Ptychografische Microscoop voor Geavanceerde Metrologie en Inspectie – PhD Internship
Apply for a PhD internship at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) – Yamina Krossa Fonds. Start date is 01‑01‑2026 and the position is open until 01‑12‑2025.
1 – About VUB
Vrije Universiteit Brussel has been a pillar of freedom, equality and solidarity for over 50 years. With about 4,000 employees, it is the largest Dutch‑speaking employer in the private sector in Brussels and a member of the European alliance EUTOPIA. VUB fosters a culture of open research, creativity and academic excellence.
2 – Position Overview
The position is within the Electronics and Informatics research group of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences. It offers a doctoral bursary (12‑month stipend, extendable to 48 months with good evaluation) for a research project on ptychographic imaging systems.
Project
Ptychographic imaging provides label‑free insight into non‑carbon materials and biological processes. Current microscopes are limited by cost, size and throughput. The project aims to develop a compact, scalable, cost‑effective system that combines coherent diffraction imaging with advanced optics, enabling high‑resolution, wide‑field, depth‑resolved imaging. The device will be modular to allow additional sensor types and will integrate embedded data pipelines for on‑chip processing, AI and machine‑learning models for anomaly detection, pattern recognition and data compression.
Real Test Cases
Semiconductor metrology for deep 3‑D trench inspection
Biomedical breast cancer classification in pathology
Aquaculture water monitoring for micro‑organism detection
Responsibilities
Design optical setups and perform system analysis and simulation
Characterise materials and assess optical performance
Develop AI/ML algorithms for data analysis
Conduct literature review and prepare scientific publications
Work Distribution
40 % setup & experiments
40 % modelling & simulation
20 % literature review & design
3 – Profile
We expect you to have a Master’s in Photonics, Electronics, Physics or Computer Science. You are comfortable handling the whole imaging system—from optical design and simulation to embedded computing and applied AI. You enjoy working at the intersection of hardware and software across sectors and are interested in creating accurate, efficient, field‑ready detection systems.
Relevant background: Engineering, Optical Engineering, or Computer Engineering. You have not worked in a student assistant capacity for more than 12 months. If you are a non‑EER subject, you must meet VUB’s visa and residence requirements (see information link).
VUB is committed to diversity; talent of every gender, age, religion, skin colour, migration background, disability or neurodiversity is valued.
4 – Benefits
Full‑time doctoral stipend (12‑month duration, extendable)
Telework allowance €50/month or internet allowance €20/month
Work‑life balance support, 35 vacation days (full‑time), holiday closure and 3 extra vacation days
Complimentary hospitalisation insurance
Reimbursement for public transport or bike allowance
Campus restaurant meals at attractive rates
Sports and discount benefits via Benefits@Work and Ecocheques
Child care near campus, discount for vacation camps
Learning platform and professional development opportunities
Co‑design your job role and continuous learning via VUB learning platforms
Positive and supportive collegial environment
5 – How to Apply
Interested? Submit your application no later than 01‑12‑2025 via jobs.vub.be. Upload the following documents:
Motivation letter
Curriculum vitae
Diplomas (if not a VUB alumnus)
Application process:
Initial screening of application dossier.
Job interview.
For questions, contact David Blinder at David.Blinder@vub.be or +32 (0)2 629 1694.
Explore how it is to work at VUB: jobs.vub.be.
Learn about EUTOPIA: eutopia-university.eu.
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