Computational biomechanist/software scientist

Movement is essential to human and animal life. Diagnosing and treating movement disorders involves expertise from diverse disciplines: rehabilitation & physical medicine, orthopedics, neurology, biomechanics and mechanical engineering. Over the last two decades, neuromuscular and musculoskeletal models have steadily improved patient diagnostics and treatment planning. The department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft is pursuing computational modeling to increase our fundamental understanding of human movement and to assist clinical decision-making by:

• developing algorithms that extract clinically relevant variables of human performance from motion-capture and wearable sensors
• constructing musculoskeletal models whose sensitivity to model parameters is well characterized
• implementing neuromuscular control, actuation and feedback structures that capture healthy and impaired neural control
• deploying software tools that are fast and easy to use by a worldwide community of movement scientists.

To meet these challenges we are seeking a passionate computational biomechanist/software scientist to implement high performance models and algorithms by working closely with faculty and student researchers in Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft. As a staff member you will be responsible for developing open source software as the primary vehicle for disseminating powerful new tools to a community of researchers and clinicians.

The ideal candidate will use this opportunity to make a massive contribution to Computational Biomechanics and Movement Science by developing one or more of the following:

• real-time neuromusculoskeletal simulation based on profiling and selective algorithm and memory management optimizations
• fast and accurate muscle/cable wrapping over arbitrary meshed volumes
• enhanced collision and contact handling for musculoskeletal models including nonuniform and non-flat surfaces
• accelerated and high throughput geometry calculations/transformations on the GPU
• a library of neurophysiological components for embedding spinal/neural structures in human and animal controllers (in OpenSim)
• enhanced modeling and optimization tools to compute the optimal model parameters with user composable cost functions.    

You must have:

• a strong desire to know how software and algorithms work and bring a passion for clean, robust, fast and efficient code
• a PhD in computer science, software engineering or a related field or equivalent (7+ yrs) experience in scientific computing
• accessible code repositories that demonstrate your designs and implementations of computational tools used by fellow scientists and researchers
• proficiency in object-oriented programming (ideally in C++) with a strong reliance on and use of design patterns
• expertise in automated build system management (e.g. CMake), leveraging collaborative revision-controlled repositories (GitHub, GitLab, etc…) and use of continuous integration/ test facilities
• extensive (re)use of (and contributions to) open source APIs: R, TensorFlow, OpenSim, Simbody, FEBio, ...

Nice to have experience with:

• wearable sensors, sensor fusion and related algorithms and APIs
• existing modeling software and physics-based simulator APIs
• (multibody) dynamics engines: Simbody, ODE, DART, …
• spatial transformations, analytical geometry, optimization methods
• continuum mechanics, finite elements and contact modeling
• model based sensor fusion algorithms for (realtime) biofeedback.

TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, a discount for health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. An International Children’s Centre offers childcare and an international primary school. Dual Career Services offers support to accompanying partners. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is a multifaceted institution offering education and carrying out research in the technical sciences at an internationally recognised level. Education, research and design are strongly oriented towards applicability. TU Delft develops technologies for future generations, focusing on sustainability, safety and economic vitality. At TU Delft you will work in an environment where technical sciences and society converge. TU Delft comprises eight faculties, unique laboratories, research institutes and schools.

The Department of Biomechanical Engineering at the Faculty of 3mE (Mechanical, Maritime, and Materials Engineering) was established 50 years ago. Its research program comprises Mechanical Engineering techniques, such as modeling and design, to analyze the interaction between biological and technical systems. This includes Medical Instruments & Bio-inspired Technology; Biomaterials & Tissue Biomechanics; and Biomechatronics & Human-Machine Control (see https://www.tudelft.nl/en/3me/departments/biomechanical-engineering/).

The department is also strongly involved in the educational programs of 3mE, including master programs on Biomedical Engineering, Biomechanical Design (a track of the Mechanical Engineering program), and Technical Medicine.   

To apply, please submit a letter of motivation and your resume by email to application-3mE@tudelft.nl.