Postdoc Responsible Innovation of the Synthetic Cell

Job description
The development of a synthetic cell will produce groundbreaking knowledge on our understanding of life, which may lead to promising new applications, but may also give rise to novel risks. Therefore, this knowledge should be produced in a responsible way. This ambitious endeavor should also include dialogues with society, a dedicated approach for responsible innovation as well as philosophical reflections on our understanding and definitions of life. The Ethics and Philosophy Group at Delft University of Technology is developing an integrated approach to address the pressing ethical and philosophical issues accompanying the synthetic cell. Therefore we are currently looking for a postdoc researcher. The candidate will be collaborating with the wider Evolf consortium, consisting of 31 senior researchers from 5 different universities, encompassing disciplines such as nanobiology, biophysics and artificial intelligence.

This particular project aims to align the development of the synthetic cell with relevant societal values, such as safety and accountability. These will be embedded in guidelines for responsible innovation and for effective governance mechanisms.

In the project, the prospective Postdoc will:

• Identify societal values relevant to Evolf.
• Identify measures to address these values and to responsibility allocation within the consortium.
• Organise workshops to validate values and measures.
• Develop and implement governance mechanism to ensure RRI, both within the consortium itself as well as through exchanges with external stakeholders, including large public event to discuss measures for dealing with societal risks so far and to sophisticate them and establishing a platform to achieve international guidelines.

The postdoc will work closely with two PhD candidates. One of these candidates investigates the conceptualisations of life relevant for the creating life bottom-up. The other candidate focusses on how societal values can be embedded in the practice of creating a synthetic cell. The postdoc is expected to actively participate in the EVOLF consortium meetings.

Job requirements

• PhD degree in a relevant field, such as Philosophy of Technology, Science and technology studies (STS) or Political Science.
• Preferably a combined background in biotechnology or biology and any of the above mentioned disciplines.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, preferably with scientsist from the synthetic biology community.
• Good organisational skills.
• Research experience and writing skills demonstrated through a thesis, publications, or previous research projects.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
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!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management
The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

Ontwikkelingstechnicus

Functieomschrijving

Je bent ambitieus en wilt graag grenzen verleggen. Het fijnmechanische vervaardigingswerk kent weinig geheimen voor je of wil ze doorgronden. Dat doe je met passie, geduld en doorzettingsvermogen. In de wereld van DEMO worden moderne bewerkingstechnieken gebruikt. Je vindt er de allernieuwste machines en werk je samen op een ontspannen collegiale manier. Bij DEMO haal je het beste in jezelf naar boven. Je denkt actief mee en je bent niet bang om je mening te geven en de discussie aan te gaan.

Je werkzaamheden bestaan uit het voor- en nabewerken van hoogwaardige samenstellingen van allerlei materialen. Je werkt daartoe uiteraard met CAD/CAM software en met hoogwaardige 3-assige en 5-assige CNC-machines. Je bent medeverantwoordelijk voor het volledige proces; van het vervaardigen van de 3Dtekening, het genereren van het CAM-bestand met de bewerkingsvolgordes, gereedschapskeuze en opspanningsmethode tot en met de kwaliteitsbeoordeling.

Je bent verantwoordelijk voor het (mede)ontwerpen, voorbereiden, opbouwen en vervaardigen en onderhouden van wetenschappelijke instrumentatie.

Functie-eisen

• Je beschikt over een MBO of MBO+ werk- en denkniveau en hebt een mts- diploma (of je kunt aantoonbaar op dit niveau functioneren).
• Je beschikt over kennis van werktuigbouwkunde en verspanningstechniek.
• Je bent een vakman met ten minste enkele jaren praktische ervaring op het gebied van 3-as en/of 5-as CNC-frezen.
• Kennis van Inventor en Hypermill is een pre.
• Eigenschappen die nodig zijn: accuratesse, klantgerichtheid, communicatieve en sociale vaardigheden om vorm te geven aan goede samenwerking, flexibiliteit en zelfstandigheid.

TU Delft
De Technische Universiteit Delft heeft een sterk fundament. Als bouwer van de wereldberoemde Nederlandse waterwerken en pionier in biotech is TU Delft een internationale topuniversiteit die wetenschap, engineering en design combineert. TU Delft staat voor onderwijs, onderzoek en innovatie van wereldklasse om uitdagingen op het gebied van energie, klimaat, mobiliteit, gezondheid en digitale maatschappij aan te gaan. Generaties Delftse ingenieurs hebben bewezen ondernemende probleemoplossers te zijn in bedrijfsleven en in sociale context.

Bij TU Delft omarmen we diversiteit als een van onze kernwaarden en zetten we ons actief in om een universiteit te zijn waar jij je thuis voelt en kunt floreren. We hechten veel waarde aan verschillende perspectieven en kwaliteiten, omdat wij geloven dat dit ons werk innovatiever, de TU Delft-gemeenschap levendiger en de wereld rechtvaardiger maakt. Samen bedenken en ontwikkelen we oplossingen die een positieve invloed hebben op wereldwijde schaal. Daarom nodigen we jou uit om te solliciteren. Je sollicitatie krijgt een eerlijke behandeling.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Universiteitsdienst – DEMO (Dienst Elektronische & Mechanische Ontwikkeling).
DEMO draagt bij aan het onderwijs en onderzoek van de TU Delft door het ontwikkelen, vervaardigen en onderhouden van unieke experimentele opstellingen, prototypen en instrumenten. Waar mogelijk en gewenst maakt DEMO de vertaalslag van wetenschappelijke probleemstelling naar praktisch product. Werken bij DEMO betekent deel uitmaken van een wetenschappelijke omgeving; dus betrokken zijn bij nieuwe ontwikkelingen, innovaties en maatschappelijke thema's. Er zijn ruim 80 collega's werkzaam bij DEMO, verdeeld over een aantal locaties binnen de TU Delft. Bij DEMO vind je een professionele en uitstekend geoutilleerde omgeving.

Postdoc Responsible Innovation of the Synthetic Cell

Job description
The development of a synthetic cell will produce groundbreaking knowledge on our understanding of life, which may lead to promising new applications, but may also give rise to novel risks. Therefore, this knowledge should be produced in a responsible way. This ambitious endeavor should also include dialogues with society, a dedicated approach for responsible innovation as well as philosophical reflections on our understanding and definitions of life. The Ethics and Philosophy Group at Delft University of Technology is developing an integrated approach to address the pressing ethical and philosophical issues accompanying the synthetic cell. Therefore we are currently looking for a postdoc researcher. The candidate will be collaborating with the wider Evolf consortium, consisting of 31 senior researchers from 5 different universities, encompassing disciplines such as nanobiology, biophysics and artificial intelligence.

This particular project aims to align the development of the synthetic cell with relevant societal values, such as safety and accountability. These will be embedded in guidelines for responsible innovation and for effective governance mechanisms.

In the project, the prospective Postdoc will:

• Identify societal values relevant to Evolf.
• Identify measures to address these values and to responsibility allocation within the consortium.
• Organise workshops to validate values and measures.
• Develop and implement governance mechanism to ensure RRI, both within the consortium itself as well as through exchanges with external stakeholders, including large public event to discuss measures for dealing with societal risks so far and to sophisticate them and establishing a platform to achieve international guidelines.

The postdoc will work closely with two PhD candidates. One of these candidates investigates the conceptualisations of life relevant for the creating life bottom-up. The other candidate focusses on how societal values can be embedded in the practice of creating a synthetic cell. The postdoc is expected to actively participate in the EVOLF consortium meetings.

Job requirements

• PhD degree in a relevant field, such as Philosophy of Technology, Science and technology studies (STS) or Political Science.
• Preferably a combined background in biotechnology or biology and any of the above mentioned disciplines.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, preferably with scientsist from the synthetic biology community.
• Good organisational skills.
• Research experience and writing skills demonstrated through a thesis, publications, or previous research projects.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
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!

Faculty Technology, Policy and Management
The Faculty of TPM provides an important contribution to solving complex technical-social issues, such as energy transition, mobility, digitalisation, water management and (cyber) security. TPM does this with its excellent education and research at the intersection of technology, society and policy. We combine insights from both engineering and social sciences as well as the humanities. TPM develops robust models and designs, is internationally oriented and has an extensive network of knowledge institutions, companies, social organisations and governments.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management.

Ontwikkelingstechnicus

Functieomschrijving

Je bent ambitieus en wilt graag grenzen verleggen. Het fijnmechanische vervaardigingswerk kent weinig geheimen voor je of wil ze doorgronden. Dat doe je met passie, geduld en doorzettingsvermogen. In de wereld van DEMO worden moderne bewerkingstechnieken gebruikt. Je vindt er de allernieuwste machines en werk je samen op een ontspannen collegiale manier. Bij DEMO haal je het beste in jezelf naar boven. Je denkt actief mee en je bent niet bang om je mening te geven en de discussie aan te gaan.

Je werkzaamheden bestaan uit het voor- en nabewerken van hoogwaardige samenstellingen van allerlei materialen. Je werkt daartoe uiteraard met CAD/CAM software en met hoogwaardige 3-assige en 5-assige CNC-machines. Je bent medeverantwoordelijk voor het volledige proces; van het vervaardigen van de 3Dtekening, het genereren van het CAM-bestand met de bewerkingsvolgordes, gereedschapskeuze en opspanningsmethode tot en met de kwaliteitsbeoordeling.

Je bent verantwoordelijk voor het (mede)ontwerpen, voorbereiden, opbouwen en vervaardigen en onderhouden van wetenschappelijke instrumentatie.

Functie-eisen

• Je beschikt over een MBO of MBO+ werk- en denkniveau en hebt een mts- diploma (of je kunt aantoonbaar op dit niveau functioneren).
• Je beschikt over kennis van werktuigbouwkunde en verspanningstechniek.
• Je bent een vakman met ten minste enkele jaren praktische ervaring op het gebied van 3-as en/of 5-as CNC-frezen.
• Kennis van Inventor en Hypermill is een pre.
• Eigenschappen die nodig zijn: accuratesse, klantgerichtheid, communicatieve en sociale vaardigheden om vorm te geven aan goede samenwerking, flexibiliteit en zelfstandigheid.

TU Delft
De Technische Universiteit Delft heeft een sterk fundament. Als bouwer van de wereldberoemde Nederlandse waterwerken en pionier in biotech is TU Delft een internationale topuniversiteit die wetenschap, engineering en design combineert. TU Delft staat voor onderwijs, onderzoek en innovatie van wereldklasse om uitdagingen op het gebied van energie, klimaat, mobiliteit, gezondheid en digitale maatschappij aan te gaan. Generaties Delftse ingenieurs hebben bewezen ondernemende probleemoplossers te zijn in bedrijfsleven en in sociale context.

Bij TU Delft omarmen we diversiteit als een van onze kernwaarden en zetten we ons actief in om een universiteit te zijn waar jij je thuis voelt en kunt floreren. We hechten veel waarde aan verschillende perspectieven en kwaliteiten, omdat wij geloven dat dit ons werk innovatiever, de TU Delft-gemeenschap levendiger en de wereld rechtvaardiger maakt. Samen bedenken en ontwikkelen we oplossingen die een positieve invloed hebben op wereldwijde schaal. Daarom nodigen we jou uit om te solliciteren. Je sollicitatie krijgt een eerlijke behandeling.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Universiteitsdienst – DEMO (Dienst Elektronische & Mechanische Ontwikkeling).
DEMO draagt bij aan het onderwijs en onderzoek van de TU Delft door het ontwikkelen, vervaardigen en onderhouden van unieke experimentele opstellingen, prototypen en instrumenten. Waar mogelijk en gewenst maakt DEMO de vertaalslag van wetenschappelijke probleemstelling naar praktisch product. Werken bij DEMO betekent deel uitmaken van een wetenschappelijke omgeving; dus betrokken zijn bij nieuwe ontwikkelingen, innovaties en maatschappelijke thema's. Er zijn ruim 80 collega's werkzaam bij DEMO, verdeeld over een aantal locaties binnen de TU Delft. Bij DEMO vind je een professionele en uitstekend geoutilleerde omgeving.

Postdoc in Taking Responsibility for Learning

Job description

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is looking for a postdoctoral researcher within the Innovation for Delft Engineering Education (IDEE) initiative, on the theme Students taking responsibility for their own learning process.

This position offers a unique opportunity to combine educational research and innovation. Over the past years, our research team has developed a shared conceptual and empirical foundation describing what it means for students to take responsibility for learning, and how this is understood by both students and teachers, including an exploration of learning-related behaviors and attitudes across diverse educational contexts.

Building on this foundation, the next phase will focus on studying the impact and practical enactment of these insights. The aim is to move from understanding what responsibility in learning is, toward examining how it can be effectively fostered, practiced, and sustained in higher education.

In this position, you will design and conduct research-informed educational studies that investigate how students and teachers put responsibility for learning into practice, what enables or constrains it, and how educational interventions can support it. You will collaborate closely with educators, researchers, and policy stakeholders to ensure that your work contributes to sustainable, evidence-based educational change at TU Delft and across the 4TU network.

You will be hosted by the Electrical Engineering Education Group at the Faculty of EEMCS. However, the project is part of a TU Delft IDEE initiative, and you will work in close collaboration with colleagues from the Teaching Academy and others across the campus.

Responsibilities:

• Design and conduct empirical research on how responsibility for learning is practiced and supported in higher education.
• Develop and evaluate educational interventions that promote student responsibility and agency.
• Investigate the effectiveness, adoption, and long-term impact of these interventions in diverse learning environments.
• Contribute to the creation of frameworks, tools, and resources that help embed responsibility in curricula and professional development.
• Collaborate with educators and institutional partners to align research outcomes with curriculum and policy developments.
• Disseminate results through peer-reviewed publications, workshops, and conferences in the field of engineering education and learning sciences.

Anticipated research contributions:

By the end of the two-year appointment, you will have:

• Conducted and published empirical studies examining how students and teachers enact and experience responsibility for learning.
• Developed and evaluated research-informed practices or interventions that support responsibility in engineering education.
• Contributed to a validated framework or set of indicators for studying and assessing responsibility in learning.
• Provided evidence-based insights for embedding responsibility and agency within curricula and teacher development initiatives.
• Shared findings widely within TU Delft and the international higher education community.   

Job requirements
You have:

• A PhD in education sciences, learning sciences, engineering education, or a closely related discipline.
• Proven expertise or strong interest in educational research design (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods).
• Experience or strong interest in educational design, curriculum innovation, or teacher professional development.
• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize and communicate research insights for diverse audiences.
• A collaborative mindset and an interest in contributing to educational change in engineering contexts.

Assets:

• Experience with design-based research or educational evaluation.
• Understanding of engineering education or institutional change processes.
• A record of publishing in international education or engineering education venues.
• Good command of English (Dutch is an advantage).

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
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!

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.