PhD Position Structural Biology of the Neuronal Synapse

Job description

A 4-year PhD position is available in the research group of Dr. Dimphna Meijer at the Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Netherlands.

The long-term goal of our research is to understand synapse assembly and disassembly at the molecular level, during health and disease. We address questions such as: What is the structural basis of synapse formation? What happens at the nanoscale in a diseased brain? Recently, we determined several cryo-EM structures of synaptic cell adhesion molecules that together reveal part of a molecular recognition code. In this project, you will take a bottom-up approach to study synapse assembly. You will work with minimal, well-controlled synaptic assemblies and characterize them using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), and complementary light microscopy approaches.

Specific objectives are:

• Setting up a cryo-ET FIB SEM workflow for synaptic assemblies
• Visualizing the nanoscale architecture of synaptic assemblies
• High-resolution structure determination of synaptic cell-adhesion molecule pairs
• Confirmative structure-function studies in primary neurons

You will be the scientific driver of the project and gradually grow towards independence as a researcher, while working closely with the PI and other group members. You will receive hands-on supervision and training in cryo-ET, structural biology and advanced microscopy.

The department offers state-of-the-art facilities, including high-end light and (cryo-)electron microscopes and advanced mammalian cell culture infrastructure.

Why join the Meijer lab?

You will join an international research group that values scientific rigor, open discussion and mutual support. As a PhD candidate, you will be closely supervised while being encouraged to develop your own ideas and scientific independence. The project combines fundamental questions with cutting-edge methods, offering excellent opportunities for personal and scientific growth. See also our group website www.dimphnameijerlab.org.

Job requirements
We are looking for a curious, motivated and collaborative researcher who is excited to work at the interface of structural biology and neuroscience.

• You hold a M.Sc. degree in nanobiology, biochemistry/biophysics, structural biology, or a related field.
• You have experience with electron microscopy or structural biology approaches, or a strong interest in learning these techniques.
• Experience with cryo-EM or cryo-ET is a strong plus but not required.
• You are fluent in English and enjoy working in an international research environment.

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.

PhD Position Structural Biology of the Neuronal Synapse

Job description

A 4-year PhD position is available in the research group of Dr. Dimphna Meijer at the Department of Bionanoscience, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Netherlands.

The long-term goal of our research is to understand synapse assembly and disassembly at the molecular level, during health and disease. We address questions such as: What is the structural basis of synapse formation? What happens at the nanoscale in a diseased brain? Recently, we determined several cryo-EM structures of synaptic cell adhesion molecules that together reveal part of a molecular recognition code. In this project, you will take a bottom-up approach to study synapse assembly. You will work with minimal, well-controlled synaptic assemblies and characterize them using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET), and complementary light microscopy approaches.

Specific objectives are:

• Setting up a cryo-ET FIB SEM workflow for synaptic assemblies
• Visualizing the nanoscale architecture of synaptic assemblies
• High-resolution structure determination of synaptic cell-adhesion molecule pairs
• Confirmative structure-function studies in primary neurons

You will be the scientific driver of the project and gradually grow towards independence as a researcher, while working closely with the PI and other group members. You will receive hands-on supervision and training in cryo-ET, structural biology and advanced microscopy.

The department offers state-of-the-art facilities, including high-end light and (cryo-)electron microscopes and advanced mammalian cell culture infrastructure.

Why join the Meijer lab?

You will join an international research group that values scientific rigor, open discussion and mutual support. As a PhD candidate, you will be closely supervised while being encouraged to develop your own ideas and scientific independence. The project combines fundamental questions with cutting-edge methods, offering excellent opportunities for personal and scientific growth. See also our group website www.dimphnameijerlab.org.

Job requirements
We are looking for a curious, motivated and collaborative researcher who is excited to work at the interface of structural biology and neuroscience.

• You hold a M.Sc. degree in nanobiology, biochemistry/biophysics, structural biology, or a related field.
• You have experience with electron microscopy or structural biology approaches, or a strong interest in learning these techniques.
• Experience with cryo-EM or cryo-ET is a strong plus but not required.
• You are fluent in English and enjoy working in an international research environment.

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.

Junior Researcher

Job description
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment in Delft University of Technology is looking for a researcher to work on a broader transdisciplinary European research project entitled "Re-Growth,” supervised by Professor Mauro Overend and Assistant Professor Olga Ioannou. The project is funded by the NEB-Horizon Europe research program.

The broader Re-Growth project addresses systemic gaps in the sustainable construction ecosystem by developing and validating novel bio-fabricated materials that unite regenerative design, aesthetic quality, and environmental performance. Re-Growth combines science, design, and citizen engagement in a transdisciplinary co-creation process. It delivers a technical and methodological framework for next-generation bio-fabricated construction materials, bridging biotechnology, digital design, and societal participation to accelerate Europe’s transition toward circular, inclusive, and beautiful built environments.

In your researcher role at TU Delft you will focus on developing structural biofabricated polymer composites, reinforced laminates, and sandwich panels using microbial extracellular polymeric substances derived from wastewater as a binding matter. These will be functionalized as load-bearing floors, facades, and wall elements. Research will further explore how these materials perform against structural, thermal, acoustic, fire, health, durability, and aesthetic requirements under variable climatic conditions following EU standards. Additional considerations will include how these materials are repaired, whether they can enter existing waste systems, and whether they can realistically scale.

Key activities include:

1. Establishing a participatory, transdisciplinary framework uniting architecture, design, engineering, social sciences, and the arts to co-create next-generation bio-fabricated materials through co-creation workshops, and consulations with a Community of Practice and a Transdisciplinary Board.
2. Experiment and validate composite materials that combine sustainability, aesthetics, and functionality. This involves engineering, design and multi-scale characterization of properties.
3. Organise focus groups, design reviews and open studios to elevate aesthetic appreciation and societal acceptance through focus groups and surveys and use the results to optimise formulations, finishes, and application awareness.
4. Craft scaled models and build a selected number of 1:1 scale demonstrators to enhance co-experiential, multi-actor, testing and validate desirability.
5. Explore mass-scale feasibility CE market readiness to address regulatory, and societal barriers to adoption through a digital and robotic manufacturing framework.

You will be part of a transdisciplinary consortium that consists of 15+ members. The candidate(s) will publish scientific articles, participate in international workshops and consortium meetings, and contribute modestly to teaching activities within the faculty.

A PhD is preferred, however candidates without a PhD but with a master’s degree in the field of Materials Engineering or Building Sciences are encouraged to apply.

Job requirements
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with:

• A doctoral dissertation or a master’s degree in the field of Materials Engineering or Building Sciences.
• A strong interest in bio-materials and bio-fabrication.
• Experience with material processing and product design (graduation thesis relevant to this field of research and/or at least one relevant publication).
• Strong skills in critical thinking, scientific rigor, and creative design-based research.
• Excellent oral, visual, and written communication skills (in English) – C1 Level.
• The ability to work independently, and as part of a team, and to build collaborative, interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary networks.
• Work experience is not essential but will be considered an asset.

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 Architecture & the Built Environment
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy, with four thousand people enthusiastically studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

Junior Researcher

Job description
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment in Delft University of Technology is looking for a researcher to work on a broader transdisciplinary European research project entitled "Re-Growth,” supervised by Professor Mauro Overend and Assistant Professor Olga Ioannou. The project is funded by the NEB-Horizon Europe research program.

The broader Re-Growth project addresses systemic gaps in the sustainable construction ecosystem by developing and validating novel bio-fabricated materials that unite regenerative design, aesthetic quality, and environmental performance. Re-Growth combines science, design, and citizen engagement in a transdisciplinary co-creation process. It delivers a technical and methodological framework for next-generation bio-fabricated construction materials, bridging biotechnology, digital design, and societal participation to accelerate Europe’s transition toward circular, inclusive, and beautiful built environments.

In your researcher role at TU Delft you will focus on developing structural biofabricated polymer composites, reinforced laminates, and sandwich panels using microbial extracellular polymeric substances derived from wastewater as a binding matter. These will be functionalized as load-bearing floors, facades, and wall elements. Research will further explore how these materials perform against structural, thermal, acoustic, fire, health, durability, and aesthetic requirements under variable climatic conditions following EU standards. Additional considerations will include how these materials are repaired, whether they can enter existing waste systems, and whether they can realistically scale.

Key activities include:

1. Establishing a participatory, transdisciplinary framework uniting architecture, design, engineering, social sciences, and the arts to co-create next-generation bio-fabricated materials through co-creation workshops, and consulations with a Community of Practice and a Transdisciplinary Board.
2. Experiment and validate composite materials that combine sustainability, aesthetics, and functionality. This involves engineering, design and multi-scale characterization of properties.
3. Organise focus groups, design reviews and open studios to elevate aesthetic appreciation and societal acceptance through focus groups and surveys and use the results to optimise formulations, finishes, and application awareness.
4. Craft scaled models and build a selected number of 1:1 scale demonstrators to enhance co-experiential, multi-actor, testing and validate desirability.
5. Explore mass-scale feasibility CE market readiness to address regulatory, and societal barriers to adoption through a digital and robotic manufacturing framework.

You will be part of a transdisciplinary consortium that consists of 15+ members. The candidate(s) will publish scientific articles, participate in international workshops and consortium meetings, and contribute modestly to teaching activities within the faculty.

A PhD is preferred, however candidates without a PhD but with a master’s degree in the field of Materials Engineering or Building Sciences are encouraged to apply.

Job requirements
We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with:

• A doctoral dissertation or a master’s degree in the field of Materials Engineering or Building Sciences.
• A strong interest in bio-materials and bio-fabrication.
• Experience with material processing and product design (graduation thesis relevant to this field of research and/or at least one relevant publication).
• Strong skills in critical thinking, scientific rigor, and creative design-based research.
• Excellent oral, visual, and written communication skills (in English) – C1 Level.
• The ability to work independently, and as part of a team, and to build collaborative, interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary networks.
• Work experience is not essential but will be considered an asset.

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 Architecture & the Built Environment
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment has a leading role in education and research worldwide. The driving force behind the faculty’s success is its robust research profile combined with the energy and creativity of its student body and academic community. It is buzzing with energy, with four thousand people enthusiastically studying, working, designing, conducting research and acquiring and disseminating knowledge. Our faculty has a strong focus on 'design-oriented research’, which has given it a top position in world rankings.

Staff and students are working to improve the built environment with the help of a broad set of disciplines, including architectural design, urban planning, building technology, social sciences, process management, and geo-information science. The faculty works closely with other faculties, universities, private parties, and the public sector, and has an extensive network in the Netherlands as well as internationally.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment.

Postdoc Surface Water Salinity Intrusion in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna Delta

Job description

Around the world, salinity intrusion in estuaries and deltas is increasing, threatening fresh water availability. This is also the case in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna (GBM) mega delta in Bangladesh, which is home to millions and among the most climate-vulnerable regions in the world. For future proof delta management, a thorough system understanding as well as science-based action perspectives on surface water salt intrusion are needed.

In this post-doctoral research project at Delft University of Technology (DUT) in The Netherlands – with partners from Bangladesh (Insitute of Water Management IWM, Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology BUET) and The Netherlands (Wageningen University & Research WUR, Deltares) – you will investigate saltwater intrusion in the GBM-delta and changes therein for a range of scenarios, develop quantified system understanding on responsible mechanisms, and evaluate the effectiveness of potential solutions and mitigation strategies.

More specifically, you will investigate how salt intrusion in the South-Western part of the GBM-delta is affected by changes in forcing and system geometry, like sea level rise, changing river discharges and reservoir management, land subsidence, cyclones, channel deepening and land reclamations. For this, scenarios will be developed together with IWM and BUET. To simulate these scenarios, you will develop and exploit a 2D-3D numerical hydrodynamic model for the SW part of the GBM-delta using the state-of-the-art modelling software Delft3D-Flexible Mesh, for which you can build upon earlier modelling activities within the consortium. The model will be validated using both existing and new data acquired by various consortium partners. Using the simulation results, you will investigate the main responsible salt dispersion mechanisms and differences therein throughout the SW GBM-delta and in time, with particular attention for the transport contribution of residual circulations in this system with many interconnected branches, and the effect of changes in tidal dynamics due to land reclamation. Based on the combined insights in drivers and dominant mechanisms of salt intrusion, it is our aim to develop and evaluate potential salt intrusion mitigation strategies. In this project, your supervisor at DUT will be dr.ir. Wouter Kranenburg, and you will be part of the Section of Environmental Fluid Mechanics within the department of Hydraulic Engineering. Other advisor and collaborators are prof.dr. Sara Nowreen (BUET), prof.dr. Ton Hoitink (WUR), Md. Abdulla Hel Kafi MSc (IWM), and dr. Sepehr Eslami (Deltares). We foresee at least one research visit to Bangladesh.

This project is part of the research program COAST-Water-Solutions, a bilateral program funded by the Dutch Research Council NWO, aiming for CO-creating Appropriate Strategies and Technologies for Sustainable Water System Management in the GBM mega-delta of Bangladesh, with work packages study groundwater salinisation, surface water salinisation, agricultural and drinking water availability, climate resilient pathways and a Living Lab from both natural and social science perspectives.  

Job requirements
For this postdoc project, the Section of Environmental Fluid Mechanics within the Department of Hydraulic Engineering at Delft University of Technology is looking for a candidate with a strong background in numerical modelling of environmental fluid dynamics, physical oceanography or hydraulic engineering, strongly motivated to study salinity intrusion mechanisms and solutions in the world’s most complex delta. Job requirements are:

• A PhD degree, preferably in Physical Oceanography, Numerical Modelling of Estuaries or Shelf Seas, Hydraulic Engineering, Physical Geography, Meteorology, Physics, Mathematics, or related field.
• Experience with numerical modelling of circulation and transport, preferebly related to estuaries or coastal seas.
• A strong proven affinity with physical processes behind circulation and transport, preferably related to hydrodynamics in estuaries or coastal seas.
• Excellent ability to think conceptually and quantitatively.
• Excellent ability to communicate in English both in speech and in writing.
• Excellent ability to function in multidisciplinary, diverse and multi-cultural groups.
• Good organisational skills and ability to work independently and in a team.

We are looking for a candidate with curiosity, motivation, a relevant background and a hands on mentality. If you are interested in this position, please explain your motivation in your application letter. Discuss what interests you in this particular project and how your background and experience relate to it.

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 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.