PhD Researcher in Modular Biomaterials for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering

Welcome to Maastricht University!
How can we design biomaterials that actively guide the regeneration of complex musculoskeletal tissues? At the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine, researchers work at the interface of biology, engineering and materials science to develop technologies that enable the repair and regeneration of tissues and organs.

PhD Researcher in Modular Biomaterials for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering

Our goal: To develop smart, instructive biomaterials that actively interact with the body and guide the regeneration of bone and bone–soft tissue interfaces, particularly under challenging biological conditions such as chronic inflammation, diabetes or ageing.

Your colleagues: You will join an interdisciplinary team within the Instructive Biomaterials Engineering and Complex Tissue Regeneration groups at MERLN, supervised by Prof. Sabine van Rijt and Dr. Niloofar Tahmasebi Birgani, and collaborate with researchers across the national DRIVE-RM consortium.

As a PhD Researcher in Modular Biomaterials for Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering, you will design dynamic biomaterial systems that can direct cell behaviour and support tissue regeneration. Your work focuses on dynamically crosslinked hydrogels that form mechanically tunable and self-healing networks. These materials will be engineered into microparticles with defined chemistry, shape and mechanics, which function as modular building blocks for bottom-up tissue engineering.

By assembling these microgels into granular hydrogels or combining them with cells, you will create miniaturized tissue constructs that mimic the complexity of bone and bone-soft tissue interfaces. Within these systems, you will investigate how biomaterials influence immune responses, vascularization, and stem cell behaviour, including migration, proliferation, and differentiation.

Your work is part of the DRIVE-RM Summit Program funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). This interdisciplinary programme connects biomaterials science, microfabrication, immunobiology, regenerative medicine, and in vitro disease modelling. Within this environment, you will develop advanced biomaterials and contribute to innovative regenerative strategies.

If you are a Master graduate with interest in biomaterial design and fabrication, and regenerative medicine who aspires to be at the forefront of scientific innovation, we invite you to apply. Within this project, you will mainly focus on:

• Design dynamic hydrogel-based microscale biomaterials
  You develop hydrogel-based microparticles with tunable chemistry, architecture and mechanical properties that mimic features of the extracellular matrix. These materials will serve as modular building blocks for bone and bone–soft tissue regeneration.
• Engineer modular bone and interface tissues
  You integrate biomaterials with relevant cell types using advanced 3D biofabrication techniques to build miniaturized bone tissues and bone–soft tissue interfaces with graded and anisotropic structures.
• Evaluate biological and mechanical performance
  You establish in vitro platforms to analyse immune modulation, vascularization and stem cell differentiation, and benchmark engineered tissues against native tissue structures.
• Collaborate in an interdisciplinary consortium
  You work closely with researchers at the MERLN Institute and collaborate with partners across leading Dutch universities within the DRIVE-RM programme.
• Share your research
  You publish your results in international scientific journals and present your work at conferences, contributing to the visibility and impact of the project.

Will you join us in advancing the future of regenerative medicine? Then we would love to meet you.

What you bring
It’s not about ticking boxes — it’s about who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in the profile below?

• You hold a Master’s degree in biomedical engineering, chemistry, biomedical sciences, materials science, or a related field.
• You have a strong interest in biomaterials, tissue engineering, or regenerative medicine.
• You have an excellent academic track record and a solid understanding of materials–biology interactions.
• You have hands-on laboratory experience in biomaterials synthesis, processing or physicochemical characterization.
• Experience with cell culture, 3D models or biological evaluation of biomaterials is an advantage.
• You enjoy working in an interdisciplinary and collaborative research environment and take initiative in your work.
• You communicate clearly in English, both written and spoken. Experience with scientific writing or publications is a plus.

What we offer
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• A 12-month contract with the prospect of a 3-year extension, based on positive evaluation.
• A gross monthly salary between €3059,00 and €3881,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week; scale P), plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time employment), four additional public holidays.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your research independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit interdisciplinary community to collaborate and grow with.
• Relocation support (if eligible) and a welcoming research environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML)
FHML is committed to health in the broadest sense: from molecule to human, and from healthcare to prevention. We train healthcare professionals and researchers through innovative educational programmes and conduct groundbreaking research in health and well-being. As part of Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), our international and interdisciplinary community forms a unique collaboration between university and academic hospital, where education, research, and care come together.

MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine
The candidate will perform this research with the departments of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering and Complex Tissue Regeneration under the supervision of Prof. Sabine van Rijt and Dr. Niloofar Tahmasebi Birgani at the MERLN Institute, Maastricht University. The project supervisors bring complementary and extensive expertise in biomaterial synthesis, hydrogel chemistry, biomaterials design, bottom-up tissue engineering, and musculoskeletal tissue regeneration, ensuring a highly supportive and intellectually stimulating environment for PhD training and scientific development. The MERLN Institute for Technology-inspired Regenerative Medicine focuses on developing novel and challenging technologies to advance the field of tissue and organ repair and regeneration. MERLN consists of an interdisciplinary team of researchers from various fields such as (stem cell) biology, materials engineering, chemistry, micro/nanofabrication, additive manufacturing, etc. The scientists at MERLN have an extensive network of collaborators within research institutions in and outside the Netherlands as well as with a number of biomedical companies, including their own spin-off companies, as entrepreneurship is highly fostered. MERLN houses researchers from across the globe who have successfully navigated the transition of moving to the Netherlands.

DRIVE-RM Summit Program
As a member of DRIVE-RM, you will be part of a large, interdisciplinary consortium, engaging with national and international stakeholders. The DRIVE-RM program (https://drive-rm.nl/) explores how smart, bioinstructive materials can guide the regeneration of tissues and organs inside the body. These materials don’t just sit there — they interact, respond, and adapt. Our goal is to understand how these materials behave in real biological environments, and to steer those interactions in ways that lead to safe, lasting, and scalable regenerative therapies. Our research is organized across three domains, each focusing on a different level of regeneration: cells, tissues, and complex organs. These domains are closely linked and supported by two hubs that provide advanced technology and clinical expertise.

Interested?
Are you enthusiastic about this opportunity but would like to learn more about it? Please feel free to contact the project supervisors, Dr. Niloofar Tahmasebi Birgani (z.tahmasebibirgani@maastrichtuniversity.nl) or Prof. Sabine van Rijt (s.vanrijt@maastrichtuniversity.nl) for more information.

Application Procedure
Are you excited to push the boundaries of regenerative biomaterials and ready to shape the future of musculoskeletal tissue engineering as our next PhD candidate?

To apply please submit the following documents via the online submission system. Applications sent by email will not be considered.

• Your CV;
• A cover letter describing your motivations for joining our team and your expertise relevant for the project;
• Copies of your Bachelor and Master diplomas and transcripts;
• A summary of your Master thesis (maximum 1 page);
• Names and contacts of at least two references.

Within three weeks of the application deadline, the candidates shortlisted for the first interview round will be contacted. The first round of interviews will take place online. The candidates proceeding to the second interview round will be invited to attend an in-person or an online interview.

We look forward to welcoming an enthusiastic and dedicated PhD candidate with knowledge of biomaterials and tissue engineering to our team!

Apply now via the button below.

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.