PhD Studentship in Urban Systems Modelling

Trinity is Ireland’s leading university and is ranked 75th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026). Founded in 1592, the University is steeped in history with a reputation for excellence in education, research, and innovation, which has been inspiring generations of thinkers for over 400 years.   Thrive: Trinity College Dublin's Strategic Plan 2025 - 2030 

 

The PhD studentship is part of the SEAI-funded CIRCUIT project (Causal Inference for Resilient Cities and Urban Integrated Transport), a four-year interdisciplinary research programme at Trinity College Dublin. The project develops advanced econometric and machine learning frameworks to analyse the causal relationships between transport behaviour, residential energy consumption, and environmental outcomes in urban systems.

 

The successful candidate will undertake doctoral research focused on activity-based travel behaviour, household energy use, and sustainability policy, contributing to the development of causal inference and agent-based modelling tools. The PhD will be supervised within the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering and will involve close collaboration with postdoctoral researchers and project partners, as well as engagement with national stakeholders including SEAI, the Department of Transport, and local authorities.

 

 

Applicants should submit a full Curriculum Vitae to include the names and contact details of 2 referees (including email addresses), to:

Name: Prof Brian Caulfield

Email Address: Brian.Caulfield@tcd.ie  

 

Please see full description below

 

Values matter. They are key to the success of our Strategic Plan. We centre our behavioural values around the importance of belonging. We recognise that the university will thrive by each of us respecting and caring for one another. We know we can achieve much more through working together. We know too that we must take responsibility for our actions and be accountable. We must, and will never stop, imagining. And through being nature positive we connect not just with the environment but with our ambitions for a sustainable future.

 

At Trinity, we are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Trinity welcomes applications from all individuals, including those applicants with disabilities, those who may have had non-traditional career paths, those who have taken time out for reasons including family or caring responsibilities. We also welcome international applicants including those whom have been displaced due to war.

 

Trinity College Dublin is Ireland’s premier University. We are an EU Sustainable Gender Equality Champion and we hold an Athena Swan Silver award, recognising our ongoing work to advance gender equality both within Trinity and in the Higher Education sector. Trinity is committed to supporting work-life balance and to creating a family-friendly working environment.