TU Delft - Mimir

PhD Position Modeling Foot Growth and Deformities in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Job description
We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join a 4-year research project aimed at advancing our understanding of foot growth and deformities in children with cerebral palsy. In this project, you will develop statistical shape models and finite element models of the growing foot to investigate normal bone development, understand how growth is altered in cerebral palsy, and ultimately support the development of treatment strategies.

You will become part of a multidisciplinary research team and be supervised by Nazli Tümer and Amir Zadpoor at the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft, together with Marjolein van der Krogt from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC. Thoroughout the project, you will collaborate with clinicians, clinical researchers, and a postdoctoral researcher based at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, who will develop musculoskeletal models in close collaboration with Ajay Seth from the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft.

This PhD position is part of the ZonMW-funded project Foot4Thought: Multimodal Modelling to Understand and Prevent Foot Deformities in Cerebral Palsy, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to computational biomechanics with direct clinical relevance.

There are many opportunities for you to grow your academic career through coursework, mentoring BSc/MSc Students, consortium participation, conference presentations, webinars/workshops, and teaching.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The TU Delft Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. If you have a unique story that motivates you or drives your curiosity we would be delighted to hear it. We especially encourage applicants from underrepresented groups in science, technology and engineering .

TU Delft values a safe, inclusive and diverse work environment. To reinforce that, we have committed ourselves to the joint Statement Social Safety of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands and the National Action Plan for Diversity and Inclusion. We participate in a Social Safety Programme.

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.

Job requirements
You should have:

An MSc degree in Biomechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline by the start date of the position (September 2026)
Experience in scientific programming (e.g., Python, Matlab)
Experience in finite-element analysis
Experience in medical image analysis and data processing
Basic knowledge of and/or experience in AI-driven models
The ability to manage multiple tasks effectively
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

The following aspects will help you stand out:

Basic knowledge of and/or experience in musculoskeletal modelling
The ability to thrive in a multidisciplinary research environment
A self-motivated, proactive, and self-driven working attitude
Curiosity-driven self-learning ability
Written and oral communication skills in Dutch

Keep in mind that this describes the background we imagine would best fit the role. Even if you do not meet all the requirements and feel that you are up for the task, we absolutely want to see your application! The PhD process is a learning experience.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

Faculty Mechanical Engineering
From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.

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PhD Position Modeling Foot Growth and Deformities in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Job description
We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join a 4-year research project aimed at advancing our understanding of foot growth and deformities in children with cerebral palsy. In this project, you will develop statistical shape models and finite element models of the growing foot to investigate normal bone development, understand how growth is altered in cerebral palsy, and ultimately support the development of treatment strategies.

You will become part of a multidisciplinary research team and be supervised by Nazli Tümer and Amir Zadpoor at the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft, together with Marjolein van der Krogt from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC. Thoroughout the project, you will collaborate with clinicians, clinical researchers, and a postdoctoral researcher based at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, who will develop musculoskeletal models in close collaboration with Ajay Seth from the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft.

This PhD position is part of the ZonMW-funded project Foot4Thought: Multimodal Modelling to Understand and Prevent Foot Deformities in Cerebral Palsy, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to computational biomechanics with direct clinical relevance.

There are many opportunities for you to grow your academic career through coursework, mentoring BSc/MSc Students, consortium participation, conference presentations, webinars/workshops, and teaching.

Diversity and Inclusion:

The TU Delft Faculty of Mechanical Engineering is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. If you have a unique story that motivates you or drives your curiosity we would be delighted to hear it. We especially encourage applicants from underrepresented groups in science, technology and engineering .

TU Delft values a safe, inclusive and diverse work environment. To reinforce that, we have committed ourselves to the joint Statement Social Safety of the Association of Universities in the Netherlands and the National Action Plan for Diversity and Inclusion. We participate in a Social Safety Programme.

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.

Job requirements
You should have:

An MSc degree in Biomechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline by the start date of the position (September 2026)
Experience in scientific programming (e.g., Python, Matlab)
Experience in finite-element analysis
Experience in medical image analysis and data processing
Basic knowledge of and/or experience in AI-driven models
The ability to manage multiple tasks effectively
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

The following aspects will help you stand out:

Basic knowledge of and/or experience in musculoskeletal modelling
The ability to thrive in a multidisciplinary research environment
A self-motivated, proactive, and self-driven working attitude
Curiosity-driven self-learning ability
Written and oral communication skills in Dutch