PERMANENT ENGINEER POSITION with PhD sponsorship

Employer: VAWT-X Energy Pty Ltd

Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Program: PhD – Industry Research Collaboration
Institution: Flinders University, College of Science & Engineering – Advanced Wind Energy
Technology Group (AWET)
Field: Renewable Energy / Wind Energy Systems / Electrical Engineering / Digital Twins

PhD Focus: Maximizing Power through Innovation in Wind Turbine Electrical & Control Systems

Position Overview:

VAWT-X Energy Pty Ltd in collaboration with Flinders University, is seeking a highly motivated and qualified engineer with early-career industry research experience and a background in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Control Engineering, or Mechatronics. This role focuses on the electrical and control subsystems of wind turbines, including generators, inverters, load controllers, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

The selected candidate will work in collaboration with the Advanced Wind Energy Technology Group on the development of high-fidelity digital twin models of these components to support energy harvesting optimization and advanced control design.

This is a fully funded PhD opportunity based in Adelaide, designed to bridge academic research and real-world industry applications.

Key Responsibilities:

Conduct advanced research on:

Wind turbine generators (e.g., PMG, DFIG)

Inverter-load controllers and power electronic systems

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) integration and management

Model and simulate electrical and control systems using tools such as Python, MATLAB/Simulink, PSCAD.

Develop digital twin models for real-time system understanding and optimization of energy capture

Design and implement control algorithms to improve system efficiency and responsiveness to dynamic conditions

Collaborate with academic and industry partners throughout the project lifecycle

Support lab-scale and field-testing activities as needed

Publish research findings and contribute to technical documentation and reporting

Participate in on-field activities, such as: Installation, commissioning, and operational testing of wind turbine subsystems

Essential Qualifications & Skills:

A Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Control Engineering, Mechatronics, or a closely related field

Strong knowledge of:

Electrical machines and power electronics

Control systems and signal processing

Energy systems modelling and simulation

Interest in digital twin development and energy optimization

Excellent problem-solving, and teamwork skills

Ability to conduct independent research and contribute to collaborative projects

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Desirable Skills:

Experience with wind turbine systems or renewable energy applications

Familiarity with industrial communication protocols (e.g., Modbus)

Knowledge of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing or embedded control platforms

Background in electric, electronic, control optimization or hybrid control strategies is a plus

This Position Offers:

A career with an innovative start-up company

A fully funded Australian Government supported PhD scholarship (open to domestic and international candidates)

Joint academic and industry supervision from Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering

Access to unique laboratory and field-deployed wind turbine facilities

Support for publication, and professional development

Application Deadline: 30 June 2025

Start Date: 28 July 2025

To Apply: Send your CV and academic transcripts together with an application letter that includes
a brief research interest statement to [email protected]