Are you passionate about shaping the future of healthcare? Do you want to develop technology that truly matters in people’s lives? Join us in creating radical innovations that enable patients to manage their disease at home.
The Department of Sustainable Design Engineering in the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering and the department of Biomechanical Engineering, faculty of Mechanical Engineering are seeking a hardworking and motivated PhD candidate to join us for a full-time, fully funded, 4-year project. You will be supervised by prof. K.M.B. Jansen and dr. G. Smit.
The ChallengeHealthcare systems worldwide face a dual and growing challenge: costs are rising while the availability of healthcare professionals is decreasing. At the same time, millions of people with chronic mobility conditions—such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Stroke, and Parkinson’s Disease—struggle to maintain independence in their daily lives. We urgently need new approaches that can bridge the gap between hospital-based care and remote patient management.
These will be developed with the ‘Care is coming home!’ program. This program will be executed over the coming 5 years by a large consortium consisting of 2 technical universities (TU Delft, UTwente), 6 hospitals (Amsterdam UMC, Erasmus MC, Leiden UMC, Maartenskliniek, Maastricht UMC, Radboud UMC), 13 companies (Able Human Motion, Biomex, Cue2Walk, DanuSports, Kinetic Analysis, Lode Holding, Madglove, ModelHealth, Moveshelf, Orikami, Sabender, Trinoma, VicarVision), 1 rehabilitaion centre (Daan Theeuwes Centrum) and 5 patient organisations (Hersenletsel.nl, Hersenstichting, Parkinson Vereniging, ParkinsonNL, ReumaNederland).
As a PhD candidate in this project, you will contribute to a multi-disciplinary research effort focused on empowering individuals with chronic mobility limitations. You will help design, develop, and evaluate innovative medical technology that enables people to manage their health at home—safely, independently, and with confidence.
More specifically, for this position we aim to develop novel measurement devices for monitoring joint motion in chronically ill patients in home environments, enabling quantitative assessment of disease progression. For rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, you will develop a finger stiffness measurement device to assess finger joint dexterity. To unobtrusively assess changes in joint movement in stroke patients without relying on cameras, you will also develop a drift compensation algorithm for combined IMU and stretch sensor configurations.
As a PhD candidate in this project, you will collaborate particularly with Erasmus MC, ReumaNederland and Madglove.
Job Requirements- You hold a master’s degree in biomechanics design, biomechanical engineering, or an equivalent field. You have proven skills in prototyping, testing, dynamics, and programming.
- You have an affinity with electronics.
- You have high-level analytical and organizational skills.
- A strong interest in medical technology.
- An affinity for education, as you will spend some time on educational tasks.
- You are fluent in English, both spoken and written. Knowledge of Dutch is a prerequisite for working with patients.
- Affinity for working with patients and clinicians.
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4‑year period of employment in principle, in the form of two employment contracts. An initial 1.5‑year contract with an official go/no‑go progress assessment within 15 months is followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2.5 years, assuming performance requirements are met.
Salary and BenefitsSalary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, ranging from €3,059 to €3,881 gross per month based on a full‑time contract (38 hours). In addition, there is an 8% holiday allowance and an end‑of‑year bonus of 8.3%.
As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School, which provides an inspiring research environment, a strong supervisory team, and a Doctoral Education Programme aimed at developing transferable, discipline‑related, and research skills. The TU Delft offers a customizable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work‑costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.
Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to making your move as smooth as possible. The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information and events to help you prepare for relocation and expand your social network. A Dual Career Programme is available to support your partner’s job search in the Netherlands.
#J-18808-Ljbffr€3059 - €3881 monthly