PhD-position: Next-generation optomechanical sensing

Work Activities
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to work on cutting-edge optomechanical sensors. The project is part of a close collaboration between the Photonic Forces group at AMOLF, led by Ewold Verhagen, and the group of Simon Gröblacher at TU Delft. They are participating in QSTeM, a recently established Testbed for mechanical sensing, where novel sensors are designed, benchmarked, and developed with both academic and industrial partners. The project is partly carried out at the QSTeM laboratory in Delft and at the AMOLF institute in Amsterdam.

Mechanical resonators can serve as exquisite sensors for a wide range of signals such as accelerations and electromagnetic fields, with applications ranging from industrial process control and biomedicine to inertial navigation. This project seeks to develop novel sensors with high sensitivity and reliability, incorporating ultralow-dissipation resonators and quantum-limited optical measurement and control techniques. While the project takes an application-oriented approach, we are always fascinated by the fundamental physics aspects of advanced sensor technology. The project is at the interface of multiple fields: nano-engineering, optomechanics, and quantum technology. It has a highly experimental character but features strong ties to the theoretical background of the field.

You will be part of the Photonic Forces group at AMOLF, embedded in a rich research environment studying various topics within nanophotonics and nanomechanics. Prof. Ewold Verhagen will serve as your primary PhD advisor. At the same time, you will work closely with the other researchers in the QSTeM team; a highly interdisciplinary and international setting that brings together academic teams and industrial partners.

We offer an open and collaborative environment in which we focus on hands-on learning and personal growth of all group members. We are looking for excited and talented students, who are eager to develop new skills and engage new experimental and theoretical challenges. During your PhD, you will learn and employ all aspects of research on optomechanical sensors: from conceptual design and modelling to nanofabrication in the cleanroom, and from high-precision optical interferometry to writing papers and presenting your results at international conferences.

Please send your application at the latest by January 2, 2026.

Qualifications
We seek an excellent candidate with a background in physics or engineering, with relevant experience (preferably in quantum optics, photonics, (nano)mechanics or general AMO physics). You will need to meet the requirements for an MSc-degree, to ensure eligibility for a Dutch PhD examination. We strongly believe in the benefits of an inclusive and diverse workplace, and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

Work environment
The Photonic Forces team led by prof. Ewold Verhagen studies nanophotonics and nanomechanics. We investigate the fundamental physics associated with photon-phonon interactions in nanostructured devices, as well as the applications they allow. In particular, we explore new ways to measure and control mechanical motion down to the quantum level in optomechanical systems and develop novel sensor technology. All projects in the group involve the use and development of advanced optical measurement techniques and nanofabrication, with extensive support from the group leader and AMOLF technical staff. This project is partly carried out at the QSTeM lab in Delft, in close collaboration with the other team members there. We have a strong focus on stimulating development of students in all professional aspects. We strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where passion and enjoyment of science can shine. For more information, see www.optomechanics.nl and www.amolf.nl.

Working conditions

• The working atmosphere at the institute is largely determined by young, enthusiastic, mostly foreign employees. Communication is informal and runs through short lines of communication.
• The position is intended as full-time (40 hours / week, 12 months / year) appointment in the service of the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I) for the duration of four years
• The starting salary is 2.968 Euro’s gross per month and a range of employment benefits.
• After successful completion of the PhD research a PhD degree will be granted at Eindhoven University of Technology.
• Several courses are offered, specially developed for PhD-students.
• AMOLF assists any new foreign PhD-student with housing and visa applications and compensates their transport costs and furnishing expenses.

More information?
Prof.dr. Ewold Verhagen
Group leader Photonic Forces
E-mail: verhagen@amolf.nl
Phone: +31 (0)20-754 7100

Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.
Please annex your:

• Resume;
• Motivation on why you want to join the group (max. 1 page).

It is important to us to know why you want to join our team. This means that we will only consider your application if it entails your motivation letter.

The application deadline closes on January 2, 2026.

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Diversity code
AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

PhD-position: Next-generation optomechanical sensing

Work Activities
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to work on cutting-edge optomechanical sensors. The project is part of a close collaboration between the Photonic Forces group at AMOLF, led by Ewold Verhagen, and the group of Simon Gröblacher at TU Delft. They are participating in QSTeM, a recently established Testbed for mechanical sensing, where novel sensors are designed, benchmarked, and developed with both academic and industrial partners. The project is partly carried out at the QSTeM laboratory in Delft and at the AMOLF institute in Amsterdam.

Mechanical resonators can serve as exquisite sensors for a wide range of signals such as accelerations and electromagnetic fields, with applications ranging from industrial process control and biomedicine to inertial navigation. This project seeks to develop novel sensors with high sensitivity and reliability, incorporating ultralow-dissipation resonators and quantum-limited optical measurement and control techniques. While the project takes an application-oriented approach, we are always fascinated by the fundamental physics aspects of advanced sensor technology. The project is at the interface of multiple fields: nano-engineering, optomechanics, and quantum technology. It has a highly experimental character but features strong ties to the theoretical background of the field.

You will be part of the Photonic Forces group at AMOLF, embedded in a rich research environment studying various topics within nanophotonics and nanomechanics. Prof. Ewold Verhagen will serve as your primary PhD advisor. At the same time, you will work closely with the other researchers in the QSTeM team; a highly interdisciplinary and international setting that brings together academic teams and industrial partners.

We offer an open and collaborative environment in which we focus on hands-on learning and personal growth of all group members. We are looking for excited and talented students, who are eager to develop new skills and engage new experimental and theoretical challenges. During your PhD, you will learn and employ all aspects of research on optomechanical sensors: from conceptual design and modelling to nanofabrication in the cleanroom, and from high-precision optical interferometry to writing papers and presenting your results at international conferences.

Please send your application at the latest by January 2, 2026.

Qualifications
We seek an excellent candidate with a background in physics or engineering, with relevant experience (preferably in quantum optics, photonics, (nano)mechanics or general AMO physics). You will need to meet the requirements for an MSc-degree, to ensure eligibility for a Dutch PhD examination. We strongly believe in the benefits of an inclusive and diverse workplace, and encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

Work environment
The Photonic Forces team led by prof. Ewold Verhagen studies nanophotonics and nanomechanics. We investigate the fundamental physics associated with photon-phonon interactions in nanostructured devices, as well as the applications they allow. In particular, we explore new ways to measure and control mechanical motion down to the quantum level in optomechanical systems and develop novel sensor technology. All projects in the group involve the use and development of advanced optical measurement techniques and nanofabrication, with extensive support from the group leader and AMOLF technical staff. This project is partly carried out at the QSTeM lab in Delft, in close collaboration with the other team members there. We have a strong focus on stimulating development of students in all professional aspects. We strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where passion and enjoyment of science can shine. For more information, see www.optomechanics.nl and www.amolf.nl.

Working conditions

• The working atmosphere at the institute is largely determined by young, enthusiastic, mostly foreign employees. Communication is informal and runs through short lines of communication.
• The position is intended as full-time (40 hours / week, 12 months / year) appointment in the service of the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I) for the duration of four years
• The starting salary is 2.968 Euro’s gross per month and a range of employment benefits.
• After successful completion of the PhD research a PhD degree will be granted at Eindhoven University of Technology.
• Several courses are offered, specially developed for PhD-students.
• AMOLF assists any new foreign PhD-student with housing and visa applications and compensates their transport costs and furnishing expenses.

More information?
Prof.dr. Ewold Verhagen
Group leader Photonic Forces
E-mail: verhagen@amolf.nl
Phone: +31 (0)20-754 7100

Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.
Please annex your:

• Resume;
• Motivation on why you want to join the group (max. 1 page).

It is important to us to know why you want to join our team. This means that we will only consider your application if it entails your motivation letter.

The application deadline closes on January 2, 2026.

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Diversity code
AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

(Senior) Software Engineer

Work Activities
AMOLF en het Advanced Research Center for Nano-Lithography (ARCNL) verrichten wetenschappelijk onderzoek met circa 100 experimentele opstellingen, die door mechanici, elektronici en software engineers in samenwerking met wetenschappers worden ontwikkeld en onderhouden. Samen zorgen wij voor grensverleggende techniek waarmee toponderzoek wordt verricht. Voor dit voornamelijk projectmatig werk in multidisciplinaire teams zoeken wij een senior software engineer.

Je ontwikkelt unieke software voor experimentele onderzoeksopstellingen. Hierbij ligt de nadruk op aansturing van apparatuur (lasers, motoren), vergaring van data (camera's, detectoren, sensoren) en weergave en opslag van de onderzoeksgegevens. Als (senior) software engineer ontwikkel je applicaties voor de .NET omgeving, gebruikmakend van de programmeertaal C# op het Windows platform. Je ontwerpt, realiseert en test de software gebruikmakend van moderne technieken en tools. Je volgt de ontwikkelingen binnen software engineering en adviseert wetenschappelijk onderzoekers bij hun software activiteiten.

Qualifications
De ideale kandidaat voor deze functie:

• Heeft HBO werk- en denkniveau op het gebied van software engineering;
• Heeft ruime ervaring met het zelfstandig ontwikkelen van applicaties in C# met Visual Studio;
• Verkent graag de grenzen van het vakgebied;
• Heeft basiskennis van elektronica, wiskunde en natuurkunde;
• Werkt zelfstandig, toont initiatief en heeft teamgeest;
• Beheerst de Nederlandse en Engelse taal goed, de voertaal op de afdeling Software Engineering is Nederlands.

Ervaring met Python en/of het aansturen van hardware is een pré.

De kandidaat vindt het leuk om zich te verdiepen in de bestaande software-architectuur en die uit te breiden en te verbeteren in overleg met de afdeling. Tevens vindt de kandidaat het leuk om zelfstandig te werken aan diverse software applicaties voor de onderzoeksgroepen van AMOLF en ARCNL.

Work environment
De afdeling Software Engineering ondersteunt twee onderzoeksorganisaties; AMOLF en ARCNL. Bij deze organisaties op het Amsterdam Science Park werken in totaal circa 240 onderzoekers en 80 ondersteunende medewerkers.

AMOLF initieert en verricht toonaangevend fundamenteel onderzoek aan nieuwe, strategisch belangrijke complexe molecuul- en materiaalsystemen, in samenwerking met de Nederlandse universiteiten en industrie. Zie ook www.amolf.nl.

Het Advanced Research Center for Nano-Lithography (ARCNL) verricht fundamenteel onderzoek aan de fysica en technologie van nano-lithografie, in het bijzonder voor toepassing in de halfgeleiderindustrie. Het ARCNL is een publiek-private samenwerking tussen ASML en meerdere kennisinstellingen. Zie ook www.arcnl.nl.

De applicaties die je op de afdeling Software Engineering ontwikkelt hebben een gezamenlijke code base die in eigen beheer is en regelmatig wordt bijgewerkt naar de laatste standaarden en versies. Er is veel vrijheid om nieuwe technieken en standaarden voor te stellen en te testen. Verder hebben medewerkers op de afdeling hebben een vaste werkplek en een eigen PC of laptop. In overleg is deels thuiswerken mogelijk.

Working conditions
De werksfeer wordt in hoge mate bepaald door jonge, enthousiaste, veelal buitenlandse medewerkers. De communicatie is informeel en verloopt via korte lijnen. De secundaire arbeidsvoorwaarden zijn uitstekend. Training on the job en studiefaciliteiten zijn vanzelfsprekend. Inschaling vindt, afhankelijk van relevante kennis en ervaring, plaats in schaal 8 of 9; maximaal € 5.241 bruto per maand (excl. vakantiegeld en eindejaarsuitkering) bij een fulltime dienstverband. Het betreft een dienstverband van twee jaar voor 32 tot 40 uur, met de intentie van een aansluitend vast dienstverband.

More information?
Voor meer informatie:

ir. Ivo Klinkert

Hoofd Software Engineering groep

E-mail: i.klinkert@amolf.nl

Application
Heb je interesse in deze functie reageer dan vóór 1 december 2025 en solliciteer via onderstaande knop.

Online screening en een praktijktest kunnen deel uitmaken van de selectieprocedure.

Diversity code
AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

Theory of near-critical fluctuations and oscillations in a bacterial “brain”

Work Activities
There is immense diversity and complexity in all biological systems. Searching for universal principles is therefore a major goal in the physics of life, one candidate being collective systems tuned close to their critical points. Phenomena arising from such near-critical tunings are present over a broad range of living systems [1]. Statistical physics teaches us that such systems exhibit a rich set of dynamical properties, including strong sensitivity to external perturbations, extended correlations in space and time, and spontaneous excitations such as oscillations.

In this project you will apply both analytical and numerical modelling techniques to the well-understood sensory systems of Escherichia coli bacteria. Like all living organisms, E. coli possess machinery to sense the world around them. Their chemotactic sensory systems allow these bacteria to swim towards favourable environments — they climb up nutrient concentration gradients, and down gradients of toxic substances. This behaviour is achieved through a network of signalling molecules that begins with input chemoeffector molecules in the environment binding to receptors in a protein array at the cell surface. The chemosensory system (the bacterial “brain”) processes sensory information before producing an output chemical signal that controls its movement.

Prior work has established that interactions among protein molecules in these chemosensory arrays can be effectively modelled by the two-state (Ising) spin models of statistical physics [2]. Recent experiments at AMOLF have established that the strengths of nearest-neighbor couplings in these arrays are poised close to the Ising critical point [3].

Goal of the project
Your task will be to study how the dynamics of these near-critical arrays are affected by the biochemical signaling network within which they are embedded. These effects drive both order (by implementing stabilizing feedbacks) and disorder (by injecting additional stochasticity), profoundly impacting information transmission [4] and bacterial navigation behaviour.

This project will be a collaboration between the groups of:

Pieter Rein ten Wolde (Biochemical Networks, Theory)

Tom Shimizu (Physics of Behaviour, Experiment)

You will be guided by a PhD student (Evan Usher) and work in the group of Pieter Rein ten Wolde, in close collaboration with Tom Shimizu.

[1] Mora, T., Bialek, W. Are Biological Systems Poised at Criticality? J Stat Phys (2011)

[2] Tu, Y. Quantitative Modeling of Bacterial Chemotaxis: Signal Amplification and Accurate Adaptation, AnnuRev BioPhys (2013)

[3] Keegstra, J.M., Avgidis, F., Mulla, Y., Parkinson, J.S., Shimizu, T.S. Near-critical tuning of cooperativity revealed by spontaneous switching in a protein signalling array bioRxiv (2022)

[4] Tjalma, A.J, et al., Trade-offs between cost and accuracy in cellular prediction, PNAS (2025)

Qualifications
We are looking for an enthusiastic student with a strong background in statistical physics and experience in modelling. You hold a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Mathematics and are currently enrolled in a Master’s program in one of these fields. You have the nationality of an EU member state and/or are enrolled at a university in the Netherlands. You are available for a minimum of 6 months.

Work environment
AMOLF is a part of NWO-I and initiate and performs leading fundamental research on the physics of complex forms of matter, and to create new functional materials, in partnership with academia and industry. The institute is located at Amsterdam Science Park and currently employs about 140 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl

The Biochemical Networks Group combines analytical theory with innovative computational techniques to elucidate general design principles of cell signaling. To this end, it uses ideas from statistical physics and measures from information theory.

The Physics of Behaviour Group studies the overarching themes of behaviour in a diverse set of living systems, from bacteria to fungi. To achieve this, we combine experimental techniques, including fluorescence microscopy, microfluidics and genetic engineering with the theoretical tools of statistical physics.

For more information on both groups, visit www.amolf.nl.

Working conditions
At the start of the traineeship your trainee plan will be set out, in consultation with your AMOLF supervisor.

More information?
For further information about the position, please contact :

Evan Usher
PhD Student in Physics of Behaviour Group
E-mail: usher@amolf.nl
Phone: +31 (0)20-754 7336

Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.

Please annex your:

• Resume;
• List of followed courses plus grades.

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

Diversity code
AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.

Measuring strain of laser-excited gold plasmonic nanoparticles with 4D-STEM

Work Activities
Recent studies have shown that defects in metallic plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) could increase the reaction rate of catalytic reactions. These atomic defects can result in lattice strain and can for example be caused by excitation with ultrafast laser pulses. The study of lattice strain can be done with 4D-STEM, which we can perform in our recently acquired transmission electron microscope (TEM). Our TEM is unique as we can perform these strain measurements in situ under picosecond pulsed laser excitation. In this project, the goal will be to acquire 4D-STEM data under laser excitation and develop a suitable pipeline to analyze such large datasets.

Qualifications
You are currently enrolled in a Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, nano-science, sustainable energy, or a related field. You have a nationality of an EU-member state and/or you are a student at a Netherlands University. The internship has to be a mandatory part of your curriculum. We expect you to be available for at least 6 months, although longer is preferable.

Work environment
AMOLF is a part of NWO-I and initiate and performs leading fundamental research on the physics of complex forms of matter, and to create new functional materials, in partnership with academia and industry. The institute is located at Amsterdam Science Park and currently employs about 140 researchers and 80 support employees. www.amolf.nl

In the Hybrid-nanosystems group group, we investigate the interaction between different components in complex hybrid nanostructures and develop new architectures for such systems. The Hybrid Nanosystems group focuses on unravelling the interplay of morphology and underlying charge and energy transfer processes in metal-semiconductor hybrid nanosystems by combining advanced electron microscopy and single particle optical and time-resolved spectroscopy.

https://amolf.nl/research-groups/hybrid-nanosystems

Working conditions
At the start of the traineeship your trainee plan will be set out, in consultation with your AMOLF supervisor.

More information?
For further information about the position, please contact Tom Veeken: t.veeken@amolf.nl and Wiebke Albrecht: w.albrecht@amolf.nl.

Application
You can respond to this vacancy online via the button below.

Online screening may be part of the selection.

Diversity code
AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.

AMOLF has won the NNV Diversity Award 2022, which is awarded every two years by the Netherlands Physical Society for demonstrating the most successful implementation of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Commercial activities in response to this ad are not appreciated.