EngD Program at TU/e

Are you fascinated by application of electromagnetics (EM) for healthcare? Are you eager to improve cancer treatment using advanced sensing technology? Within the project RADIATHE, we have a vacancy for a highly motivated EngD student. In this post-master's program, you will work on techniques to sense and control thermotherapy, as well as use MRI temperature measurements to validate and improve upon these. You will exploit modelling and experimentation to validate your findings, leading to a potential uptake for clinical testing and next to a certified medical product.

Description of the RADIATHE project

The project is a consortium of a research institute (TU/e), an academic hospital (Erasmus MC, Rotterdam) and a company (Sensius Thermotherapy) that aims to facilitate the widespread adoption of thermotherapy by developing a comprehensive quality assurance program to control real-time dosimetry. Clinical studies showed that thermotherapy, heating of tumors to 40-44˚C, significantly enhances the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy without adding side effects. Recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided thermotherapy was developed for monitoring temperature, but this approach is too expensive for broad application in general hospitals. RADIATHE will develop tightly controlled thermotherapy using advanced electromagnetic sensing and validate it using MRI based thermometry. In this way, controlled treatment can be delivered to a large group of cancer patients, for improving cure and/or decreasing toxicity without the need for MRI.

Tasks for the EngD in the project

In this project, you will work on a project aimed at developing a reliable 'push-button' quality assurance system for head and neck thermotherapy applicators. The main objective of this project is to quantitatively control the power deposition and heating delivered to a patient during a thermotherapy treatment. To achieve the goals, we will determine the optimal sensor technology for instant and dynamic 3D electric field measurements and integrate the sensing technology into patient anatomy mimicking setups. A user-friendly interface and fast workflow will be developed for wider adoption. To validate the device, a new measurement strategy will be implemented at Erasmus MC based on MR thermometry. Hence, while you will work on the electromagnetic sensing, there will be a close cooperation with the Radiotherapy group of Erasmus MC for validation. You will be partly based at Sensius BV in Rotterdam since this connection ensures timely commercial uptake.

Applicants must have or expect to receive a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering or Applied Physics, or equivalent. The selection of candidates is based on advanced-level courses, thesis work, and the interview process. During the interview process, emphasis will be placed on not just the educational qualifications but also the ability for creative thinking, teamwork competencies, and personal motivation. Although not mandatory, experience in the field of microwave sensing technology using integrated circuit and optical techniques, and solid coding skills, e.g. in Matlab, Python, or equivalent will be advantageous.

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an international setting with a close relationship to industry. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• Full-time employment for two years.
• A gross monthly salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, pregnancy, maternity leave, and partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• Additionally, an annual holiday allowance of 8% of the yearly salary, plus a year-end allowance of 8.3% of the annual salary.
• To support you during your EngD and to prepare you for the rest of your career, you will make a Training and Supervision plan, and you will have free access to a personal development program for Ph.D. students (PROOF program).
• Should you come from abroad and comply with certain conditions, you can make use of the so-called '30% facility', which permits you not to pay tax on 30% of your salary.
• A broad package of fringe benefits, including an excellent technical infrastructure, moving expenses, and savings schemes.
• Family-friendly initiatives are in place, such as an international spouse program, and excellent on-campus children's daycare and sports facilities.