Professor Optical Fiber Sensing

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again.

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

The Faculty of Engineering, Department of Applied Physics and Photonics, is looking for apart-time professor.

More concretely your work package contains:

Education and Research domain:

Applied Physics and Photonics

You will be responsible for courses taken by Master students in Photonics, more in particular you can be charged with a course in Optical Sensors.

Research tasks:

You will perform research that fits within the research activities of Brussels Photonics (B-PHOT) as core lab of Flanders Make. We expect that you accomplish research with international visibility in the domain of photonics with a focus on optical fiber sensing technologies, photonic sensing systems and structural health monitoring for industrial and engineering applications,in particular:

• your research of excellent quality resulting in publications in international peer review journals in the fields of photonics and optical fiber sensing;
• your recruitment of fundamental-, strategic-, and applied projects at national and European/international level;
• your supervision and guidance of PhD students;

Other tasks:

You are willing to take up responsibilities in departmental, faculty and/or university governance bodies and committees and that you will contribute to outreach activities and the visibility of the university.

For this function, ourBrussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene)will serve as your home base.

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

You must hold a PhD awarded on the basis of an original thesis. You are an electrotechnical, electronic or photonics engineer or master in science (physics) and doctor in applied sciences or in engineering.

You dispose of the following competencies:

• Technical and scientific competencies: you have an expertise in optical fiber sensing technologies, with a proven track record of publications in international peer-reviewed journals;
• Research and project management competencies: you have a demonstrated experience in securing research funding, the ability to build and lead national and international research consortia and experience in fostering collaboration between academic and industrial partners;
• Teaching competencies: you have a proven experience in delivering high-quality university education, as well as supervising PhD students and leading research teams;
• Personal competencies: you show scientific excellence and vision, an entrepreneurial and proactive mindset, and strong communication skills;

Moreover, having an established professional network in the fields of photonic sensing technologies, optical fiber sensing, structural health monitoring and condition monitoring is considered a plus.

Candidates will be selected and ranked on the basis of their track record.

• You subscribe to the university’s vision of education. The full text in relation to this is available on the university website.
• Every first appointment is dependent upon the successful delivery of a teaching session.

Language regulations:

A member of the academic staff who is entrusted with a teaching assignment must also be able to demonstrate that the language of instruction is known at ERK level C1 through a qualification certificate or through an adequate diploma. The VUB also provides courses in, for example, academic English.

The administrative language of the VUB is Dutch. In case of insufficient knowledge of Dutch, the VUB will provide an integration course. After a maximum of five years, a member of the academic staff must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the administrative language (ERK level B2).

Certificates demonstrating knowledge of the language can already be