PHD Position

A four-year PhD project in lab-on-a-chip technologies and mechanobiology to develop on-chip platforms for applying controlled mechanical stimuli to cells and studying cellular responses in defined microenvironments. The role involves interdisciplinary research and close collaboration with cell biologists to uncover how cells sense and interpret mechanical forces.

Essential qualifications:

• M.Sc. degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Bioengineering, or a related discipline
• Hands-on experience with microfabrication and microfluidics
• Strong background in fluid mechanics and transport phenomena
• Experience with fluorescence imaging or live-cell imaging
• Enthusiasm, self-motivation, creativity, and team spirit
• Excellent communication skills in English (verbal and written)

Preferred qualifications:

• Hands-on experience with hydrogel synthesis
• Programming skills (Python, MATLAB, or similar) for data analysis
• Ability to design and implement microcontroller-based control systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.)
• Familiarity with cell culture and biological assays

• Develop a miniaturized on-chip platform that delivers precise, real-time mechanical stimulation to cells.
• Implement microfabrication and microfluidic techniques to fabricate the platforms.
• Design and perform experiments using the platforms to study how cellular biomechanics are influenced by the surrounding microenvironment.
• Use fluorescence or live-cell imaging to monitor cellular responses.
• Collaborate with cell biologists to design experiments, analyze data, and interpret results.

Employment is offered in accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities. The successful candidate will be offered an initial one-year temporary position with the option to renew for another three years, contingent on sufficient progress in the first year. The position includes enrollment in a PhD training programme at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering and extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.

Additional conditions include 232 vacation hours per year (based on a 38-hour workweek), the ability to exchange working hours for more or fewer free hours, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and an 8% holiday allowance.

The university is an open academic community that values interdisciplinary research, collaboration with industry, healthcare, and societal organizations, and prepares students for careers inside and outside academia. The Faculty of Science and Engineering provides teaching and research across disciplines such as physics, biology, artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy, and contributes to societal challenges like energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology.

The Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) is positioned within the faculty and is physically located within a university medical centre. GRIP pursues multidisciplinary pharmaceutical research that bridges clinical and biomedical sciences with chemistry, mathematics, engineering, and physics, offering opportunities for cutting-edge research through collaboration across fundamental and clinical sciences.