PhD Position - Control System for the Climate-Neutral Operation of the Einstein Telescope's Com[...]

PhD Position - Control System for the Climate-Neutral Operation of the Einstein Telescope's Computing Centre At the Institute of Climate and Energy Systems - Energy Systems Engineering (ICE-1), we develop advanced models, algorithms, and control solutions for simulating, optimizing, and operating future integrated energy systems. We address the challenges arising from the increasing integration of renewable energy, sector coupling, decentralization, and growing energy infrastructure complexity. The Control Solutions department develops methods and algorithms for controlling energy systems and their components. We focus on application-oriented methods that can operate in real time and are suitable for operating decentralized systems. We aim to enable the reliable, cost-efficient, resilient, and sustainable operation of future energy networks by combining our knowledge of energy systems with cutting-edge developments in machine learning, and digital infrastructures. Your Job The Einstein Telescope is a next-generation research infrastructure currently in development, featuring a large-scale computing center whose energy demands present a unique opportunity: to develop climate-neutral operations through the integration of renewable energy sources and hybrid storage systems. As part of an EU-funded research project, ICE-1 is collaborating with research groups and companies to address the challenge of designing and operating the Einstein Telescope's computing center in a sustainable and energy-efficient manner.The project's main goal is to develop and validate an innovative, scalable energy concept in which the computing infrastructure and energy system are tightly coupled and jointly optimized. During the project, a container-scale prototype will be realized, which will combine a fully operational computing stack with a flexible, renewable-based energy system incorporating both battery and hydrogen storage. Alongside the physical prototype, a comprehensive co-simulation environment will be developed using hardware-in-the-loop components, enabling realistic scale-up to a full computing center and systematic evaluation of advanced operating strategies. Specifically, the PhD candidate will be involved in the development of model predictive control to operate the energy system and IT load largely self-sufficiently under varying weather conditions, with particular focus on the role of battery and hydrogen storage during Dunkelflaute periods. The developed algorithm will be first test in the hardware-in-the-loop environment developed together with the other partners. After that, the same algorithm will be tested on the real container-scale prototype. Your tasks within framework in detail: Development of the predictive-based control algorithm for the proposed carbon-neutral computing centre Testing of the control algorithm in the hardware-in-the-loop environment Interaction of the developed algorithm with the data from the container-size prototype Integration of the data from the prototype and from other project partners' components Coordination with the other project partners Coordination with the internal technical department of Forschungszentrum Jülich Participation in conferences in Germany and abroad (incl. presenting your research results) Preparing scientific publications and project reports Mentoring master students Your Profile Excellent Master's degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a related field Experience with real-time simulations, digital twins, or hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) validation is considered a plus Excellent programming skills (e.g., Python, Matlab, C/C++) and experience with AI/ML frameworks Familiarity with power systems, energy informatics, or digital energy infrastructures is an advantage Experience with different communication protocols is considered a plus Interest in multi-energy systems and smart grids Experience with synthetic data generation is welcome Strong motivation for interdisciplinary and collaborative research in an international environment Very goodcommand of written and spoken English with extensive vocabulary isrequired(at least B2 level according to the CEFR ), ideally supported by a certificate confirming the language level. In addition, your business fluent German skills complete your profile (Prior German knowledge is not required) Our Benefits for You Team