Lab Support / Expert Wearable Senses Lab

The Department of Industrial Design (ID) is one of the nine departments of TU/e and has an internationally leading position because of its core commitment to research through design (RtD) and its strikingly original conceptual work. ID's ambition is to be recognized as one of the top departments in the world that conduct exciting research in the intersection of Design, Technology, Human-Computer Interaction, and Social Sciences and Humanities. In particular, the department aims to inspire and educate a new generation of design engineers who can contribute with their novel designs, their fluency in AI/ML algorithms and data, and their academic critical questioning, to the imminent and complex societal challenges our world is facing nowadays.

The ID education program is competence-centered, self-directed and challenged-based. ID focuses on educating students to design through five different perspectives (called Expertise Areas), through core courses and electives:

• Math, data and computing.
• User and society.
• Technology and realization.
• Business and entrepreneurship.
• Creativity and aesthetics.

Students also learn to make connections between the different perspectives within project groups called squads. In addition, the ID education curriculum encourages and empowers students to take the ownership of their personal and professional development. Supported by their academic coaches, through ID curriculum and their personal, industrial and research projects, students develop a unique competence of designing and related design approaches individually. Next to self-directed learning and competence development, the educational model of ID is challenge-based. ID students work together on challenging and authentic projects in which multiple perspectives or disciplines are incorporated to solve the challenge (for example by working within interdisciplinary groups) using an entrepreneurial mindset.

At the Industrial Design department we have two research groups: Systemic Change and Future Everyday.

You will be placed in the Lab support team.

The Wearable Senses Lab is focused exploring and innovating experimental textiles and soft things. The work conducted in the lab is material-driven and explorative, with a focus on transforming raw and reclaimed material (in new ways), re-inventing skills and knowledge (in the context of new materials and processes), rethinking fabrication (through new and combined processes), designing new things (with an attention to complexity) and interweaving emerging technologies (into both processes and materials). In addition to industrial sewing, over-lock and heat press machines, the Wearable Senses Lab is equipped for a broad range of soft fabrication and digital craftsmanship such as knitting, weaving, vinyl cutting, ultrasonic welding, embroidery, and sublimation printing.

The department of Industrial Design is looking for a Lab Support / Expert for Wearable Senses Lab to support the development, and further reinforce and expand our expertise within experimental textiles and soft things.

Responsibilities

• Provide support for the multidisciplinary research of the Industrial Design staff and PhD students, through support for experimenting, prototyping, and making.
• Provide support for Industrial Design students with their educational activities.
• Daily coordination and management of the Wearable Senses Lab facilities, and maintenance of the equipment.
• In consultation with the room manager, you are responsible for developing of, giving instructions about, and maintenance of safe working procedures.
• Develop and manage a Sample Library/Archive to further knowledge transfer within the Wearable Senses Lab environment.
• Recruit and supervise student assistants and interns.
• Maintain connections and cooperate with the related community and industry.
• Contribute with independent research projects as creator-in-residence.