Position for a Doctoral Researcher in “Autonomous Driving in Public Transport” Project
Position Summary: we are seeking a Doctoral Researcher (TV‑L 13) to join the Travel Behavior Research Group, expected to start on October 1, 2026. This position is funded within a three-year project on the future of autonomous driving in public transport and focuses on Effects on Mobility Behavior (subject to funding approval).
About us: The research group Travel Behavior at the Department of Mobility Systems Engineering at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) was established in 2015 and has the vision to further develop mathematical models of transport, land-use, environmental impacts and health. Special attention is given to agent-based approaches, the interaction of land use and transport, machine learning approaches and alternative data sources. The group consists of four researchers and takes pride in the cooperative environment within the team.
Primary Responsibility: The successful applicant will work on the "Autonomous Driving for Public Transport" project, which aims to establish the technological, operational, and societal prerequisites for regular service operations. The successful applicant is expected to work on selected tasks:
Design and conduct empirical surveys (e.g. stated‑preference and revealed‑preference studies) to capture user preferences and behavioral responses to autonomous mobility services.
Develop and estimate discrete choice models for mode choice decisions.
Implement and apply agent‑based transport simulations to forecast demand and modal‑split changes under different policy and technology scenarios.
Collaborate with other project partners to integrate behavioral findings into system‑level impact assessments.
Contribute to reports, scientific publications, presentations, and stakeholder engagement activities.
In addition to project and research, the successful applicant will also be involved in teaching. Teaching topics will be selected in line with the applicant’s interests and the teaching needs of TUM’s Transportation Systems M.Sc. Program. Research findings will also be published and presented at conferences.
Minimum Qualifications:
A Master's degree or equivalent is required.
Strong interest in transport modeling, transport planning, mobility, or related fields.
Knowledge of empirical survey design and choice modeling.
Prior experience with a programming or scripting language is important, with a preference for experience with Java and/or MATSim.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are required. Knowledge of German is needed.
We offer: flexible working conditions in a highly motivated and very international research environment. The salary at a German University is higher than typical in the international context (pay grade TV-L E 13), opening space for higher scientific productivity. TUM is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants with disabilities are treated with preference given comparable qualifications.
Application requirements and deadlines: Applicants should submit a letter of interest (max. 2 pages), a curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of three references in pdf format and send it to applications.tb@ed.tum.de. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.
Questions? Please contact Dr.-Ing. Qin Zhang by email: qin.zhang@tum.de for further questions regarding this position.
A pdf file with this announcement can be downloaded here.