Postdoc Tactile Robotics for Dexterous Manipulation

Job description
Dexterous manipulation represents one of robotics' most fundamental unsolved problems. While robots excel at precise positioning and heavy lifting, they fail at tasks humans perform unconsciously – sliding a glass without spilling, rotating a screwdriver with proper torque, or coordinating fingers to tie shoelaces. This gap has profound implications for manufacturing, healthcare, domestic assistance, and applications where robots must interact delicately with the physical world.

Current robotic systems rely primarily on vision and force sensors, missing the rich tactile information that enables human dexterity. Our lab pioneered a new tactile sensor technology (best student paper award at ICRA 2025) that offers unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity, providing robots with meaningful tactile sensing. This position represents a unique opportunity to leverage rich tactile information for dexterous manipulation.

Your role and impact as postdoctoral researcher, you'll lead the research in leveraging our tactile sensor technology to control grippers and multi-finger hands. Your primary mission involves developing control strategies that enable robots to perform complex manipulation through tactile feedback. You'll focus on three critical aspects of the problem: sliding motion control, rotation strategies for precise tool manipulation, and multi-finger coordination for more complex tasks.

We expect that you will blend theoretical approaches with hands-on experimentation, as well as collaborate with PhD candidates. You'll design experiments using our robotic platform, analyze tactile data patterns, implement real-time control algorithms, and validate performance across diverse scenarios.

You'll be part of the Tactile Machines Lab, which is a dynamic, interdisciplinary group of researcher bringing together expertise in robotics, sensing, machine learning, biomechanics, and haptics.

The project is funded by a NWO VIDI grant to the PI and provides financial security, access to state-of-the-art equipment, travel resources, and freedom to pursue new research directions.

You will work alongside two PhD candidates and numerous Master’s students, providing opportunities for mentoring.

Our lab maintains strong industry partnerships, offering opportunities to test algorithms on real-world applications.

This research addresses a fundamental robotics limitation that can potentially enable transformative applications. Your contributions will directly influence next-generation robotic systems, from surgical robots requiring precise manipulation to manufacturing systems handling delicate objects such as fruits.

Working on this project positions you at the forefront of robotics in the burgeoning field of tactile robotics. It is the perfect platform for you to gain expertise in cutting-edge sensing technologies, develop deep understanding of robotic manipulation, and build a record of high-impact publications.

Job requirements

• PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Strong background in robotic and control systems
• Experience with dexterous manipulation, tactile sensing or haptic systems
• Proficiency in programming (Python, C++, MATLAB, or similar)
• Experience with robotic platforms and hardware
• Knowledge of machine learning and signal processing techniques
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Publication record in robotics, sensing, or related fields

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 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.

Postdoc in Geodesy

Job description

TU Delft invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position focused on the development and application of Instantaneous-State InSAR for monitoring the built environment. While InSAR readily produces large volumes of application-agnostic (“double-A”) deformation products, these are inherently ambiguous and sub-optimal for decision-making in specific applications. This project addresses the scientific and methodological challenge of converting InSAR observations and estimates into actionable, application-specific information.

The postdoc will investigate how choices in the smoothness-doublet, quality, selection, representativity, parameterization, and visualization affect the optimality of InSAR products for well-defined applications. A central theme is the role of geodetic expertise in designing and evaluating IS-InSAR networks after data acquisition, analogous to optimal network design in conventional geodesy.

Job requirements
The successful candidate will:

• Develop methodologies for transforming Instantaneous-State InSAR estimates into triple-A InSAR Information Products.
• Evaluate visualization strategies, parameterization choices, and quality control procedures to support actionable interpretation.
• Assess uncertainty, stochastic properties, and geodetic consistency of IS-InSAR-derived results, avoiding hard separation between product generation and interpretation.
• Link IS-InSAR products to a geodetic reference frame using dedicated IGRS infrastructure and advise on integration with other geodetic data sources.
• Process X-band InSAR data over a five-year hindcasting period using multiple viewing geometries, followed by near-real-time (NRT) updates for at least two years over Singapore.
• Perform complementary C-band InSAR processing to increase point density and revisit frequency.
• Support the installation and operation of at least two new IGRS stations.
• Implement and evaluate the TU Delft IS-InSAR anomaly detection method to identify points requiring special attention at each new epoch.

Candidate profile

Applicants should have a PhD in geodesy, geomatics, or a closely related discipline. Strong expertise in Instantaneous-State InSAR processing, geodetic theory, stochastic modeling, and deformation analysis is required. Experience with multi-sensor data integration, reference frames, and applied monitoring of the built environment is highly desirable. The candidate should be able to work independently while collaborating in an interdisciplinary research team.

Outcome and impact

This research will contribute to scientifically grounded, application-specific IS-InSAR products that support reliable interpretation and decision-making for infrastructure monitoring and geohazard assessment.

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 Civil Engineering and Geosciences
The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions.
CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.

Postdoc Tactile Robotics for Dexterous Manipulation

Job description
Dexterous manipulation represents one of robotics' most fundamental unsolved problems. While robots excel at precise positioning and heavy lifting, they fail at tasks humans perform unconsciously – sliding a glass without spilling, rotating a screwdriver with proper torque, or coordinating fingers to tie shoelaces. This gap has profound implications for manufacturing, healthcare, domestic assistance, and applications where robots must interact delicately with the physical world.

Current robotic systems rely primarily on vision and force sensors, missing the rich tactile information that enables human dexterity. Our lab pioneered a new tactile sensor technology (best student paper award at ICRA 2025) that offers unprecedented spatial resolution and sensitivity, providing robots with meaningful tactile sensing. This position represents a unique opportunity to leverage rich tactile information for dexterous manipulation.

Your role and impact as postdoctoral researcher, you'll lead the research in leveraging our tactile sensor technology to control grippers and multi-finger hands. Your primary mission involves developing control strategies that enable robots to perform complex manipulation through tactile feedback. You'll focus on three critical aspects of the problem: sliding motion control, rotation strategies for precise tool manipulation, and multi-finger coordination for more complex tasks.

We expect that you will blend theoretical approaches with hands-on experimentation, as well as collaborate with PhD candidates. You'll design experiments using our robotic platform, analyze tactile data patterns, implement real-time control algorithms, and validate performance across diverse scenarios.

You'll be part of the Tactile Machines Lab, which is a dynamic, interdisciplinary group of researcher bringing together expertise in robotics, sensing, machine learning, biomechanics, and haptics.

The project is funded by a NWO VIDI grant to the PI and provides financial security, access to state-of-the-art equipment, travel resources, and freedom to pursue new research directions.

You will work alongside two PhD candidates and numerous Master’s students, providing opportunities for mentoring.

Our lab maintains strong industry partnerships, offering opportunities to test algorithms on real-world applications.

This research addresses a fundamental robotics limitation that can potentially enable transformative applications. Your contributions will directly influence next-generation robotic systems, from surgical robots requiring precise manipulation to manufacturing systems handling delicate objects such as fruits.

Working on this project positions you at the forefront of robotics in the burgeoning field of tactile robotics. It is the perfect platform for you to gain expertise in cutting-edge sensing technologies, develop deep understanding of robotic manipulation, and build a record of high-impact publications.

Job requirements

• PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Strong background in robotic and control systems
• Experience with dexterous manipulation, tactile sensing or haptic systems
• Proficiency in programming (Python, C++, MATLAB, or similar)
• Experience with robotic platforms and hardware
• Knowledge of machine learning and signal processing techniques
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Publication record in robotics, sensing, or related fields

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 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.

Postdoc in Geodesy

Job description

TU Delft invites applications for a Postdoctoral Researcher position focused on the development and application of Instantaneous-State InSAR for monitoring the built environment. While InSAR readily produces large volumes of application-agnostic (“double-A”) deformation products, these are inherently ambiguous and sub-optimal for decision-making in specific applications. This project addresses the scientific and methodological challenge of converting InSAR observations and estimates into actionable, application-specific information.

The postdoc will investigate how choices in the smoothness-doublet, quality, selection, representativity, parameterization, and visualization affect the optimality of InSAR products for well-defined applications. A central theme is the role of geodetic expertise in designing and evaluating IS-InSAR networks after data acquisition, analogous to optimal network design in conventional geodesy.

Job requirements
The successful candidate will:

• Develop methodologies for transforming Instantaneous-State InSAR estimates into triple-A InSAR Information Products.
• Evaluate visualization strategies, parameterization choices, and quality control procedures to support actionable interpretation.
• Assess uncertainty, stochastic properties, and geodetic consistency of IS-InSAR-derived results, avoiding hard separation between product generation and interpretation.
• Link IS-InSAR products to a geodetic reference frame using dedicated IGRS infrastructure and advise on integration with other geodetic data sources.
• Process X-band InSAR data over a five-year hindcasting period using multiple viewing geometries, followed by near-real-time (NRT) updates for at least two years over Singapore.
• Perform complementary C-band InSAR processing to increase point density and revisit frequency.
• Support the installation and operation of at least two new IGRS stations.
• Implement and evaluate the TU Delft IS-InSAR anomaly detection method to identify points requiring special attention at each new epoch.

Candidate profile

Applicants should have a PhD in geodesy, geomatics, or a closely related discipline. Strong expertise in Instantaneous-State InSAR processing, geodetic theory, stochastic modeling, and deformation analysis is required. Experience with multi-sensor data integration, reference frames, and applied monitoring of the built environment is highly desirable. The candidate should be able to work independently while collaborating in an interdisciplinary research team.

Outcome and impact

This research will contribute to scientifically grounded, application-specific IS-InSAR products that support reliable interpretation and decision-making for infrastructure monitoring and geohazard assessment.

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 Civil Engineering and Geosciences
The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions.
CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.

Postdoc Tracing Weibel-Palade Bodies in Disease using Multi-beam Volume Electron Microscopy

Job description

In multi-beam electron microscopy (EM), a sample is scanned by tens of beams instead of the single beam in a traditional electron microscope. The increased throughput of multi-beam EM enables large-scale and volume microscopy and identification of rare events or different stages in a dynamic process. In this PostDoc project, our aim is to visualize the life-cycle of Weibel-Palade Bodies (WPBs) in the context of disease using multi-beam EM (FAST-EM) with correlative fluorescence light microscopy of patient-derived endothelial cells.

WPBs are ~1-5 µm-long rod-shaped secretory organelles that store the hemostatic protein Von Willebrand factor (VWF). Following vascular injury endothelial cells (ECs) immediately release large quantities of VWF into the circulation. Low circulating levels of VWF increase the risk of bleeding, such as in Von Willebrand disease, while elevated levels of VWF are associated with elevated risk of thrombosis. The composition and 3D architecture of WPB during fusion and secretion of VWF have thus far remained unclear. This is mainly because traditional electron microscopy approaches have been unable to reliably capture rare events and perform 3D analysis. As a Postdoc operating in a unique collaboration between TU Delft and Erasmus Medical Center, you will tackle this issue with the high-throughput multibeam FAST-EM developed at TU Delft.

You will work at both the Bierings group at Erasmus MC and the Hoogenboom group at TU Delft. You will start by implement our existing and published FAST-EM array tomography workflow for high-volume high-resolution mapping of WPBs in cultured endothelial cells.

Initial setup with endothelial cells (ECFCs) from healthy donors. When successful this will be extended to ECFCs derived from patients, e.g. with VWF trafficking defects (VWD, Storage pool disease, etc) and to ECs in which specific proteins of interest are depleted via shRNA or CRISPR targeting. You will then capture WPB trafficking events using fluorescence-guided high resolution EM imaging. WPBs and endolysosomal organelles will be labeled using fluorescent reporters or fluorophore-labeled antibodies. Finally, after succesful EM, you will work on segmentation, annotation and analysis of organelles in endothelial cells. We will train a convolutional neural network (based on U-net, e.g. similar to MitoNet that we used before on FAST-EM data) to automatically segment organelles from FAST-EM imaging data, with a focus on WPBs, endolysosomal compartments and vesicles of the ER-Golgi pathway. While you are expected to be actively involved in all aspects of the researc, expertise and support for all steps of sample preparation, EM acquisition and data reconstruction, and segmentation is available in both groups via technicians and PhD student on related projects.

Job requirements
You are a highly motivated and talented researcher with a strong interest in electron microscopy for life sciences and the development and application of novel methodology. You enjoy working in a multi-disciplinary environment at the interface of bio-medical research and instrument development and innovation, implementing new techniques to achieve tangible results. Embracing the opportunity to work with leading industrial partners, you know how to collaborate and achieve meaningful results geared to the development of pragmatic applications. You also put your curiosity to good use: you don’t take anomalies for granted and take the initiative to dig deeper and spar with experts. Harnessing your communication skills, you convince colleagues at TU Delft and Delmic of your approach, models and programs. And you enjoy interacting with and coaching talented bachelor and master students, while expanding your own knowledge and competencies.

You also have:

• PhD degree in Molecular Biology, (Applied) Physics, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrable skills in electron microscopy for life sciences, such as cellular EM, volume EM, or cryo-EM.
• A solid understanding and proven expertise in Python and the use of computational techniques, preferably neural networks, for data analysis and segmentation.
• Excellent communiction skills, connecting easily with people of diverse scientific backgrounds and being able to bridge research groups at two different locations.
• A proactive and curious mindset, with the ability to explore complex problems independently and collaboratively.
• A good command of spoken and written English, as you’ll be working in an internationally diverse community. You will also write scientific articles and your dissertation in English and participate in English-taught courses.
• An enthusiasm for coaching bachelor, master, and PhD students, and for presenting your work in scientific articles and international conferences.

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 Applied Sciences
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.