Organisation/Company Ghent University Research Field Biological sciences » Other Chemistry » Biochemistry Chemistry » Other Engineering » Biomedical engineering Engineering » Chemical engineering Engineering » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 1 May 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No
Offer Description
* Department: Department of Electronics and Information Systems
* Occupancy rate: 100%
* Closing date: 5/1/26
* Required diploma: Master's degree in (Bio)Engineering or Chemical/Biochemical/Biomedical/Sciences
About Gent University
Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision daily. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programs grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.
Your tasks
As part of the highly prestigious FWO - Research Foundation Flanders, a PhD position is available at Ghent University.
The PhD candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team working towards this objective by being part of (a) the imec-associated research lab Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST) (Department of Electronics and Information Systems) and (b) Electrochemistry and Surface Analysis (ESA) (Department of Chemistry) at Ghent University.
The PhD researcher will work on the implementation of emerging nanodevices as biosensors to detect and monitor, in a liquid biopsy concept, multiple biomarkers linked with radiation‑induced inflammation occurring in Prostate Cancer treatment. The PhD student will be responsible for the execution of the biosensing experiments, in which he/she will solve problems independently but also collaborate with colleagues. He/she will develop and validate, in the frame of this research project, new electrochemical sensors for the detection of inflammatory biomarkers related to radiation toxicity and properly report their research results, in the form of written reports and oral presentations. He/she will lead experiments to detect and monitor bio/chemical biomarkers, identify key parameters for effective sensing, and design a comprehensive biosensing framework with standardized protocols. The whole system can be realized by integrating sensing technologies available at CMST and ESA teams, in the state‑of‑the‑art cleanroom at Ghent University. The PhD candidate will be in continuous interaction with other researchers working on the project.
What we are looking for
* Master's degree in (Bio)Engineering or Chemical/Biochemical/Biomedical/Sciences (Master's students finishing in June/July 2026 are also eligible to apply)
* Interest in practical work and interdisciplinary research
* Good knowledge and practical experience with electrochemistry, sample preparation, electrochemical measurement set‑up, etc.
* Motivated person with strong curiosity and genuine wish to learn more and develop skills
* Proactive and able to manage and execute the project in a well‑structured, thorough way, both by solving problems independently and collaborating with others
* Fluency in English, spoken and written, and excellent communication skills to report results (written and oral)
* Willingness to write proposals for national funding opportunities
* University ranking of BSc and MSc diplomas will be taken into consideration
* Programming skills (Matlab) and experience with writing scientific papers are a plus
What we can offer you
* Full‑time doctoral fellow position: initial period of 12 months, extendable to a maximum of 48 months following a positive evaluation
* Contract start on June 1st 2026 at the earliest or September 1st 2026 at the latest
* Fellowship amount 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances (individual amount determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority). Grant satisfies regulation for doctoral fellowships and is free of personal income tax
* Wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave, bicycle allowance, eco vouchers
* Supportive and collaborative team climate for cutting‑edge science
* Advanced training, technical and advisory support throughout the project by research staff (CMST/imec support)
* Access to leading‑quality cleanroom installation and characterization facilities at Ghent University
* Opportunities to participate in national and international meetings/conferences and build own network
Interested?
If you are interested in this job offer, please address your motivation letter, curriculum vitae, copies of higher‑education degrees, grade transcripts, English certificate, and the name and contact details of two persons who are willing to give a reference by e‑mail to: ioulia.tzouvadaki@ugent.be and mieke.adriaens@ugent.be. All documents should be sent electronically (in PDF format by e‑mail). Please mention in the subject line: "PhD position: FWO".
The application deadline is: May 1st 2026.
We do not accept late applications.
Note that the vacancy can be closed before the deadline if a suitable candidate is found.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.
More information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Ioulia Tzouvadaki and Prof. Mieke Adriaens ( ioulia.tzouvadaki@ugent.be and mieke.adriaens@ugent.be ).
Centre of Microsystems Technology (CMST) ( www.cmst.be ) is an IMEC-associated interdisciplinary research group at Ghent University. CMST focuses on smart microsystems design, fabrication, and integration, and more specifically: i) for health applications, ii) conformable, soft sensors for wearables and textile integrated sensor systems and structural electronics, iii) optical microsystems including soft and flexible waveguide probes for optogenetics and flexible wearable photonic patches. CMST has on board an excellent Clean Room support team (14 highly skilled research supporting staff), a business developer, and an innovation officer supporting all CMST members in patent development, start‑up, and/or spin‑off endeavors. CMST consists of scientists and engineers who are determined to provide support according to their skill set and expertise, and transfer knowledge.
Electrochemistry and Surface Analysis (ESA) is part of the Department of Chemistry at Ghent University. One of the objectives of this research group is the development of biochemical sensors for cervical cancer self‑testing devices that can yield rapid, easy‑to‑understand results at low cost.
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