over Quiescent Waters:
Dynamical Implications of Fine scale Air–Sea Interaction is an ERC Consolidator Grant project that will combine a year long buoy array with drone profiling, ferry mounted lidar and cutting edge modeling to study fine scale air–lake exchanges over Lake Victoria. Your work will directly support one of the most ambitious air–sea interaction campaigns ever carried out on a tropical lake.

For this role, we are looking for someone who enjoys operating and maintaining instrumentation in the field, can work independently in challenging environments, and brings a practical, problem‑solving mindset.

• A completed technical Bachelor’s or…