PhD Position: Sustainable Generative AI for Digital Sovereignty

Delft; Netherlands; Remote; EUR 24,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

TU Delft is offering a PhD position under a €8 million Horizon Europe initiative. The project centers on transforming how generative AI is deployed across Europe for sustainability, sovereignty and resilience.

Based in Delft, you will join the Department of Engineering Systems and Services (ESS) and work with an international, interdisciplinary team. You will evaluate foundation models, design sustainable inference strategies, and collaborate with EU partners to eventually democratise access to

Qualifications

• MSc in computer science/engineering, AI, data science, or related fields.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Excellent command of English.
• Interest in interdisciplinary research and use of AI in inter-organisational context.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.

Responsibilities

• To conduct an in-depth evaluation of existing foundation models across digital industries, automotive and healthcare.
• Design sustainable inference strategies and a framework towards the computing continuum.
• Collaborate with experts from the f-inference consortium to design, develop, test and refine strategies.

Skills

Analytical skills

English proficiency

Interdisciplinary research

Education

MSc in CS/engineering/AI or related fields

Job description

Join us for this PhD project in EU Horizon €8 million initiative, to transform how generative AI is deployed across Europe for a more sustainable, sovereign and resilient future.

Generative AI is widely expected to become a central element of digital transformation. Its flexibility and adaptability give businesses in many sectors an opportunity to innovate rapidly, respond to changing conditions, and lower barriers to automation. For society to benefit from these advancements, organisations need to maintain control over sensitive information and critical decision-making tools.

Reducing dependence on external providers strengthens digital autonomy, while more efficient ways of running AI help align technological progress with environmental and energy targets. By designing systems that are sustainable, sovereign, secure, and efficient at the same time, this PhD project will support Europe’s broader ambitions for responsible technological leadership.

Position Overview:

This PhD position is aimed at candidates with a Master’s degree in computer science/engineering, AI, data science, or related fields, with a strong interest in generative AI. The successful candidate will be based at the Department of Engineering Systems and Services (ESS) at Delft University of Technology under the supervision of Dr. Aaron Ding, Dr. Marcela Tuler de Oliveira, Prof. Dr. Marijn Janssen. This PhD project involves close collaboration with partners from the EU Horizon project, and candidates will have the opportunity to engage with interdisciplinary teams involved in the project.

Key Responsibilities:

• To conduct an in-depth evaluation of existing foundation models to assess their suitability in the digital industries, automotive and healthcare domains. Design sustainable inference strategies and framework towards the computing continuum.
• Collaborate with experts from the f-inference consortium to design, develop, test and refine the design strategies and framework.
• Work independently and contribute collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team environment.

Project Impact:

This project will democratise the access to advanced Generative AI technologies through practical tools that help businesses, particularly SMEs, adopt state‑of‑the‑art AI models. The outcomes are expected to enhance competitiveness, support sustainable innovation, and contribute to a more inclusive digital transition across Europe.

Job requirements

• MSc in computer science/engineering, AI, data science, or related fields.
• Strong analytical skills
• A strong interest in interdisciplinary research, and the use of AI in inter-oranisational context
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment.
• Excellent command of English

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)