Postdoc in FitTape, Self-Reporting Smart Tapes for Material Passport and Health Monitoring

Are you ready to turn deep-tech research into real-world impact? Do you want to move beyond the lab and help build a new venture from the ground up?

Job description
Project Vision

Civil infrastructure, industrial assets, and energy systems are ageing under increasing loads and harsh environments. Today’s monitoring solutions are often expensive, energy-dependent, and difficult to scale—limiting widespread adoption.

FitTape aims to change this.

FitTape is a self-reporting, zero-power smart polymer tape designed for structural health monitoring and material passports. By providing direct, visual feedback on structural condition, FitTape enables intuitive inspection, reduces reliance on costly non-destructive testing, and supports data-driven lifecycle decisions. The technology is currently at TRL 4 and is being developed within a funded TU Delft Take-off project.

I am looking to hire an entrepreneurially minded engineer or researcher to join this Take-off project and help translate FitTape from a validated concept into a commercially viable product.

Location: TU Delt, Netherlands
Start date: 10 June
Duration: 6 months
Future perspective: intention to continue together in a co-founder role if there is a strong mutual fit.

About the Role
This is not a traditional research position.

This role is strongly oriented toward commercialisation, customer discovery, and early venture development, while building on a solid technical foundation. You will work closely with me to:

• Translate FitTape toward real-world use cases (infrastructure, construction, industry).
• Engage with potential customers, asset owners, and stakeholders.
• Ssupport prototype development and validation.
• Help shape the spin-out strategy and scale-up pathway.

Job requirements
This opportunity is particularly suited for someone who:

• Has a technical background (materials, engineering, sensing, mechanics, or related fields),
• Is already based in the Netherlands,
• Has Dutch language skills and/or strong communication skills (a strong plus),
• Is motivated to work at the interface of technology and business.
• Is looking to transition from research into entrepreneurship.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences
The Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences (CEG) is committed to outstanding international research and education in the field of civil engineering, applied earth sciences, traffic and transport, water technology, and delta technology. Our research feeds into our educational programmes and covers societal challenges such as climate change, energy transition, resource availability, urbanisation and clean water. Our research projects are conducted in close cooperation with a wide range of research institutions. CEG is convinced of the importance of open science and supports its scientists in integrating open science in their research practice. The Faculty of CEG comprises 28 research groups in the following seven departments: Materials Mechanics Management & Design, Engineering Structures, Geoscience and Engineering, Geoscience and Remote Sensing, Transport & Planning, Hydraulic Engineering and Water Management.
Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Civil Engineering & Geosciences.

Conditions of employment

• Duration of contract is 6 months starting form 10th of June 2026.
• A job of 40 hours per week. Candidates will be offered a 6 months period of employment in principle.
• Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• An excellent pension scheme via the ABP.
• The possibility to compile an individual employment package every year.
• Discount with health insurers on supplemental packages.
• Flexible working week.
• Every year, 232 leave hours (at 38 hours). You can also sell or buy additional leave hours via the individual choice budget.
• Plenty of opportunities for education, training and courses.
• Partially paid parental leave
• Attention for working healthy and energetically with the vitality program.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands. .

Additional information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Mohammad Fotouhi (m.fotouhi-1@tudelft.nl).

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 15 March 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV, including a list of all courses and marks (preferably Max 2 pages)
• Motivational letter, specifically addressing our position;

You can address your application to Mohammad Fotouhi.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.