PhD in Hybrid RF and optical wireless networks to optimize wireless services

Introduction
Are you fascinated by the idea that networks will adapt themselves with your needs without your intervention? Join us on this research project in close collaboration with several high-tech companies to develop and demonstrate the next generation hybrid RF and optical wireless communication networks. You will be working within the newly granted The Netherlands Growth Fund 6G-FNS (Future Networks and Services).

Job Description
Future wireless networks should no longer force users to adapt to the network. Instead, the network should continuously adapt itself to the users, intelligently orchestrating radio-frequency (RF) and optical wireless (OWC) resources to provide the best possible service for every application. Whether supporting immersive extended reality, industrial automation, autonomous systems, or AI-enabled devices, future 6G networks must dynamically balance throughput, latency, reliability, and energy efficiency according to users' needs and changing network conditions.

Meeting these demands requires a new networking paradigm. RF communication offers ubiquitous coverage and reliable mobility, whereas optical wireless communication provides fiber-like capacity, ultra-low latency, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. Rather than treating these technologies as competing alternatives, this project explores how they can operate as complementary technologies within a unified hybrid network, allowing traffic to be intelligently routed over the most suitable wireless link at any moment.

In this PhD project, you will develop novel concepts for intelligent hybrid RF–OWC networks that optimize wireless service delivery in real time. Research topics include adaptive resource allocation, AI-driven network orchestration, dynamic beam steering, joint communication and sensing, and cross-layer optimization. Machine learning techniques will be investigated to predict traffic demand, user mobility, and network conditions, enabling autonomous decision-making that maximizes network performance and user experience.

A unique aspect of this research is the integration of photonic technologies into future wireless infrastructures. You will investigate how photonic integrated circuits can enable scalable and energy-efficient signal generation, beamforming, distribution, and control for hybrid wireless networks. By combining photonic hardware with artificial intelligence, the project aims to demonstrate a new class of adaptive communication systems capable of supporting future 6G and beyond.

The project combines analytical modelling, system simulation, photonic integrated circuit design, machine learning, and experimental validation using state-of-the-art communication testbeds. It offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of wireless communications, integrated photonics, networking, and artificial intelligence, contributing to technologies that will shape the next generation of intelligent wireless systems.

Job Requirements

• A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in electrical engineering or applied physics or similar.
• Strong affinity for optical and/or wireless communication techniques.
• Familiar with optical and electronic laboratory measurement equipment, optical fiber system setups and components, electronic circuits as well as programming skills.
• Background in telecommunication systems and general knowledge about wireless channel modelling and component design. Knowledge of integration technologies is appreciated
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team and interested in collaborating with industrial partners.
• Motivated to develop your teaching skills and coach students.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).

Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 3,059 - max. € 3,881 gross per month).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.

On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

The mission of the Department of Electrical Engineering is to acquire, share and transfer knowledge and understanding in the whole field of Electrical Engineering through education, research and valorization. We work towards a ‘Smart Sustainable Society’, a ‘Connected World’, and a healthy humanity (‘Care & Cure’). Activities share an application-oriented character, a high degree of complexity and a large synergy between multiple facets of the field.

Research is carried out into the applications of electromagnetic phenomena in all forms of energy conversion, telecommunication and electrical signal processing. Existing and new electrical components and systems are analyzed, designed and built. The Electrical Engineering department takes its inspiration from contacts with high-tech industry in the direct surrounding region and beyond.

The department is innovative and has international ambitions and partnerships. The result is a challenging and inspiring setting in which socially relevant issues are addressed.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager Eduward Tangdiongga, e.tangdiongga@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact HR Services, HRServices.EE@tue.nl.

Curious to hear more about what it’s like as a PhD candidate at TU/e? Please view the video.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application
We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. We give priority to complete applications.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

PhD in Hybrid RF and optical wireless networks to optimize wireless services

Future wireless networks should no longer force users to adapt to the network. Instead, the network should continuously adapt itself to the users, intelligently orchestrating radio-frequency (RF) and optical wireless (OWC) resources to provide the best possible service for every application. Whether supporting immersive extended reality, industrial automation, autonomous systems, or AI-enabled devices, future 6G networks must dynamically balance throughput, latency, reliability, and energy efficiency according to users' needs and changing network conditions.

Meeting these demands requires a new networking paradigm. RF communication offers ubiquitous coverage and reliable mobility, whereas optical wireless communication provides fiber-like capacity, ultra-low latency, and immunity to electromagnetic interference. Rather than treating these technologies as competing alternatives, this project explores how they can operate as complementary technologies within a unified hybrid network, allowing traffic to be intelligently routed over the most suitable wireless link at any moment.

In this PhD project, you will develop novel concepts for intelligent hybrid RF–OWC networks that optimize wireless service delivery in real time. Research topics include adaptive resource allocation, AI-driven network orchestration, dynamic beam steering, joint communication and sensing, and cross-layer optimization. Machine learning techniques will be investigated to predict traffic demand, user mobility, and network conditions, enabling autonomous decision-making that maximizes network performance and user experience.

A unique aspect of this research is the integration of photonic technologies into future wireless infrastructures. You will investigate how photonic integrated circuits can enable scalable and energy-efficient signal generation, beamforming, distribution, and control for hybrid wireless networks. By combining photonic hardware with artificial intelligence, the project aims to demonstrate a new class of adaptive communication systems capable of supporting future 6G and beyond.

The project combines analytical modelling, system simulation, photonic integrated circuit design, machine learning, and experimental validation using state-of-the-art communication testbeds. It offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of wireless communications, integrated photonics, networking, and artificial intelligence, contributing to technologies that will shape the next generation of intelligent wireless systems.

Innovation & Market Researcher – Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) 0.2 FTE

Introduction
Would you like to bridge the gap between urban climate resilience and commercial real estate development? We are seeking an researcher to conduct customer discovery with private developers and build a parametric library to mathematically quantify the value of green interventions.

Job Description
The Department of the Built Environment is executing an applied research project focused on building a trustworthy AI framework to assist municipalities and private developers in recognizing the multi-dimensional values of nature. This position is vital for aligning regulatory climate mandates with commercial market realities.

As an Innovation and Market Researcher, you will tackle two concrete challenges:

1. Customer Discovery & Market Analysis: You will conduct structured interviews and map out Decision-Making Units (DMUs) across private developers and municipal departments. Your focus will be on understanding where the internal alignment breaks down regarding nature-inclusive investments and identifying where current workflows—such as relying on fragmented external cost consultancies or static Excel-based validation tools—fail to capture long-term performance.
2. Parametric NBS Library Development: You will translate scientific literature and empirical data into a standardized database of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). You will map out the precise physical boundaries (e.g., roof pitch limitations, load proxies) and eco-financial benefits (e.g., energy efficiency, stormwater interception, carbon calculation metrics) of green infrastructure. Additionally, you will catalog financial catalysts, such as municipal green funds or private banking subsidies for biobased materials, to directly support return-on-investment (ROI) modeling.

Within our team, you will collaborate closely with technical engineers and external industry pioneers, turning qualitative market insights into hard variables that feed our computational logic engine.

Job Requirements

• A recently completed Master’s degree in Innovation Management, Industrial Engineering, Structural Engineering, Sustainable Urban Development, or a closely related field.
• Experience with, or a strong interest in, qualitative research methods, corporate customer discovery, and stakeholder interview mapping.
• Basic familiarity with commercial real estate development processes, land exploitation (GREX) models, or urban planning frameworks.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to translate technical environmental parameters (e.g., water retention coefficients, thermal insulation values) into structured financial or logical data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English; proficiency in Dutch is considered a major asset for interacting with local municipalities and regional developers.
• Self-motivated, structured, and comfortable working in an interdisciplinary setting that bridges technology, policy, and business.

If you are concerned that you don’t meet all the requirements sufficiently, but the job does excite you, then be sure to respond, we would love to look at your profile.

Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. € 3,546 max. € 5,538 gross per month).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• A favorable arrangement for more holidays or a sabbatical.
• A selection model for additional fringe benefits.
• Working hours in consultation for an optimal work-life balance.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• Scope for your talent with advancement prospects and excellent development opportunities such as mentoring, workshops and coaching.
• Partially paid parental leave and reimbursement for commuting expenses, working from home and the internet.
• A generous employer contribution to the favorable ABP pension plan.

Here you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

Sustainability, in its broadest definition, is the cornerstone of research and education in the Department of Built Environment. We take the lead in (re)shaping the built environment to be future-proof, safe, healthy, inclusive and respectful of planetary boundaries. We house the entire spectrum of technology, engineering, design, and human behavior disciplines in the built environment, with world-class experimental facilities at all scales. This allows us to address societal challenges from a uniquely integrated perspective.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact the hiring manager, Shahryar Ershad Sarabi, Assistant Professor, s.e.sarabi@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact Leo van Houten, HR-Advisor, l.v.houten@tue.nl or +31 40 247 8269.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application
If you are interested, please use the ‘apply’ button to send us your CV and letter of application with your motivation and a description of your qualifications.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

Technical Researcher / Knowledge Graph Engineer 0.2 FTE

Introduction
Are you a Python and database enthusiast driven to tackle urban climate resilience? We are looking for a technical developer to translate municipal spatial regulations into a deterministic, neurosymbolic AI graph engine.

Job Description
The Department of the Built Environment is developing an applied research tool aimed at automating the compliance and financial assessment of nature-inclusive real estate development. You will build the core computational logic engine that evaluates building designs against strict municipal mandates.

As a Technical Researcher and Knowledge Graph Engineer, you will tackle two concrete challenges:

1. Rule Digitization & Graph Logic Implementation: You will analyze unstructured municipal policies (such as the Eindhoven Omgevingsplan and rainwater ordinances) and extract the legal thresholds. You will design and maintain a Neo4j Graph database schema, writing robust Cypher queries to execute complex compliance logic (e.g., dynamically triggering a higher requirement or calculating municipal shortfall penalties based on spatial intersections).
2. Spatial API & Pipeline Integration: You will develop Python-based pipelines to automatically ingest spatial payloads. This involves integrating Dutch open geodata APIs (like PDOK, BRK cadastral data, and municipal infiltration maps) to extract the physical and environmental context of a building plot, mapping these variables directly into the graph ontology while building fallback protocols for urban data gaps.

Within our team, you will be embedded in the Information Systems in the Built Environment group, collaborating closely with spatial analysts and market researchers to translate complex urban ecosystems into clean, auditable code.

Job Requirements

• A Master’s degree (completed or near completion) in Computer Science, Data Science, Geomatics, Artificial Intelligence, or a related technical field.
• Strong proficiency in Python programming, specifically with API integrations (e.g., requests) and data structuring (JSON/GeoJSON).
• Hands-on experience with Graph Databases, specifically Neo4j, ontology design, and writing complex Cypher queries.
• Experience with spatial analysis and GIS libraries (such as geopandas, shapely) and familiarity with Dutch open geodata standards (PDOK, BAG, BRK) is a massive advantage.
• A highly analytical mindset capable of translating unstructured, qualitative legal and regulatory text into strict, deterministic logic trees.
• Fluent in English; basic reading comprehension of Dutch is highly beneficial for analyzing local municipal policy documents.

If you are concerned that you don’t meet all the requirements sufficiently, but the job does excite you, then be sure to respond, we would love to look at your profile.

Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. € 3,546 max. € 5,538 gross per month).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• A favorable arrangement for more holidays or a sabbatical.
• A selection model for additional fringe benefits.
• Working hours in consultation for an optimal work-life balance.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• Scope for your talent with advancement prospects and excellent development opportunities such as mentoring, workshops and coaching.
• Partially paid parental leave and reimbursement for commuting expenses, working from home and the internet.
• A generous employer contribution to the favorable ABP pension plan.

Here you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

Sustainability, in its broadest definition, is the cornerstone of research and education in the Department of Built Environment. We take the lead in (re)shaping the built environment to be future-proof, safe, healthy, inclusive and respectful of planetary boundaries. We house the entire spectrum of technology, engineering, design, and human behavior disciplines in the built environment, with world-class experimental facilities at all scales. This allows us to address societal challenges from a uniquely integrated perspective.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more?
Please contact the hiring manager, Shahryar Ershad Sarabi, Assistant Professor, s.e.sarabi@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact Leo van Houten, HR-Advisor, l.v.houten@tue.nl or +31 40 247 8269.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application
If you are interested, please use the ‘apply’ button to send us your CV and letter of application with your motivation and a description of your qualifications.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

We look forward to receiving your application!

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

Innovation & Market Researcher – Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) 0.2 FTE

The Department of the Built Environment is executing an applied research project focused on building a trustworthy AI framework to assist municipalities and private developers in recognizing the multi-dimensional values of nature. This position is vital for aligning regulatory climate mandates with commercial market realities.

As an Innovation and Market Researcher, you will tackle two concrete challenges:

1. Customer Discovery & Market Analysis: You will conduct structured interviews and map out Decision-Making Units (DMUs) across private developers and municipal departments. Your focus will be on understanding where the internal alignment breaks down regarding nature-inclusive investments and identifying where current workflows—such as relying on fragmented external cost consultancies or static Excel-based validation tools—fail to capture long-term performance.
2. Parametric NBS Library Development: You will translate scientific literature and empirical data into a standardized database of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). You will map out the precise physical boundaries (e.g., roof pitch limitations, load proxies) and eco-financial benefits (e.g., energy efficiency, stormwater interception, carbon calculation metrics) of green infrastructure. Additionally, you will catalog financial catalysts, such as municipal green funds or private banking subsidies for biobased materials, to directly support return-on-investment (ROI) modeling.

Within our team, you will collaborate closely with technical engineers and external industry pioneers, turning qualitative market insights into hard variables that feed our computational logic engine.