PhD Student in High-Detail Wind Effects in Urban Areas

This PhD project tackles a fundamental research question in urban meteorology: How can we accurately describe and quantify the complex wind fields near geometrically complicated buildings?

The understanding of these complex wind fields is important for how future cities and buildings are designed, as well as for how smaller-scale wind turbines in or near urban areas are placed.

In this project, you will work with high-detail geometric building representation, state-of-the-art wind simulation tools and new types of measurement data that together may enable better assessments of urban area wind-comfort, wind-risk, wind resource assessment and air pollution transport.

The project will investigate how detailed urban geometries can be transformed into robust simulation-ready models and how different levels of geometric detail influence the accuracy of urban wind predictions. A particular focus will be on identifying which building and urban-environment characteristics must be retained, simplified or parameterized to obtain computationally efficient and accurate simulations.

The PhD project will be performed in collaboration with another PhD student, based at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Supervisor teams from both universities include specialists in CFD simulation tools and geometric building reconstruction. The DTU team additionally focuses on full-scale experiments, and evaluation of measurement data. The two PhD students will work two case studies with full-scale experiments: one performed in Denmark, and one in downtown Gdansk, Poland.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your two overall responsibilities will be to:

• Design and perform CFD simulations using high-detail geometrical descriptions for urban areas.
• Analyse datasets for validation of these simulations.

We expect you to have:

• A background in applied mathematics, physics, engineering
• An understanding of fluid dynamics or meteorology, including turbulence and boundary-layer flows
• Experience with programming
• Given the collaborative nature of the scholarship, good interpersonal skills are also important.
• Given the cross-disciplinary nature of the project, we do not expect applicants to have skills in all involved disciplines. An open mind and a strong interest to learn about new research fields will, therefore, also be important.

You must have a two-year master's degree (120 ECTS points) or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see DTU's rules for the PhD education.

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 appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Please see DTU’s salary structure for scientific staff: www.inside.dtu.dk/en/human-resources/during-employment/salary/salary-structures

The period of employment is 3 years.

Starting date will be coordinated in mutual agreement, but no later than February 1st, 2027. The position is full-time. The start date will also depend on the enrollment as a PhD student.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information
For more information, contact Niels Troldborg, niet@dtu.dk

You can read more at www.wind.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. Furthermore, you have the option of joining our monthly free seminar “PhD relocation to Denmark and startup “Zoom” seminar” for all questions regarding the practical matters of moving to Denmark and working as a PhD at DTU.

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 30 September 2026 (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:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae incl contact information for two references
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

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 Wind and Energy Systems is about taking the technology to the next level. About creating an impact for people and society through research and innovation. About collaborating with the entire energy sector to develop the most effective technology on the planet. We have more than 451 staff members of which 60% are researchers, 20 professors, 107 PhDs, 26 % women, spanning 48 nationalities. We work every day on our mission to lead by scientific excellence and impact driven research that enables a sustainable, large-scale deployment of wind energy and the development of an integrated and resilient energy system.

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.