PhD scholarship in Control of Hybrid Power Plants for Resilient Power System Support - DTU Wind

Would you like to be part of the solution to the green energy transition? Join us in developing technical solutions that facilitate the integration of more renewable power plants into future power systems.

The Renewable Plants in Energy Systems (RES) section at DTU Wind and Energy Systems is inviting candidates to apply for a PhD in “Control of Hybrid Power Plants for Resilient Power System Support”. The research in this section is multidisciplinary, and you will enjoy the advantages of a creative and inspiring work environment. You will get the opportunity to participate and influence the development of advanced renewable power plants in collaboration with top universities and industry in the field of wind energy research in Europe and beyond.

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. We develop talent by offering national/European and global networking opportunities, unique research infrastructure including a fully controllable MW-scale hybrid power plant at our campus, and a collaborative research environment.

Job profile
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to develop control strategies for hybrid power plants (HPPs) ensuring seamless integration of HPPs in future power systems.

The PhD student will be based at DTU Wind and will collaborate closely with researchers at DTU Electro and as well as other national and international partners. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of control engineering, power systems, and renewable energy integration.

The PhD project supports the development of independent, high-quality research and provides a strong foundation for both academic and industrial career paths. The successful candidate will be part of the recently awarded Independent Research Fund Denmark project, TRANSITION, which promotes the career development of young researchers and positions them at the forefront of sustainable energy innovation. The PhD student will join a dynamic, international research environment that values scientific excellence, innovation, and global collaboration.

This position is ideal for a candidate passionate about advancing Europe’s leadership in green energy technologies and contributing to the transition toward a sustainable, decarbonized energy system.

Project background
The power system is becoming increasingly complex due to the growing presence of converter-based renewable power plants and uncertainties arising from climate change, market dynamics, and daily grid variations. These factors contribute to heightened structural and control complexity, along with multiple layers of uncertainty. In this context, Hybrid Power Plants (HPPs) are expected to play a central role in enabling a reliable green transition by providing essential grid support services to maintain system stability. A HPP is a facility composed of at least one independent electricity generation technology combined with one or more other independent electricity generation or storage technologies connected at a single point to provide coordinated electrical power services.

To address this challenge, the objective of this PhD project is to design, implement, and evaluate a control approach for HPPs, that ensures resilient grid service delivery under conditions of high uncertainty and complexity. The PhD student will have the opportunity to leverage data and expertise from the megawatt-scale HPP research facility at Risø Campus, significantly enhancing the practical relevance and applicability of the research. This will support the integration of more renewable energy into future power grids by improving system resilience without requiring costly infrastructure reinforcements—empowering HPPs to serve as reliable and robust sources of power generation in an increasingly complex energy landscape.

Responsibilities and qualifications
During your PhD studies, you will develop and analyze a novel control approach for utility-scale multi-vendor HPPs, to tackle future power grids, characterized by increased complexity and multiple uncertainties.

You are expected to model the state-of-the-art control architecture for utility-scale HPPs, identify its challenges in terms of dynamic performance and grid service provision in future power grids, develop a novel control for HPPs for grid support to future power grids and quantify the performance of the developed control. Your work will involve both theoretical analysis and simulation-based validation of the proposed control method.

As part of your PhD studies, you will collaborate with researchers at DTU Wind, DTU Electro, and external partners, publish your work in reputed scientific journals and present it at peer-reviewed scientific conferences. You will also assist in the co-supervision of MSc theses and provide teaching assistance in courses taught at DTU for a limited number of hours. Furthermore, you will engage in knowledge exchange with industry and academic partners involved in the TRANSITION project and play an important supporting role in the deliverables of IEA Wind Task 50 on Hybrid Power Plants and IEA Wind Task 25/63 on Integration of Variable Energy.

A detailed project plan will be developed with the supervisors within the first two months

You must have a strong foundation in control theory, including optimal control, robust control, distributed control, and model predictive control. A background in power system analysis, dynamics, control and/or converter control is considered a strong advantage. Experience with modelling and simulation tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or similar is essential, along with good programming skills and the ability to work with complex systems. Strong analytical skills and the ability to conduct both theoretical and applied research will be highly valued. Expertise in modelling renewable energy plants and systems, hybrid power plants, and converter-based generations will be useful, while knowledge in distributed control will be preferable. The ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary and international research environment would be helpful. Proficiency in English, both written and spoken, is mandatory, and the ability to work across disciplines and cultures would be ideal.

The successful candidate must also fulfill the requirements for admission to a PhD program at DTU.

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 in a relevant field such as control engineering, power system engineering, or a closely related discipline

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. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years. Expected start date July 2026 (or according to mutual agreement).

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Anca D. Hansen ([email protected]), Associate Professor Kaushik Das ([email protected]), Associate Professor Hans Henrik Niemann ([email protected]) and Head of Section Gregor Giebel ([email protected]).

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 25 January 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
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma (in English) including official description of grading scale
• A 1-page research statement, including figures and references if deemed necessary (max 500 words). Research achievements (if any), methodological approaches and research objectives relevant to the framework of the PhD study are recommended elements to be included.

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 has led wind energy research, teaching, and commercial activities since the 1970s. With approximately 400 staff, it is the world's largest public research institute dedicated to wind and energy systems transition. Internationally recognized for pioneering wind technology and smart energy systems, the department is structured into four divisions: Materials and Components, Wind Turbine Technology, Wind Energy Systems, and Power and Energy Systems. In close collaboration with industry and public authorities, DTU Wind and Energy Systems develops cutting-edge solutions for a sustainable energy future and trains the next generation of engineers.

About the Division: The Wind Energy Systems division focuses the development of a chain of systems that connects Atmosphere-Plant-Grid-Society. The division is home to several large software projects and datasets that help to disseminate this research to the industry and public.

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.

Location
Roskilde, Denmark

Apply Before
2026-01-25T22:59:00+00:00