At the Department of BioEngineering at the University of Twente, an ERC Starting grant funded vacancy exists for a PhD student. The prospective PhD candidate will operate as part of the ERC team, which will consist of three PhD Students and one Postdoc, each with their own subproject. One PhD candidate position is available immediately. In this project, a novel 3D bioprinted strategy for the creation of vascularized tissues will be developed. This approach represents a front-line solution to functional tissues with complex architectures that can be used as in vitro models for research and screening, as well as for implantation in vivo as novel therapies.

Goal:

The aim of the presently available PhD-position is to use advanced biomanufacturing technologies including micromaterials and 3D printing to create complex tissues containing functional vascular structures. You will therefore work on the multidisciplinary interface of additive manufacturing, material science, microengineering, and cell/vascular biology. This will develop a wide skill set which will include the engineering of microfluidic devices, 3D bioprinting of tissues, bioink development, material characterization, cell culture and differentiation, tissue engineering, and writing highly visible scientific publications.

Where:

The PhD-candidate will work in the Leijten Lab of the department of Developmental BioEngineering. Our department has a strong history in the development of advanced biomaterials, which have been leveraged to create a family of next-generation bioinks for various biomedical applications. DBE is recognized as a Centre of Excellence and part of the Technical Medical Centre of the University of Twente, which is a widely recognized for its cutting edge developments in biomedical technology and advanced biomanufacturing.

• You hold a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering, Materials Science, Biomedical Sciences, or an equivalent master’s education;
• You have excellent analytical skills and an innate ability for solution oriented problem solving;
• You have strong interests in additive manufacturing, cell-biomaterial interaction, vascular biology, and/or tissue engineering;
• You have experience in 3D printing, material synthesis/characterization, and/or development of microfluidic microdevices. Experience in micromaterials, hydrogels, chondrogenesis/cartilage/vascularization will be considered as a benefit;
• You possess excellent social and communication skills, in academic as well as non-academic contexts.
• You love working in a team in which fundamental and applied research cross-fertilize.
• You have a creative and critical attitude, combined with perseverance and being flexible and stress-resistant.
• You are fluent in English language skills, both in speaking and writing.

INFORMATION AND APPLICATION

For additional information regarding this position, you can contact dr. J. Leijten: j.c.h.leijten@utwente.nl.

Your application should consist of:

• a cover letter (maximum 1 page A4), emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications and motivations to apply for this position;
• a full Curriculum Vitae, including a list of all courses attended and grades obtained;
• a short description (maximum 1 page A4) of your MSc research;
• contact details of at least two references who worked closely with you;
• if applicable – a list of publications.
• Candidates are invited to upload their application before the 16th of November 2018 to the application button below.
• Since only three documents can be uploaded per application, please combine documents if needed.

The University of Twente offers excellent working conditions, an exciting scientific environment, and a green and lively campus. We offer: 

• A PhD position for four years (38 hrs/week).
• A stimulating scientific environment with cutting edge infrastructure.
• Full status as an employee at the University of Twente, including pension, health care benefits and relocation compensation.
• Gross salary PhD student: ranging from € 2.266,00 (€ 2.325,00 as of 1-2-2019) (1st year) to € 2.897,00 (€ 2.972,00 as of 1-2-2019) (4th year) per month, plus holiday allowance (8%) and end-of-year bonus (8.3%).
• Excellent facilities for professional and personal development.
• Good secondary conditions, in accordance with the collective labor agreement CAO-NU for Dutch universities.
• A green and lively campus, with lots of sports facilities and other activities. 

Starting date of the position: as soon as possible, preferably January 1st the latest. The PhD student will be member of the Twente Graduate School in the research programme. The research programme offers advanced courses to deepen your scientific knowledge in preparation to your future career (within or outside academia). We provide our PhD students with excellent opportunities to broaden their personal knowledge and to professionalize their academic skills. Participation in national and/or international summer schools and workshops, and visits to other prestigious research institutes and universities can be part of this program. The research has to result in a PhD thesis at the end of the employment period.

The University of Twente. We stand for life sciences and technology. High tech and human touch. Education and research that matter. New technology which leads change, innovation and progress in society. The University of Twente is the only campus university of the Netherlands; divided over five faculties we provide more than fifty educational programmes. We have a strong focus on personal development and talented researchers are given scope for carrying out groundbreaking research.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Because of our diversity values we do particularly support women to apply.

Within the TNW Faculty (Faculty of Science & Technology) of the University of Twente some 700 staff members and 2000 students are involved in training and research on the interface of chemical technology, applied physics and biomedical technology. Fields of application include sustainable energy, process technology and materials science, nanotechnology and technical medicine. Research, which enjoys a high profile both at home and internationally, has been accommodated in the multidisciplinary research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centra and Digital Society Institute. The faculty works together intensively with industrial partners and researchers in the Netherlands and abroad and conducts extensive research for external commissioning parties and funders.