Focused ultrasound (FUS) brain stimulation is an emerging minimally invasive brain interface that combines high spatial resolution with high depth of penetration. Even though FUS has been shown great promise for the treatment of a vast range of neurological diseases, existing FUS stimulators are still bulky, power inefficient and with limited volumetric spatial resolution. This limits its applications to acute procedures, where test subjects are immobilized, and FUS helmet-like devices are controlled by robotic arms in a highly complex setup.

In this fully funded PhD project (UPSIDE EU grant - EIC Pathfinder Challenges), you will investigate power-efficient circuits and architectures to miniaturize the FUS apparatus into a single battery-powered IC capable of focusing and steering FUS waves in the three-dimensional space with high volumetric spatial resolution. You will be embedded in the research group of Dr. Tiago Costa and will have close collaboration with colleagues from the section Bioelectronics and the department Microelectronics.

Your work will allow our neurobiology colleagues to unravel the promising effect of FUS in the complex neural circuits involved in treatment-resistant depression.This can lead to minimally invasive and effective treatment for depression.

We make our selection based on the following general requirements:

• You should have earned an MSc degree at a recognized institute for higher education in Electrical Engineering.
• You should have a strong background in analog and mixed-signal IC design. A background in ultrasound transducer interfaces or neural interfaces is desirable.
• Your Grade-Point-Average should be above 8/10. Also your MSc thesis should have received a grade above 8/10.
• Your MSc thesis or later work (publications) should reflect some original ideas.Critical and independent thinking are very important.
• You should be able to communicate well in english (written and oral). It is expected to have a level of 7.0 or higher for IELTS-score, or 100 or higher for TOEFL-score. Provide TOEFL/IELTS scores if available.

Your resume should contain contact information of prior advisors/supervisors who can provide feedback. 

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

Fixed-term contract: 4 years.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2443 per month in the first year to € 3122 in the fourth year. As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance and sport memberships, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged. For international applicants we offer the Coming to Delft Service and Partner Career Advice to assist you with your relocation.

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 and aim to be as inclusive as possible (see our Code of Conduct). Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale.

Challenge. Change. Impact! 

Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three disciplines - electrical engineering, mathematics and computer science. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make future-proof. We are also working on a world in which humans and computers reinforce each other. We are mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. There is plenty of room here for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1,100 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.

The department Microelectronics (ME) focuses on microelectronics, microfabrication, signal processing, radar, and microwave systems. The research is clustered in three main themes: Health and Well-Being, Next-Generation Communication and Sensing, and Autonomous Sensor Systems. The department's activities are highly multi-disciplinary, involving innovative combinations of device physics, material science, and chemistry, on the one hand, with signal processing, circuit, and system design, on the other. They are also multidisciplinary about their scope of applications, as they play a crucial role in nearly all fields of innovation, ranging from advanced health care to telecommunications and smart grids.