PhD in Scalable Safe AI for Semiconductor Metrology

Introduction
Push multimodal GenAI beyond the lab. Join our research team as a PhD candidate to work on beyond the state-of-the-art model distillation and robustness methods, enabling efficient, reliable inference for challenging real-world problems in the semiconductor industry.

Job Description
Industry context and motivation.Pretrained foundation models bring lots of potential in semiconductors metrology. Multimodal foundation models combining data from multiple metrology sources, enable high accuracy in the early stages of next generation manufacturing process, and across many different usecases. As the process matures and enters high volume manufacturing, these models can be specialized through efficient fine-tuning and distillation to improve throughput in terms of both compute and data acquisition, while maintaining guaranteed performance on critical failure modes.

This PhD project focuses on developing data-efficient methods for fine-tuning and distillation under strict (customer fab) data and privacy constraints while providing performance guarantees for specific downsteam tasks.

Customer data can be indeed highly constrained. In particular, customers might not allow data to leave the fab, and datasets that are available can be limited and imbalanced.

The model performance requirements are expected to evolve over time – from early research to high-volume manufacturing. ML models should be able to adapt to changing accuracy, speed, and defect-detection requirements across the full lifecycle of a process node, and should cover a wide variety of use cases, across different customers, with minimal adaptation.

Developing beyond state-of-the-art techniques enabling such ML behaviour of ML would have a profound impact – facilitating more robust metrology models and significantly faster time-to-recipe across the maturity stages of a semiconductor process node.

Research settings:

PhD candidate will be formally employed with the Data and AI cluster at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciece and supervised by prof.dr. Mykola Pechenizkiy and dr. Ghada Sokar. The project is done in tight collaboration with dr. Jan Jitse Venselaar and dr. Jacek Kustra, of the ASML AI Research Team. The PhD candidate is expected to structurally spend time at both TU/e and ASML locations.

The project is part of NWO TTW Perspectief funded research program Foundation for Industry (FIND) - Large AI models for a resilient high-tech industry providing further opportunities for collaboration.

The project has access to the national computing infrustracture, TU/e HPC cluster SPIKE-1, ASML HPC cluster, ASML datasets, and potentially custom data through collaboration with e.g. IMEC.

Job Requirements

• A master’s degree AI, Machine Learning, Data Science, Computer Science or a closely related field.
• Solid background in machine learning.
• Strong programming skills for machine learning.
• Enthusiastic and motivated in application inspired ML research
• Interest in collaborating with industrial partners.
• Experience in model distillation, model adaptation and related topics is a plus.
• Good academic writing and communication skills.
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.

About us
Eindhoven University of Technology is a leading international university within the Brainport region 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.

With over 110 (assistant, associate and full) professors, almost 300 PhD and EngD students, about 1500 Bachelor students and 1000 Master students, the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science (M&CS) is the largest department of the TU/e. By performing top-level fundamental and applied research, and maintaining strong ties with industry, M&CS aims to contribute to science and innovation in and beyond the region.

Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager: Mykola Pechenizki, m.pechenizkiy@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process or the conditions of employment. You can also contact HR services M&CS, hrservices.mcs@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.
  We encourage applicants to reflect on three guiding research questions: (1) How can multimodal foundation models, combining data from different metrology sources, be designed to generalize across customers, process nodes, and use cases? (2) How can pretrained models be efficiently fine-tuned using limited and highly imbalanced customer data, while maintaining strong performance on rare but critical defect classes? (3) How can multimodal models be distilled into single-modality models to improve throughput, while preserving performance guarantees on underrepresented classes or populations?
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your projects, publications, and any other relevant items
• A copy of or a link to your MSc thesis or an example of your academic writing if the MSc thesis cannot be shared.
• The contact information of two references.

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 in Scalable Safe AI for Semiconductor Metrology

Industry context and motivation.
Pretrained foundation models bring lots of potential in semiconductors metrology. Multimodal foundation models combining data from multiple metrology sources, enable high accuracy in the early stages of next generation manufacturing process, and across many different usecases. As the process matures and enters high volume manufacturing, these models can be specialized through efficient fine-tuning and distillation to improve throughput in terms of both compute and data acquisition, while maintaining guaranteed performance on critical failure modes.

This PhD project focuses on developing data-efficient methods for fine-tuning and distillation under strict (customer fab) data and privacy constraints while providing performance guarantees for specific downsteam tasks.

Customer data can be indeed highly constrained. In particular, customers might not allow data to leave the fab, and datasets that are available can be limited and imbalanced.

The model performance requirements are expected to evolve over time – from early research to high-volume manufacturing. ML models should be able to adapt to changing accuracy, speed, and defect-detection requirements across the full lifecycle of a process node, and should cover a wide variety of use cases, across different customers, with minimal adaptation.

Developing beyond state-of-the-art techniques enabling such ML behaviour of ML would have a profound impact – facilitating more robust metrology models and significantly faster time-to-recipe across the maturity stages of a semiconductor process node.

Research settings:

PhD candidate will be formally employed with the Data and AI cluster at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciece and supervised by prof.dr. Mykola Pechenizkiy and dr. Ghada Sokar. The project is done in tight collaboration with dr. Jan Jitse Venselaar and dr. Jacek Kustra, of the ASML AI Research Team. The PhD candidate is expected to structurally spend time at both TU/e and ASML locations.

The project is part of NWO TTW Perspectief funded research program Foundation for Industry (FIND) - Large AI models for a resilient high-tech industry providing further opportunities for collaboration.

The project has access to the national computing infrustracture, TU/e HPC cluster SPIKE-1, ASML HPC cluster, ASML datasets, and potentially custom data through collaboration with e.g. IMEC.

Researcher: Quantum design kits In Photonic Integration Group

Introduction

• Develop the conceptual framework for describing the pilot production of quantum photonic integrated circuits from the designer perspective with process design kits (PDKs).
• Develop methods to quantitatively describe functional quantum elements in terms of their physical integration and design flow implementation.
• Contribute to and accommodate relevant standardisation initiatives, including commercial standards such that quantum design kits can eventually be implemented within a diversity of open and proprietary software titles.
• Enable and support a team of designers and design tool developers across Europe with the creation of standard format design kits for quantum chips and the associated validation methods.
• Break down requirements into tangible deliverables and deploy methods for assessing design kit maturity.

Job Description
The combination of quantum technology and integrated photonics offers a compelling route to upscaled quantum sensors, next-paradigm computation, and ultra-secure communications. Photonics4quantum (P4Q) is enabling this vision and integrating the capabilities into standardised design kits to enable a broad range of innovators to realise quantum circuits on the latest research and develepment platforms.

P4Q brings together 29 partners, comprised of universities, research and technology organizations (RTOs), and industrial foundries. Within the project, Process Design Kits and Assembly Design Kits are being developed, among other things, so that design and production are better aligned. Various photonic platforms are also receiving attention, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon nitride (SiN), thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), and alumina (AlOx).

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on highly complex and high capability platforms and workflows for designing and validating quantum photonic integrated circuits. You will be part of a team bringing the latest design methods and fabrication processes together for prototypes and production in across multiple market segments.

The role is funded by Photonics4Quantum European – one of the six European pilot lines for quantum technologies. An EU-wide initiative targeted at integrating chip design resources to offer a one-stop capability to designers. Further information may be found here.

https://www.utwente.nl/en/news/2026/1/763542/50-million-euro-european-quantum-pilot-p4q-launched

The position for the quantum design kit researcher will be in the Photonic Integration group at TU/e. The group leverages years of expertise in integrated photonics platform technology, pilot lines and design kit development. Synergies are foreseen with the design teams at TU/e already working on the PIXEurope Pilot Line and the euroCDP design platform. The existing team focusses on design flows for classical photonic integrated circuits and electronic and heterogeneous technologies. This new position focusses on the quantum-specific work-flows. The role benefits from the experience built up with the Joint European Platform for Photonic Integrated Circuits and Compenents (JePPIX.eu). The group has played an important role in open standards such as openEPDA.org and within the open access community jeppix.eu.

JePPIX: http://www.jeppix.eu/

EU chip design platform: https://eurocdp.eu/

PIXEurope: https://pixeurope.eu/

Job Requirements

• Doctoral education in electrical engineering or physical sciences or equivalent
• 3-5 years of experience in experimental research on quantum components
• Familiarity with wafer based processing technology is a distinct advantage but not a requirement
• Understanding of circuit designs and ability to convert high-level requirements to design workflows
• Strong aptitude and proven track record of hands-on experience with design tools. Experience in design automation is an advantage.
• Ability to establish good working relationships, and possess strong verbal and written communication skills
• Interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work in teams and collaborate effectively with people in different functions

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, with a possibility of a temporarily extension of 2 years.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10/11 (min. € 3,546 max. € 6,433).
• 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.
• 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.

About us
Eindhoven University of Technology is a leading international university within the Brainport region 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.

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 Dima Pustakhod, d.pustakhod@tue.nl, or group chair Kevin Williams, k.a.williams@tue.nl.

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

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

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.

Researcher: Quantum design kits In Photonic Integration Group

The combination of quantum technology and integrated photonics offers a compelling route to upscaled quantum sensors, next-paradigm computation, and ultra-secure communications. Photonics4quantum (P4Q) is enabling this vision and integrating the capabilities into standardised design kits to enable a broad range of innovators to realise quantum circuits on the latest research and develepment platforms.

P4Q brings together 29 partners, comprised of universities, research and technology organizations (RTOs), and industrial foundries. Within the project, Process Design Kits and Assembly Design Kits are being developed, among other things, so that design and production are better aligned. Various photonic platforms are also receiving attention, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs), silicon nitride (SiN), thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), and alumina (AlOx).

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work on highly complex and high capability platforms and workflows for designing and validating quantum photonic integrated circuits. You will be part of a team bringing the latest design methods and fabrication processes together for prototypes and production in across multiple market segments.

The role is funded by Photonics4Quantum European – one of the six European pilot lines for quantum technologies. An EU-wide initiative targeted at integrating chip design resources to offer a one-stop capability to designers. Further information may be found here.

https://www.utwente.nl/en/news/2026/1/763542/50-million-euro-european-quantum-pilot-p4q-launched

The position for the quantum design kit researcher will be in the Photonic Integration group at TU/e. The group leverages years of expertise in integrated photonics platform technology, pilot lines and design kit development. Synergies are foreseen with the design teams at TU/e already working on the PIXEurope Pilot Line and the euroCDP design platform. The existing team focusses on design flows for classical photonic integrated circuits and electronic and heterogeneous technologies. This new position focusses on the quantum-specific work-flows. The role benefits from the experience built up with the Joint European Platform for Photonic Integrated Circuits and Compenents (JePPIX.eu). The group has played an important role in open standards such as openEPDA.org and within the open access community jeppix.eu.

JePPIX: http://www.jeppix.eu/

EU chip design platform: https://eurocdp.eu/

PIXEurope: https://pixeurope.eu/

Management Assistent (0,6 fte)

Introductie
Ben jij dat administratieve organisatietalent dat energie krijgt van klantgericht werken?

Voor het team Planning & Support Center (PSC), bestaande uit vijf medewerkers, zijn we op zoek naar een zesde collega die binnen een informele, persoonlijke cultuur mee wil bouwen aan professionele dienstverlening. Daarbij hechten we grote waarde aan klantgerichtheid, lerend vermogen en samenwerken.

Het team PSC maakt deel uit van de afdeling Student Facilities dat weer onderdeel is van de dienst Education & Student Affairs. Onder ESA vallen ook de afdelingen Central Student Administration, Policy, Advice & Projects en Educational Advice & Quality Assurance.

ESA is hét centrale servicepunt voor aankomende en ingeschreven studenten van de Technische Universiteit Eindhoven. ESA levert een scala aan diensten zoals het inschrijven van studenten, het begeleiden bij studiekeuze, het geven van trainingen, het verzorgen van loopbaanbegeleiding en studiegericht taalonderwijs Engels en NT2.

Voor de managers van de vier afdelingen van ESA zijn we op zoek naar een Management Assistent.

Functieomschrijving
Als Management Assistent word je er blij van om alle secretariële en administratieve ondersteuning in de breedste zin van het woord te regelen voor de vier MT-leden. Jouw werkzaamheden binnen het team:

• Je houdt je voornamelijk bezig met het plannen en organiseren van verschillende overleggen, zoals teamvergaderingen, bila’s, jaargesprekken, sollicitatiegesprekken, evaluaties en beoordelingen.
• Je beheert de agenda’s en houdt Outlooklijsten bij. Je bent de steun en toeverlaat bij verschillende ketenoverleggen en Landelijk overleg Hoofden studentbegeleiding. Je plant de overleggen, maakt de agenda, stuurt uitnodigingen en notuleert. Ook ben je verantwoordelijk voor het up-to-date houden van de MS Teams omgeving. Daarnaast ondersteun je de secretaris Student Advisory Organ en het Joint Program Committee met het plannen van de vergaderingen.
• Je organiseert sociale evenementen voor verschillende teams. Catering regelen, cadeautjes bestellen, zalen reserveren en bestellingen doen via Proactis zijn taken waar jij je hand niet voor omdraait.
• Je werkt nauw samen met de Management Assistent van de directeur en je kunt elkaar vervangen bij afwezigheid.
• Je ondersteunt je PSC-collega’s bij hun werkzaamheden, zoals het verwerken van aanvragen van studenten voor financiële ondersteuning en voorzieningen. Het plannen van trainingen, cursussen en workshops die door de teams Career & Professional Skills en het Language Center gegeven worden. De werkzaamheden zijn roosters maken, zalen reserveren, de flexibele pool van trainers beheren en facturen afhandelen.

Binnen het team wordt een verdeling gemaakt van de werkzaamheden (eerste en tweede verantwoordelijke binnen dit takenpakket), waarbij het uitgangspunt is dat je elkaar kan vervangen en helpen.

Functie-eisen
Wie ben jij?
Je bent een energiek en positief ingesteld persoon die het leuk vindt om in een team te werken. Je werkt graag mee aan het bevorderen van een goede werksfeer en bent in voor het maken van een praatje en een grapje. Je communiceert graag met diverse klanten en vindt het een uitdaging om hun een zo goed mogelijke service te bieden. Dit doe je zowel in het Nederlands als in het Engels. Bij jou staat het leveren van kwaliteit en resultaat voorop, waarbij je planmatig en gestructureerd werkt. Je ziet het werk liggen en bent een aanpakker. Je kunt onder druk presteren, blijft daarbij flexibel en kunt prioriteiten stellen. Je hebt minimaal een afgeronde mbo-opleiding en je hebt een gedegen kennis van MS-Office.

Arbeidsvoorwaarden
Een boeiende positie binnen een internationale en tegelijkertijd persoonlijke universiteit. Je zit midden tussen de studenten, op een groene campus op loopafstand van het centraal station. Daarnaast bieden we jou:

• Een maandsalaris tussen € 3.057,- en € 3.985,- bij een fulltime dienstverband, afhankelijk van jouw kennis en ervaring (schaal 7 cao Nederlandse Universiteiten).
• Afhankelijk van CV en werkervaring behoort een aanstelling via EuFlex (detacheringsbureau van de TU/e) tot de mogelijkheden.
• Naast vakantiegeld, een structurele eindejaarsuitkering van 8,3%.
• Een gunstige regeling voor extra verlofdagen of een sabbatical.
• Een keuzemodel voor extra secundaire arbeidsvoorwaarden.
• Werktijden in overleg voor een optimale werk-privé balans.
• Ruimte voor jouw talent met doorgroeikansen en uitstekende ontwikkelmogelijkheden, zoals mentoring, workshops en coaching.
• Deels betaald ouderschapsverlof en een vergoeding voor reiskosten woon-werkverkeer, thuiswerken en internet.
• Een ruime werkgeversbijdrage aan de gunstige ABP-pensioenregeling.

Hier ontdek je nog meer informatie over onze arbeidsvoorwaarden. Bouw verder aan je carrière bij de TU/e!

Over ons
TU Eindhoven is een internationaal toonaangevende universiteit middenin in de Brainportregio waar wetenschappelijke nieuwsgierigheid en een hands-on mentaliteit samenkomen. We werken open en intensief samen met hightechindustrieën aan oplossingen voor complexe maatschappelijke uitdagingen. Onze verantwoordelijke en respectvolle benadering zorgt voor impact — vandaag én morgen. TU/e telt ruim 13.000 studenten en meer dan 7.000 medewerkers, en vormt een diverse en levendige academische gemeenschap.

Education and Student Affairs (ESA) is het centrale punt binnen de TU/e waar studenten en medewerkers uiteenlopende vormen van onderwijsondersteuning ontvangen. Er is een centrale ESA-afdeling met vier divisies (Center for Student Administration, Policy, Advice and Projects, Student Facilities en Teacher Support and Quality Assurance) en een ESA-team op elke faculteit.

Informatie
Herken jij jezelf in dit profiel en wil je meer informatie over de functie? Neem dan contact op met de vacaturehouder Leonie Kasje, team manager P&SC, l.kasje@tue.nl.

Voor vragen over het sollicitatieproces of de arbeidsvoorwaarden, neem contact op met Suzan Rondeel, HR adviseur, s.rondeel@tue.nl.

Nieuwsgierig geworden? Op www.tue.nl/jobs vind je meer over werken bij de TU/e.

Het betreft een tijdelijke aanstelling voor de periode van één jaar met de intentie om bij goed functioneren en gelijkblijvende omstandigheden het dienstverband om te zetten in een dienstverband voor onbepaalde tijd.

Sollicitatie
Ben je geïnteresseerd? Via de solliciteerknop ontvangen we graag je CV en brief met motivatie en omschrijving van je kwalificaties. Zorg ervoor dat je alle gevraagde documenten toevoegt. Wij geven voorrang aan complete sollicitaties.

De screening van kandidaten begint zodra de sollicitaties zijn ontvangen en gaat door totdat de vacature is ingevuld. Indien van toepassing, krijgen interne kandidaten bij gelijke geschiktheid voorrang op externe kandidaten.

We kijken uit naar je sollicitatie!

Let op

• Je kunt online solliciteren. Sollicitaties die per e-mail en/of post worden verstuurd, worden niet in behandeling genomen.
• Een voorafgaande screening (bijvoorbeeld een Verklaring omtrent Gedrag of kennisveiligheidscheck) kan onderdeel zijn van de selectieprocedure. Voor meer informatie over de kennisveiligheidscheck, raadpleeg de Nationale Richtlijnen Kennisveiligheid.
• Wij verzoeken je geen contact met ons op te nemen voor ongevraagde diensten.