PhD Position on Twin Transition of Infrastructure: Paradoxical Leadership
Investigate how infrastructure leaders navigate the competing demands of digitalisation and sustainability.
Best for:Best for master's graduates in engineering or management with a strong interest in qualitative research, leadership, and sustainability transitions.
Overview
This 4-year PhD position at Delft University of Technology explores how leaders make strategic decisions when sustainability goals and digitalisation objectives pull in opposing directions. Operating within the NWO-funded Infra-PaX project, the candidate will employ qualitative methodologies including case studies, interviews, and ethnographic fieldwork within the Dutch infrastructure sector. The researcher will work alongside an interdisciplinary team, collaborating with a second PhD candidate and various academic and industry partners. Expected deliverables include a doctoral thesis, conference presentations, peer-reviewed journal publications, and practical stakeholder engagement activities.
What you'll do
- Conduct a longitudinal, embedded case study within the Dutch infrastructure domain focusing on leadership and strategic decision-making.
- Execute qualitative research methods such as semi-structured interviews, observations, document analysis, and ethnographic fieldwork.
- Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary supervisory team, industrial partners, and a second PhD candidate on the Infra-PaX project.
- Contribute to academic literature by writing and publishing peer-reviewed journal articles and presenting findings at academic conferences.
- Engage with public-sector stakeholders and industry practitioners through workshops, focus groups, and knowledge-sharing events.
- Participate in the TU Delft Graduate School Doctoral Education Programme to develop professional and research skills.
Requirements
Degree required: Master's degree in construction management, civil engineering, project management, business administration, information systems, innovation studies or a related field
Degree offered: PhD
Language: English; excellent written and spoken proficiency required
Instruction: English
Publications: Optional separate scientific outputs document including bibliographic information for up to three previous contributions if available
- Demonstrated affinity with empirical and qualitative research methods such as case studies, interviews, and observations
- Strong analytical skills with an ability to evaluate decision-making under competing organisational demands
- Capacity to connect complex academic concepts with practical challenges faced by infrastructure and public-sector stakeholders
- Proven ability to work independently while collaborating successfully within a multidisciplinary team
- Willingness to conduct extensive field research within infrastructure organisations
Funding & terms
How to apply
Deadline: 2026-10-18
Interested candidates must submit their application online through the official portal before the deadline. Applications sent via email or post will not be considered. Required documents include a CV, motivation letter with a video introduction link, and an optional scientific outputs document.
- CV
- Cover letter
- One-minute video introduction
- Scientific outputs document
Contact
Eleni Papadonikolaki· Project Lead
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