Full-time doctoral researcher for the project SMART-ETHIC: SMART energy Evaluation Through Human-cen

Offer

UCLouvain is hiring a Full-time doctoral researcher for the project SMART-ETHIC (SMART energy Evaluation Through Human-centred Information Coordination)

Job Id : SF 38898
Internal and external job posting until 31st of October 2026

For institute Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment of Science and Technology Sector
Main campus : Louvain-la-Neuve
Fixed-term, full-time contract, for an initial fixed term of 24 months (see funding details below)
Starting date : 1st of january or the close to this date

Introduction

Background:

We offer a PhD scholarship at the Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment (LAB), Université catholique de Louvain (Belgium), with initial funding provided for 24 months.

PhD scope:

The PhD project provides a framework to simulate how decisions about smart energy transition affect and are affected by building owners and end-users. It focuses on the different degrees of ownership, control and data sharing building owners and end-users have over smart heating, cooling, ventilation and electricity and how these affect and are affected by energy efficiency, optimization and security. You will be developing simulations that enable decision-makers to assess the interplay between social and technical systems and the abilities of stakeholders to exert control over, and benefit from, smart building operation. This will empower designers to gauge justice, sufficiency and equity in energy transition.

Job description

You will carry out a doctoral thesis within the Louvain research institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built environment (LAB) and will be responsible for the following activities:

Mapping the state of the art on how decisions related to smart energy transition affecting and affected by building owners and end-users are currently defined and represented in policies, governance schemes, technical standards, and business models. Extracting recurrent patterns of ownership, governance and their interdependencies, abstracting rules, mandates and models to build a Knowledge Base - a library that holds information plus rules to understand it. Representing pseudocodes in the Knowledge Base using vocabulary, implementing them in the Open Access software Protégé using OWL/RDF computer language. Digitally representing real decisions and their results based on case studies coming from collaborators to ground the framework into practice and cross-validate the Knowledge Base and Digital Representations.

During your PhD, you will have the opportunity to work in close collaboration with the LAB research group Architecture et Climat and will be involved in research seminars and upskilling workshops throughout your research work. This will include doctoral training focused on the development and writing of a thesis, and the scientific dissemination associated with the research.

Working conditions

You will develop an innovative and topical research project and join a dynamic and multidisciplinary research group. The position is located in Louvain-la-Neuve (with a commitment to reside in Belgium), the working hours are full-time and normal home-to-work trips (public transport) are covered within the scholarship. The net monthly salary is approximately ~€2,500. The status is that of full-time doctoral researcher for an initial period of 24 months, renewable for additional 24 months (4 years in total). Conditions for renewal are linked to progress, admission to the doctorate, and confirmation. Funding for renewal will be sought by the candidate and supervisor to external funding bodies (e.g., FNRS, FRIA, FRESH).

Required qualifications and skills

Essential criteria

A master’s degree of at least 300 ECTS in Architecture, Engineering, Architectural Engineering, Energy Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent, with a top-tier final grade; A top-tier grade final Master thesis on a topic of pertinence to this project; Commitment and ability to work as part of a team; Good interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to interact and collaborate with other researchers; Be able to work independently and take the initiative in conducting research; An excellent command of English, as demonstrated by English Language tests (i.e., IELTS, TOEFL, etc.), or secondary or tertiary education in English.

Desirable criteria

Demonstrated skills and/or research-oriented experience in energy modelling, building and energy performance simulation (e.g., Energy Plus EMS, etc.) Demonstrated skills and/or rese