Job description PhD 1
The PhD student will engage in the development and assessment of novel additive manufacturing technology and assessment of 3D printed constructs based on robotic additive manufacturing. The student will also engage in mathematics, coding, and modeling.

Job description PhD 2
The PhD student will work on developing and characterize new biomaterials able to change shape under external actuation. The biomaterials will be used in collaboration with PhD 1 for the biofabrication of new 3D printed scaffolds.

Job description Post-doc 1
The post-doc will work on modeling, mathematics, algorithm and coding creation, and software development in relation to the new robotic additive manufacturing technology and 3D printed scaffolds described above.

The candidates will have a proven outstanding record to be part of an exceptionally skilled team that is being assembled thanks to recent National funding secured by the department. The work will suit ambitious candidates who like a fast-paced, but friendly and collaborative international environment with new challenges and opportunities for growth

Requirements

Research at CTR is driven by technology development for the fabrication of biological constructs. The technological bases at the department for the fabrication of such constructs are:

• Additive manufacturing technologies for building functional 3D scaffolds, such as 3D fiber deposition, bioprinting, and digital light processing;
• Advanced electrospinning technologies for generating extracellular matrix-like fibrous meshes.
• Fabrication of highly functional film-based biomedical microdevices by micro and nanoscale 3D forming and superimposed patterned surface and bulk modification of thin polymer films;
• Engineering of artificial cellular microenvironments and of in vitro 3D tissue and organ analogues using the aforementioned 3D film micro- and nanotechnologies
• Lithography for multiscale hierarchical 3D substrates, e.g. 3D nanoimprint, 3D deep UV or 3D X-ray lithography.
• Bottom-up tissue engineering based on micro and nanoengineered objects as cell-assemblable instructive microscaffolds.
• Scaffold-free, self-assembled 3D tissues/organ spheroids.

Candidates for the PhD position in the field of robotics & mechatronics (PhD 1) should have a M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineering, control engineering, automation engineering, or applied physics, with already proven experience in developing robotic systems, and in particular additive manufacturing technologies. Excellent and proven knowledge of scientific English both in speaking, reading, and writing is required.

Candidates for the PhD position in the field of biomaterial chemistry (PhD 2) should have a M.Sc. degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science, or biomedical engineering, with already some experience in material synthesis, blending, and characterization thereof.

Candidates for the Post-doc position in the field of mathematics, modeling, and software development (Post-doc 1) should have a M.Sc. degree in mathematics, physics, or engineering, and a Ph.D. intimately close to the post-doc description. Proven experience in modeling, generation of coding, applied mathematics, and software development is also required.

Fixed-term contract: PhD's 4 years (1+3); Postdoc 1 year, with the possibility of extension for 2 years.

We offer a top-level research and academic environment with excellent opportunities for personal development. The work is highly interdisciplinary and the atmosphere in the group as well at the institute is collegial and collaborative.

The full-time PhD positions are offered for four years (1+3), with a yearly evaluation. The salary will be set in PhD salary scale of the Collective Labour Agreement of the Dutch Universities (€ 2,395.00 gross per month in first year to € 3,061.00 in the last year).

The full-time post-doc position is offered for 1 year initially, and can be extended for an additional 2 years, after a yearly evaluation. The candidates are expected to disseminate the results through publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at international conferences. The starting salary will be € 3,353.00 gross per month if candidate just finished PhD, otherwise subjected to the candidate’s experience.

On top of this, there is an 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO), supplemented with local MU provisions. For more information, look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > About UM > Working at UM.

Maastricht University

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 20,000 students and 4,700 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience. For more information, visit www.maastrichtuniversity.nl.