Marie Curie PhD vacancy

This PhD research will be undertaken under the MPE research group at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, a multidisciplinary team specialised in (micro)manufacturing, machining of advanced materials, design and integration of advanced manufacturing systems with a focus on precision, miniaturisation and process intelligence. The vibration and environment controlled research labs are located in the Leuven Nanocenter with state‑of‑the‑art manufacturing, metrology and characterisation infrastructure.

KU Leuven (University of Leuven) has been a centre of learning for nearly six centuries since 1425 and is one of the oldest and most renowned universities in Europe. It caters to over 60,000 students from more than 140 countries and offers internationally oriented PhD tracks for more than 4,000 doctoral students.

Project

KU Leuven seeks a highly motivated PhD candidate for a fully funded, international doctoral position within the Marie Sklodowska‑Curie Doctoral Networks (MSCA‑DN) project MicroMan4Health (Website: https://www.microman4health.eu/). MicroMan4Health pioneers a data‑centric micromanufacturing framework for added value in the healthcare/MedTech sector. This shift from process‑centric to data‑centric micromanufacturing constitutes a paradigm shift in how knowledge, control, and value will be created in micromanufacturing platforms for the health sector. The project brings together 26 partners (Universities and Industries) and integrates more than eight advanced micromanufacturing technologies.

This PhD project (DC5) focuses on the research of a digitalised micro‑Electrical Discharge Machining (micro‑EDM) process for manufacturing high‑precision micro‑electrodes for neural sensing and stimulation MedTech applications. The research combines micro‑EDM process research, in‑situ monitoring, process modelling and data‑driven analysis to improve the accuracy, surface integrity and manufacturing reliability of microelectrodes produced from biocompatible materials.

Responsibilities

• Investigate micro‑EDM material removal mechanisms and machining behaviour in biomedical alloys for sub‑micrometer electrode fabrication.
• Research and optimise micro‑EDM process parameters to improve dimensional accuracy, surface integrity and process stability.
• Design high‑frequency data‑driven frameworks linking discharge characteristics and machining signals to feature quality, surface roughness and manufacturing performance.
• Study tool electrode wear mechanisms and develop strategies to maintain dimensional accuracy during micro‑electrode production.
• Establish digital process‑monitoring and predictive modelling approaches for intelligent and reliable micro‑EDM manufacturing.

The project includes potential international secondments at Sarix SA (Switzerland), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and University of Pisa (Italy).

Eligibility

• Researchers can be of any nationality.
• Should not have been awarded a title of PhD (Applicants who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but not yet formally awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible).
• Should not have resided or carried out your main activity in Belgium for more than 12 months within the last 3 years.

Qualifications

• Holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Production Engineering or a related field in Science and Engineering.
• Has a strong interest in advanced manufacturing, precision engineering and digital manufacturing.
• Has experience working with experimental setups and laboratory equipment.
• Possesses practical knowledge of design of experiments (DoE), statistical analysis and scientific presentation.
• Has knowledge of electrochemical manufacturing, process monitoring and control (preferred but not mandatory).
• Has an excellent command of English (spoken and written) with Toefl or IELTS scores.

Offer

• A fully funded and full‑time Marie Curie PhD position with a remuneration package competitive with industry standards in Belgium.
• As part of the MicroMan4Health Doctoral Network, you will participate in several international doctoral training programmes (~12 weeks over 3 years) at different European locations.
• Excellent guidance by both University and industry experts and access to lab infrastructure with state‑of‑the‑art non‑conventional machining equipment.
• Opportunities to network and present your research at international conferences.
• Further doctoral training for PhD candidates as part of the KU Leuven Arenberg Doctoral School (https://set.kuleuven.be/phd).

Application and Contact Information

To apply, use the KU Leuven online application platform. Applications submitted by email are not considered. You can appl