PhD in non-volatile dual-mode optical memory for unconventional computing

Job Description
The exponential growth of computing capabilities has transformed nearly every aspect of modern society. Continuous advances in classical computer hardware architecture and semiconductor technology have enabled rapid progress in many fields of engineering and science. In many modern applications, particularly in advanced 3D imaging assisted characterization, sensing, simulation, vast amounts of data are generated and must be processed at extremely high speed in real-time. However, the rate of improvement in conventional computing hardware has begun to stagnate, creating a critical bottleneck with the slow-down in Moore’s scaling, limiting further performance gains. The bottleneck is in both operation speed but also the energy efficiency. Therefore, more efficient and faster compute hardware is needed. This PhD position contributes to such new hardware research.

Photonic computing hardware offers a promising alternative, leveraging the unique advantages of light for computation. Photonic processing could lead to low latency, low power dissipation, and fully utilize the intrinsic parallelism of light through wavelength or polarization multiplexing, enabling energy-efficient, high-speed, and massively parallel operations beyond the constraints of conventional electronics.

This PhD position aims to research new materials and tailor existing material properties in order to be used in a photonic memory concept for photonic computing. It should combine multi-level non-volatile storage with methodologies for both electronic and photonic read/write, resulting in the development of a novel 3D-stacked multilevel memory device, compatible with electronic and photonic chips. For that, you will use integrated photonics technology which is already shaping the future of our digital society. Ultrahigh bandwidth telecommunication, quantum and optical computing, AI datacenters, non-intrusive sensing, LiDAR, and intelligent manufacturing are all fast-evolving application fields utilizing integrated photonics, presenting opportunities for innovation and research.

The PhD position is funded through a grant awarded by Holland High Tech for a jointly proposed research from TU/e and company Motion Imager. This means you are able to connect research directly with the needs of industry within the project. This position will be in the Photonic Integration group at TU/e, leveraging years of expertise in integrated photonics technology and an established network in the field. The research group is working within several EU projects on the topic of photonic computing and you will be able to interact closely with other researchers and experts on this topic.

Job Requirements

• A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in physics and engineering.
• Experience with semiconductors materials, photonics, electronics is desired
• Ability to work in an interdisciplinary team and to collaborate with industrial partners.
• Systematic, analytical and research-oriented attitude to work
• Ability to take charge of your own project.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).

Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 3,059 - max. € 3,881 gross per month).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.

On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

The mission of the Department of Electrical Engineering is to acquire, share and transfer knowledge and understanding in the whole field of Electrical Engineering through education, research and valorization. We work towards a ‘Smart Sustainable Society’, a ‘Connected World’, and a healthy humanity (‘Care & Cure’). Activities share an application-oriented character, a high degree of complexity and a large synergy between multiple facets of the field.

Research is carried out into the applications of electromagnetic phenomena in all forms of energy conversion, telecommunication and electrical signal processing. Existing and new electrical components and systems are analyzed, designed and built. The Electrical Engineering department takes its inspiration from contacts with high-tech industry in the direct surrounding region and beyond.

The department is innovative and has international ambitions and partnerships. The result is a challenging and inspiring setting in which socially relevant issues are addressed.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager Weiming Yao, Assistant Professor, w.yao@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact Kevin Caris, HR-Advisor, k.t.caris@tue.nl.

Curious to hear more about what it’s like as a PhD candidate at TU/e? Please view the video.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application
We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

PhD in non-volatile dual-mode optical memory for unconventional computing

The exponential growth of computing capabilities has transformed nearly every aspect of modern society. Continuous advances in classical computer hardware architecture and semiconductor technology have enabled rapid progress in many fields of engineering and science. In many modern applications, particularly in advanced 3D imaging assisted characterization, sensing, simulation, vast amounts of data are generated and must be processed at extremely high speed in real-time. However, the rate of improvement in conventional computing hardware has begun to stagnate, creating a critical bottleneck with the slow-down in Moore’s scaling, limiting further performance gains. The bottleneck is in both operation speed but also the energy efficiency. Therefore, more efficient and faster compute hardware is needed. This PhD position contributes to such new hardware research.

Photonic computing hardware offers a promising alternative, leveraging the unique advantages of light for computation. Photonic processing could lead to low latency, low power dissipation, and fully utilize the intrinsic parallelism of light through wavelength or polarization multiplexing, enabling energy-efficient, high-speed, and massively parallel operations beyond the constraints of conventional electronics.

This PhD position aims to research new materials and tailor existing material properties in order to be used in a photonic memory concept for photonic computing. It should combine multi-level non-volatile storage with methodologies for both electronic and photonic read/write, resulting in the development of a novel 3D-stacked multilevel memory device, compatible with electronic and photonic chips. For that, you will use integrated photonics technology which is already shaping the future of our digital society. Ultrahigh bandwidth telecommunication, quantum and optical computing, AI datacenters, non-intrusive sensing, LiDAR, and intelligent manufacturing are all fast-evolving application fields utilizing integrated photonics, presenting opportunities for innovation and research.

The PhD position is funded through a grant awarded by Holland High Tech for a jointly proposed research from TU/e and company Motion Imager. This means you are able to connect research directly with the needs of industry within the project. This position will be in the Photonic Integration group at TU/e, leveraging years of expertise in integrated photonics technology and an established network in the field. The research group is working within several EU projects on the topic of photonic computing and you will be able to interact closely with other researchers and experts on this topic.

PhD Spotsize converter development In Photonic Integration Group

Introduction

• Develop, design and manufacture novel fabrication tolerant spotsize converters for Photonic Integrated Circuits.
• Validate models through experiments and enable fast and accurate design
• Collaborate closely with process, PDK, and PIC design teams and contribute to Europe’s photonics ecosystem through involvement with PITC, JePPIX, and PIXEurope partners

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are increasingly used in various applications. Coupling light in and out of the chip however remains challenging. This PhD position aims to develop a design framework for fabrication tolerant Spot Size Converters (SSC), the work focusses on:

• Exploring and designing new concepts for spot size converters (SSCs) on our Indium Phosphide (InP) Photonic integration platform
• Developing and optimizing a manufacturing process for the SSC in the Nanolab cleanroom at TU/e.
• Characterizing the developed components
• Developing robust methodologies to feedback experimental characterization results into the design and layout flow
• Creating compact modeling methods to incorporate experimental data into design of building blocks for extending process design kits (PDKs)

Job Description
PICs on InP have the big advantage to integrate all required optical functionalities in a single chip and hold great promise to address different markets powering AI, datacenters but also in sensing for automotive and medical applications. However, coupling light efficiently between optical fibers and the high-confinement waveguides on an InP chip remains a fundamental packaging challenge. Spot Size Converters (SSCs) are essential building blocks to ease the packaging and minimize interface losses. As PICs scale in complexity and packaging becomes a bottleneck, relying on purely theoretical simulations for these interfaces is insufficient; there is a critical need to bridge the gap between idealized designs and real-world fabrication tolerances.

We are looking for a PhD student to work on advanced design methodologies for spot size converters on InP PICs. The work will begin at the device level, exploring, simulating, and experimentally verifying various SSC architectures (such as lateral/vertical tapers or multi-layer transitions) to optimize mode matching, polarization dependency, bandwidth, and fabrication tolerance.

A core focus of your research will be establishing a systematic methodology to analyze experimental test results and translate that characterization data back into the design process.

Furthermore, you will collaborate in the PhI group to establish and expand a framework for compact models that builds on this experimental characterization data, ensuring that circuit designers have access to highly accurate, data-driven building blocks within the PDK.

Close collaboration is expected with colleagues responsible for process engineering, PDK development and PIC design. The appointed person will work closely with colleagues from Photonic Integration Group, expert teams at the Photonic Integration Technology Centre (PITC) and associated research groups. This role contributes directly to the advancement of the JePPIX Pilot Line and PIXEurope initiative, ensuring that the European design ecosystem remains at the forefront of global photonics technology.

Link for PIXEurope

Link for PITC

Job Requirements

• Masters degree in electrical engineering, applied physics, photonics or similar.
• Deep understanding of integrated photonics, optical waveguide theory, and mode coupling
• Ability to simplify complex physical behaviours to the core measurable parameters for efficient mathematical models.
• An affinity for hands-on experimental work, both in the cleanroom to manufacture devices and in characterization techniques and data analysis.
• Skills in programming (e.g., Python, MATLAB) and simulation tools.
• Expertise in photonic integration and experience with photonic design and electromagnetic simulation software (e.g., FDTD, EME, Mode solvers) is not a must, but having relevant background alongside enthusiasm and eagerness to learn is required.

Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment.
• Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 3,059 - max. € 3,881 gross per month).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.

On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

The mission of the Department of Electrical Engineering is to acquire, share and transfer knowledge and understanding in the whole field of Electrical Engineering through education, research and valorization. We work towards a ‘Smart Sustainable Society’, a ‘Connected World’, and a healthy humanity (‘Care & Cure’). Activities share an application-oriented character, a high degree of complexity and a large synergy between multiple facets of the field.

Research is carried out into the applications of electromagnetic phenomena in all forms of energy conversion, telecommunication and electrical signal processing. Existing and new electrical components and systems are analyzed, designed and built. The Electrical Engineering department takes its inspiration from contacts with high-tech industry in the direct surrounding region and beyond.

The department is innovative and has international ambitions and partnerships. The result is a challenging and inspiring setting in which socially relevant issues are addressed.

This is an EU funded project, named PixEurope Horizon Europe, with project number RT203295, within program ChipsJU.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring managers Luc Augustin, laugustin@tue.nl or Kevin Williams, K.A.Williams@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact Kevin Caris, HR-Advisor, k.t.caris@tue.nl.

Curious to hear more about what it’s like as a PhD candidate at TU/e? Please view the video.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application
We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. We give priority to complete applications.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.

PhD Spotsize converter development In Photonic Integration Group

PICs on InP have the big advantage to integrate all required optical functionalities in a single chip and hold great promise to address different markets powering AI, datacenters but also in sensing for automotive and medical applications. However, coupling light efficiently between optical fibers and the high-confinement waveguides on an InP chip remains a fundamental packaging challenge. Spot Size Converters (SSCs) are essential building blocks to ease the packaging and minimize interface losses. As PICs scale in complexity and packaging becomes a bottleneck, relying on purely theoretical simulations for these interfaces is insufficient; there is a critical need to bridge the gap between idealized designs and real-world fabrication tolerances.

We are looking for a PhD student to work on advanced design methodologies for spot size converters on InP PICs. The work will begin at the device level, exploring, simulating, and experimentally verifying various SSC architectures (such as lateral/vertical tapers or multi-layer transitions) to optimize mode matching, polarization dependency, bandwidth, and fabrication tolerance.

A core focus of your research will be establishing a systematic methodology to analyze experimental test results and translate that characterization data back into the design process.

Furthermore, you will collaborate in the PhI group to establish and expand a framework for compact models that builds on this experimental characterization data, ensuring that circuit designers have access to highly accurate, data-driven building blocks within the PDK.

Close collaboration is expected with colleagues responsible for process engineering, PDK development and PIC design. The appointed person will work closely with colleagues from Photonic Integration Group, expert teams at the Photonic Integration Technology Centre (PITC) and associated research groups. This role contributes directly to the advancement of the JePPIX Pilot Line and PIXEurope initiative, ensuring that the European design ecosystem remains at the forefront of global photonics technology.

Link for PIXEurope

Link for PITC

Postdoc Data Interaction for Remote Patient Monitoring Heart Failure Carepath

Introduction
Are you passionate about Design Research and the design of data-driven, hybrid care? Do you love working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, and complex multi-stakeholder ecosystems? Are you inspired by designing in the medical context and having a direct impact on quality of life for many patients? This Postdoc position will allow you to do all this in close cooperation with design researchers at Industrial Design TU/e, two leading regional hospitals (Máxima Medisch Centrum and Catharina Ziekenhuis Eindhoven), and MedTech partners such as LUSCII, BeterDichtbij, AIKON and Philips.

Job Description
Healthcare is undergoing rapid transformation, driven by rising chronic disease, workforce shortages, and the urgent need for more efficient, patient-centred models of care. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) has become a cornerstone of hybrid care, enabling follow-up outside the hospital while supporting quality, safety, and continuity of care. Heart failure – affecting around 240,000 people in the Netherlands – is one of the most common and fastest-growing chronic conditions to address. Yet large-scale, sustainable RPM remains limited, in large part because of the underlying health-IT infrastructure: centralised data integration approaches that copy, transform, and maintain data in multiple places, creating rigidity, high maintenance costs, limited scalability, and strong vendor dependencies. In response, a paradigm shift is emerging – data interaction – in which data remains in its source systems but becomes available in real time, contextually, and on demand to authorised users and applications. This Postdoc position offers the resources and collaboration to design, document, and further develop methodological insights around data interaction for cross-institutional, hybrid care, with a direct, real-world impact on the heart failure care pathway.

Máxima Medisch Centrum (MMC) and Catharina Ziekenhuis Eindhoven (CZE) already collaborate closely on RPM for heart failure within a regional ecosystem committed to innovation in digital and hybrid care, and a basic data-interaction system has already been realized. As Postdoc, you will lead the design of a unified, cross-institutional heart failure care pathway, develop a system-independent, care-process-driven data definition, and guide the implementation and evaluation of data interaction in daily clinical practice. You will also help shape the business and governance models that allow multiple MedTech vendors (LUSCII, BeterDichtbij, AIKON, Philips) to connect to the data-interaction layer, working towards a transferable foundation that can be scaled to other care pathways. A concrete goal for this Postdoc is to set up an effective design research agenda spanning clinical, technical, implementation, and business perspectives, in close cooperation with an Engineering Doctorate candidate and the clinical, IT, and vendor teams. Next to that, the Postdoc position will be connected to the Eindhoven MedTech Innovation Center (eMTIC).

The position is offered within the Industrial Design Department, Computational Design Systems cluster. Research at the Industrial Design department investigates the everyday interactions between people and the highly interconnected technology that surrounds them. We measure, model, and design for the user experience as individuals engage with social-technological networks — at home, at work, in transit, and at leisure — and create innovations that impact systemic structures and groups of people, addressing large-scale issues such as health, mobility, and sustainability through iterative, circular research-through-design with strategic stakeholder alliances.

The position is embedded in the Computational Design Systems (CDS) cluster, established in 2023, which develops integrated technological and methodological frameworks that support design practice and research at scale — providing access to emerging technology platforms, a shared conceptual language, and a community of practice. CDS takes a systems approach to design, with core expertise spanning information systems, human-data interaction, and machine learning, making it a natural home for advancing data interaction in hybrid care.

This specific position is in close collaboration with Catharina Hospital Eindhoven and Maxima Medical Centre. You will spend most of your time within the hospital. For the connection to the development of the data interaction concept primarily at the Catharina hospital, and across the hospitals for the design of the heart failure care pathway.

Job Requirements

• PhD in Industrial Design, HCI, Interaction Design, Health/Medical Informatics, Innovation Science or Management, or a comparable domain.
• Ability to conduct high quality academic research, demonstrated for instance by a relevant PhD thesis and relevant publication(s) on design research, healthcare innovation, data-driven or hybrid care, or health-IT and interoperability.
• Experience designing complex service or care processes in which process and technological solutions are effectively combined into workable, validated care pathways, with demonstrable skill in co-creation and (service) design methods such as journey maps, service blueprints, and stakeholder maps.
• Affinity with technical aspects of the data interaction concept. Hands on approach towards creating data definition and ability to set and translate technical requirements.
• Ability to communicate and cooperate with various clinical, technical, industrial, and academic partners and stakeholders, shown by relevant prior experiences and/or positive evaluations of these efforts.
• Excellent mastering of the Dutch and English language, good communication and project management skills (to be effective in the hospital setting designing the care pathway, including patient and professional insights, Dutch is a hard requirement).

Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for 2 years.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. € 4,241 max. € 5,538 gross per month).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A TU/e Postdoc Association that helps you to build a stronger and broader academic and personal network, and offers tailored support, training and workshops.
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as are a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) and a compensation for moving expenses.

On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.

Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.

The Department of Industrial Design conducts research on and education in the design of systems with emerging technologies in a social context. We excel at integrating various academic disciplines, including engineering, design, business, and social sciences.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager prof.dr. Mathias Funk, m.funk@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact HRServices.ID@tue.nl.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application
We invite you to submit a complete application using the apply-button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.
• List of up to five self-selected ‘best publications’.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.