PhD in signal processing for inpatient obstetric patient monitoring

In pregnancies that are complicated by fetal growth restriction in early pregnancy (before 32 weeks of gestation) the biggest challenge is to identify the right timing of birth. As late as possible to allow as much maturation as possible; but before hypoxia occurs that can cause fetal death or adverse neurological outcomes. The predominant method currently available is the fetal heart rate tracing, that can show obvious signs of fetal hypoxia: loss of heart rate variability and spontaneous decelerations.

Within the FGR PODS project (see www.fetalgrowthrestriction.com) you will explore if a new technique (foetal electrocardiography (fECG) can identify new patterns that may improve our timing of birth. The fECG (foetal electrocardiography (fECG) is a recent innovation that isolates the electric signal of the fetal heart, at a much-increased level of detail in comparison with the traditional Doppler method. We expect fECG will provide more useful information about cardiac function and hypoxia than the traditional Doppler method.

• You will leverage existing datasets that are collected with both conventional as well as with fECG in various hospitalized environments.
• Also, you will be instrumental in the international clinical study SAVE FGR that is integral to the FGR PODS program, in which data are prospectively collected and in which you will analyze the relationship of fECG to adverse outcomes at the greatest level of detail possible.
• Since it is a new field of research, there is ample room for your own initiatives.
• You will report your analyses in written manuscripts, presentations at relevant conferences and your work will culminate in a PhD-thesis.

• A flying start to your career in scientific research.
• Plenty of room for your drive to shape tomorrow's healthcare.
• Working on large-scale and in-house research, with motivated colleagues from all over the world.
• A contract for 12 months (extension possible for another three years; 36 months). The position is for 4 years.
• Salary scale OIO: € 3.017 gross in the first year to € 3.824 gross in the final (fourth) year and a year-end bonus of 8.3%. Calculate your net salary here.
• Holiday hours: 186,4 per year for fulltime and a possibility to save additional hours.
• Pension accrual with BeFrank, a modern, comprehensible and fairly priced pension.
• For >7 km each way, 100% reimbursement for public transport travel costs and, for private transport, €0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km each way.
• Do you prefer walking or cycling? Take advantage of our good bike scheme. Moreover, you will receive a reimbursement of €0.18 per km.

Watch this video with more information about joining Amsterdam UMC Research BV.

You will join the team at Amsterdam UMC and TU Eindhoven. A public-private collaboration with NEMO Healthcare is also present. The lead investigators, post-docs and PhD’s in the team have a variable background: medicine biomedical, AI, engineering. Your work location is split between Amsterdam and Eindhoven.

You will be part of the team of the researchline, with more PhD’s on different aspects of foetal growth restriction. In the team, personal and professional interactions are important, and educational meetings including journal clubs are organized on a regular basis. We hope that you will appreciate the open, relaxed, humorous atmosphere in which we also work hard to collaboratively solve our challenges.

Amsterdam UMC Research BV supports non-profit scientific research. In doing so, we provide researchers with everything they need to excel. Our principal investigators (PIs) and project leaders offer support in the field of project management, finance and human resources. In medical scientific research projects, legal support is also provided.

Watch the video to find out more.