PhD position Quantitative ultrasound imaging inside and behind bone

Our main goal is to unlock ultrasound imaging inside organs that are still inaccessible to existing clinical ultrasound scanners, in particular bones and the adult human brain. Our ambition is to develop operator-independent approaches that generate accurate anatomical volumetric images and quantitative biomarkers, in particular for the characterization of tissue composition or microstructure and blood flow quantification. We recently unlocked 2D ultrasound imaging inside human long bones (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-91979-5_10 ) and started the translation of our approaches to transcranial ultrasound (https://doi.org/10.1109/TUFFC.2022.3148121 ).

Optimal imaging inside and behind bone requires to take into account the 3D challenging wave physics imposed by bone tissue: wave refraction, wave speed anisotropy, wave mode conversion, multiple scattering. Our first study on patients will start soon, to validate the detection and sizing of hypervascular lesions inside bones. We are presently recruiting a PhD student to pursue a four year doctorate in our lab.

The expected starting date for this position is the 1st of October 2024. The PhD student will develop innovative ultrasound imaging approaches from the bottom up: starting from wave physics in complex media to clinical translation. In particular, the PhD student will develop quantitative approaches exploiting elastic waves and 4D ultrasound imaging strategies with matrix array transducers. Next, in close collaboration with clinicians, these innovative approaches will be tailored to answer specific needs in clinical research and clinical practice, and evaluated in vivo on human volunteers. The successful candidate will be involved in ongoing research projects at the lab. The PhD student will have the opportunity to teach and take mentoring responsibility for students at the bachelor’s and master’s levels.

•    A master’s degree in physics or engineering including wave physics and signal processing
•    Experience in programming (Matlab and C)
•    Good interpersonal and communications skills
•    Affinity for medical imaging
•    Affinity for both experimental work and modeling
•    Motivation for teaching and student supervision is a plus
•    Good knowledge of written and spoken English

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements .

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2770 per month in the first year to € 3539 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. 

For international applicants, TU Delft has the Coming to Delft Service . This service provides information for new international employees to help you prepare the relocation and to settle in the Netherlands. The Coming to Delft Service offers a Dual Career Programme  for partners and they organise events to expand your (social) network.

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values  and we actively engage  to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

With more than 1,100 employees, including 150 pioneering principal investigators, as well as a population of about 3,600 passionate students, the Faculty of Applied Sciences is an inspiring scientific ecosystem. Focusing on key enabling technologies, such as quantum- and nanotechnology, photonics, biotechnology, synthetic biology and materials for energy storage and conversion, our faculty aims to provide solutions to important problems of the 21st century. To that end, we educate innovative students in broad Bachelor's and specialist Master's programmes with a strong research component. Our scientists conduct ground-breaking fundamental and applied research in the fields of Life and Health Science & Technology, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Radiation Science & Technology, and Engineering Physics. We are also training the next generation of high school teachers.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Applied Sciences.

Department of Imaging Physics

The department's ambition is to be leading in developing novel instrumentation and methodology in imaging science and sensing technology. As such the department's profile encompasses a mix of science, engineering, and design. In the domain of life and health we target the full range from pre-clinical life sciences oriented research and instrumentation/method development to direct clinical applications.

We pioneer in optical neuro-imaging, super-resolution microscopy, MRI, ultrasound, OCT, and scattering and diffraction based diagnostics. In the domain of digital society we achieve impact on the semiconductor manufacturing sector by cutting edge tools for imaging, sensing and precision metrology, such as lensless imaging, optical system design, nano-photonic components, electron optics, and hybrid electron-optical imaging systems. In both sectors there is a prominent role for Artificial Intelligence and computational imaging techniques.

Click here to go to the website of the Imaging Physics Department.

Delft is a vibrant university town located in the province of South Holland. It is a popular tourist destination for its picturesque canals and old town. Delft is located within commuting distance of Rotterdam and The Hague, two major cultural hubs in Europe. The Dutch research landscape is very welcoming to international researchers.

Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply before 01 July 2024 via the application button and upload the following documents (in PDF format only):

• Certified transcript of B.Sc. and M.Sc. Record
• Letter explaining your research interest in this position (generic letters will be disregarded)
• Detailed CV
• Name and contact details of at least two references

We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.

For further information please contact Guillaume Renaud ([email protected]).

Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.