2 PhD positions on Measuring the Future of Power Electronics

The challenge:
Power electronics are central to renewable-energy systems, electric mobility, industrial electrification and modern power grids. New wide-bandgap semiconductor devices based on silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) can switch faster and reduce conversion losses, but their performance is increasingly difficult to measure with sufficient bandwidth, accuracy and traceability. When converter efficiencies exceed 99%, even very small measurement errors can obscure the losses that designers need to understand.

Within the EU Chips Joint Undertaking project Moore4Power, the University of Twente will develop new measurement sensors and methods for evaluating advanced power-electronic devices and converters. We are recruiting two PhD researchers who will work as a closely connected team. One position focuses on creating wideband current-sensing technology; the other focuses on sensor characterization and on electrical and calorimetric efficiency measurements.

Choose the research direction that fits you:
PhD 1 on Wideband current sensors has the primary emphasis of: electromagnetic sensor design, modelling, prototyping and experimental validation. The best fit is A candidate interested in high-frequency measurement techniques, sensor hardware development and precision experimentation.

PhD 2 on electrical and calorimetric efficiency measurement has the primary emphasis of: measurement-system design, sensor characterization, uncertainty analysis, converter testing and calorimeter development. The best fit is a candidate interested in measurement science, power conversion, thermal engineering and system-level power electronics evaluation.

PhD 1: Wideband current sensors for fast-switching power electronics
Fast SiC and GaN switching events occur on extremely short timescales. Measuring them demands sensors with exceptional bandwidth and minimal influence on the power circuit. In this PhD project, you will design, build and validate a new generation of wideband current sensors that can reveal switching behaviour and losses that are difficult to observe with today’s instrumentation.
Your research:

• Develop current-sensor concepts targeting a bandwidth above 300 MHz and an insertion inductance below 1 nH.
• Model the electromagnetic behaviour, parasitic effects, transfer characteristics and limitations of candidate sensor architectures.
• Design and fabricate sensor prototypes, including their mechanical integration, shielding, connections and readout interfaces.
• Develop experimental methods to determine amplitude response, phase response, time-domain behaviour, linearity and sensitivity to operating conditions.
• Characterize and calibrate the sensors in collaboration with VSL, the Dutch National Metrology Institute and a Moore4Power partner.
• Demonstrate the sensors in representative SiC and GaN switching circuits and quantify how sensor performance affects switching-loss evaluation.
• Publish the scientific results and translate promising concepts into practical measurement solutions for project partners.

PhD 2: Traceable efficiency measurement using electrical and thermal methods
For a converter operating above 99% efficiency, the losses are small compared with the power being processed. Quantifying these losses reliably therefore requires more than a conventional power measurement. In this PhD project, you will create and validate a measurement framework that combines wideband electrical measurements with a next-generation calorimeter. The result will be a powerful way to understand where losses occur and how confidently they can be measured.
Your research:

• Characterize wideband voltage and current sensors in both the frequency and time domains, including amplitude, phase, linearity, dynamic behaviour and environmental influences.
• Develop calibration and uncertainty-evaluation methods for using these sensors in electrical power and efficiency measurements.
• Apply the measurement system to investigate switching behaviour, switching losses and overall efficiency of SiC- and GaN-based converters developed at the University of Twente and by Moore4Power industrial partners.
• Design, build and validate a next-generation calorimeter with a novel thermal measurement approach for accurate loss determination.
• Combine and compare electrical and calorimetric results to identify systematic effects, improve confidence in the measurements and establish traceable validation routes.
• Optimize the methods for realistic converter operating conditions and communicate practical guidance to academic and industrial users.
• Publish the scientific results and demonstrate the methods on relevant power-electronic hardware.

What the two PhD researchers share:

• You will form a closely collaborating research team: the sensor concepts from PhD 1 will inform the measurement applications in PhD 2, while the validation needs from PhD 2 will guide sensor requirements and characterization.
• You will work at the interface of measurement science and power electronics, with access to expertise and laboratory facilities at the University of Twente and VSL.
• You will collaborate intensively with academic and industrial partners across Europe, including regular project meetings, technical exchanges and work visits.
• You will have the freedom and responsibility to shape your research direction, develop advanced experimental skills and contribute to solutions with clear scientific and industrial relevance.

PhD Position in Micro-Robotics

Minimally invasive interventions increasingly require tools capable of sensing, actuation, and manipulation at sub-millimetre scales. Micro-robotic systems enable highly miniaturized devices that can operate in confined anatomical environments and interact with biological tissue with high spatial precision.

This PhD project focuses on the development of surgical micro-robotic devices, with emphasis on micro- and nano-fabrication and optical technologies for sensing, actuation, and control. The research includes the design, fabrication, and experimental validation of micro-scale robotic platforms, integration of optical and imaging-based feedback, and development of modeling and control strategies for operation in complex biological environments. Particular attention will be given to scalable fabrication and integration of photonic sensing or actuation.

The project is conducted within the Surgical Robotics Laboratory and the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Twente, in close collaboration with the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology and clinical and international partners.

Two Assistant Professorship Positions in Sustainability Studies

We seek new enthusiastic colleagues whose academic training and research experience provide a clear foundation for contributing to:

Position 1: Social science, quantitative and qualitative methods, governance and policy studies, innovation and transition studies, participatory approaches, co-creation, transdisciplinary research, particularly in the domain of energy and climate change.

Position 2: Spatial data science, modelling (incl. ABM) and visualization, economic methods, and aiming for transparency, trend analysis and evidence-based policies, in multiple domains and upon multiple sustainability challenges.

Responsibilities
You will contribute to CSTM's research and teaching activities on pressing sustainability challenges, such as the energy transition, water governance, and climate change. Through your research, you will strengthen the research profile by contributing to collaborative projects, publishing in leading academic and professional outlets, and pursuing opportunities for external funding. This includes actively engaging with policymakers, practitioners, communities, and industry partners to ensure that research findings contribute to societal impact and are accessible to a broad range of stakeholders.Working closely with colleagues and research partners at regional, national, and international levels, you will contribute to interdisciplinary collaboration, academic networks, and the co-supervision of PhD candidates.In education, responsibilities include teaching and, over time, coordinating courses at Bachelor's and Master's level within your field of expertise. You will create engaging, research-informed learning environments, supervise undergraduate and graduate students, and contribute to the further development of CSTM's educational portfolio.As an active member of the academic community, you will support an inclusive, collegial, and intellectually stimulating working environment.The position includes engagement in relevant departmental and university activities, participation in committees and academic initiatives appropriate to career stage, and contributions to the collaborative culture that characterises CSTM.

Career DevelopmentAs our new team member you will receive opportunities to develop a teaching portfolio, to establish and expand their research profile, and collaborate within and beyond the CSTM team, pursue external research funding and run and contribute to research projects. Close collaboration with experienced researchers and educators provides opportunities to further develop academic expertise while taking responsibility for parts of research projects and teaching activities.

PhD position on hermetic packaging of microfluidic sensor chips without glue or elastomers for ventilators and multi-infusio...

In medical equipment, many different gas flows need to be controlled, including gases such as O2, CO2, He, Xe, Kr, Ar, Ne, N2, N2O, and H2, all in varying concentrations ranging from 0 – 80%. Traces of up to 500 ppm of NO, CO, and H2S could occur in the gas mixture and should be detected. Some applications may require the use of gaseous anaesthetic agents such as isoflurane and desflurane. This also imposes demands on the chemical compatibility of the materials used.

In multi-infusion systems, the flow meters need to measure the amount of liquid pharmaceuticals as well as multiparameter measurements to measure the composition and parameters of the pharmaceuticals. Typical liquids to be administered are noradrenaline, dopamine, dobutamine, morphine, insulin, glucose and saline solution.

Whereas the flow sensors themselves are reaching the point that they can meet the required performance, an essential final problem still needs to be resolved. Namely, the connection of the flow sensor chip to the outside world without elastomer seal or glue, since these wetted materials can pose unacceptable risks in these applications. In breathing systems, elastomers can release volatile substances (VOCs) in the breathing gas path that the patient inhales directly. With multi-infusion systems, unwanted interactions between the glue and the different medications can occur, causing the glue to dissolve or the medication to become ineffective. This issue limits the application of microfluidics in the aforementioned demanding fields. This project aims to find methods to eliminate these urgent packaging issues. As the demand for advanced ventilators and multi-infusion systems grows, finding a suitable “glueless” sealing method will become a key solution in bringing MEMS based microfluidic flow meters to the medical and other markets, driving further innovation in healthcare and related technologies.

The goal of this project is to find a reliable packaging technique for silicon chips with embedded microfluidic channels that does not involve the use of glue or elastomer seals. The project will focus on microfluidic channels with a channel wall of low-stress silicon-rich silicon nitride. The proposed research aims to study the fundamentals of bonding glass or metals to silicon nitride coated silicon wafers as well as accessing the feasibility of using these bonding methods for MEMS-based microfluidic sensor packaging.

The targeted output of the project is a glueless sealing technique which allows to hermetically seal the fluidic channels of a MEMS-based microfluidic sensor to a fluidic adaptor. The seal shall be able to withstand pressures up to 30 bar at a temperature range between -20°C and 70°C. To extend the applicability of the microfluidic sensor, only inert materials for the seal and the adaptor will be considered.

The main challenges are (1) exploring the most promising bonding techniques that should be investigated, (2) carry out bonding experiments and analyse the results (3) design, fabrication and packaging of actual sensor chips in the MESA+ cleanroom and (4) evaluation of the resulting performance in our MEMS measurement lab.

The PhD candidate will work at the Integrated Devices and Systems (IDS) group within the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands. You will carry out the research at the University of Twente, with guidance from senior scientists and support from a senior engineer. Various teaching activities in your field of expertise may take up to 20% of your time.

SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR Digital Society Institute DSI

The Scientific Director embraces an inspiring and supportive leadership style and heads the Management Team that collectively leads the DSI institute. You will represent the UT in setting the research agenda, promoting the institute and the university, creating and maintaining regional, national and international partnerships, and seeking positions of influence relevant to the areas of expertise represented by DSI. These activities complement and support the efforts of principal investigators.
Your main task is to lead the institute (together with your MT) into the next phase, to develop its position and to expand scientific and societal impact of DSI and the UT.

In your role as Scientific Director, you:

• are responsible for strategic research, innovation and impact programming
• build and strengthen strategic partnerships
• initiate and coordinate new public-private partnership
• represent DSI and UT in relevant regional, national and international networks and ecosystems in an inspiring and persuasive way
• foster technology transfer and innovation in line with the goals and mission of the UT and DSI
• encourage, mobilize and inspire scientists to explore and realize new collaborations and partnerships
• are a sparring partner and advisor to the Executive board and Faculty boards, especially concerning the strategy of the UT concerning societal impact in relation to research and valorisation policy
• are a member of the team of Scientific and Managing Directors of the Institutes.

You are currently an associate professor or professor in a UT faculty. In your position as Scientific Director, you directly report to Rector Magnificus. In addition to being responsible for DSI, you contribute to defining the strategy and policy of UT. As such, you are a member of the Strategic Board (SB) and the University Committee for Research and Innovation (UC-R&I).