Postdoc in Systems Engineering – Systems Integration and Validation - DTU Construct

Postdoc in Engineering Design and Manufacturing Systems, Systems integration and validation. Ensuring system elements meet operational standards through real-world experiments, validating interfaces, and collaborating with industry. Responsibilities include research, testing, publishing, and mentoring
We are seeking an ambitious Postdoc to join our team at the Section of Engineering Design and Manufacturing Systems, specializing in systems integration and validation within the broader context of systems engineering. This position is particularly focused on the critical stages of integrating system components and verifying their performance across a variety of interfaces, ensuring that the developed systems meet all operational, safety, and quality requirements.

You will contribute to cutting-edge research in system integration, verification, and validation techniques, working closely with academic peers and industrial partners. This role is crucial in ensuring that complex, multi-component systems—often organized as systems of systems—function as intended in real-world environments. It will address the practical challenges inherent in large-scale, interconnected systems, which may span multiple domains and involve numerous independent subsystems working together to achieve overall system objectives.

A key aspect of this role will involve working with interfaces between these subsystems, particularly focusing on electrical and digital interfaces. These interfaces are crucial to the seamless integration and communication between components, enabling interoperability and coordination between hardware, software, and control systems. You will be expected to develop and implement methodologies for managing and testing these interfaces, ensuring that each component can effectively communicate with others in the broader system architecture. This includes verifying signal integrity, data exchange protocols, and system synchronization to ensure that the overall system operates reliably and efficiently.

Working experimentally, you will apply Systems Engineering methodologies to real, complex manufacturing systems and industrial infrastructures. This hands-on research will involve designing, executing, and analyzing experiments aimed at integrating and validating systems in operational environments. Particular emphasis will be placed on addressing challenges such as system interoperability, scalability, fault tolerance, and robustness in high-demand manufacturing settings. The experiments will focus on testing system performance, stability, and resilience under real-world conditions, ensuring compliance with industry standards and operational requirements.

In addition to focusing on technical challenges, the role will also involve developing and refining methodologies that enhance system integration and validation processes.

Collaborating closely with industrial partners, you will be involved in translating research findings into practical solutions. This will involve iterative cycles of system integration, testing, and refinement, ensuring that real-world manufacturing processes and industrial infrastructures benefit from innovative, reliable, and scalable systems. You will also contribute to the development of new tools and techniques for managing and validating systems of systems, pushing the boundaries of how complex industrial ecosystems are designed, integrated, and maintained.

Responsibilities:

• Lead research initiatives in systems integration, focusing on the assembly and interconnection of complex systems, subsystems, and components.
• Develop and apply advanced methods for system verification and validation, ensuring system reliability, performance, and safety.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to refine integration processes and resolve potential compatibility issues between system components.
• Design and execute experiments, simulations, or tests to validate the functionality and performance of integrated systems.
• Publish high-quality research papers in leading systems engineering journals and present findings at international conferences.
• Work closely with industry partners to apply research outcomes to real-world systems and gather feedback on validation processes.
• Contribute to mentoring graduate students and assisting with teaching responsibilities as needed.

Qualifications:

• PhD in systems engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, computer science, or a related field.
• Strong expertise in system integration, validation methodologies, or testing frameworks.
• Experience in working with large-scale, complex systems, including knowledge of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), or system simulations.
• Familiarity with industry standards and best practices for system verification and validation.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a demonstrated ability to work both independently and within collaborative research teams.
• A strong track record of research publications in relevant fields.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent).

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is two years.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
Further information may be obtained from David Bue Pedersen ([email protected]).

You can read more about Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering at www.construct.dtu.dk.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 21 November 2024 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

DTU Civil and Mechanical Engineering develops and utilizes science and technical knowledge for the benefit of society and sustainable development. We undertake research, education, innovation, and scientific advice of the highest quality within building design and processes, building construction and safety, building energy and installation, solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, materials technology, manufacturing engineering, engineering design and thermal energy systems.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.

Adresse:

Nils Koppels Allè
2800 Kgs. Lyngby