PhD Position in Multimodal Sensor Design for Agrifood

PhD Position in Multimodal Sensor Design for Agrifood

Category: PhD

1 - Working at the VUB

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.

TheFaculty of Engineering, Department Toegepaste natuurkunde en fotonica, Research Group Brussels Photonicsis looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains:

The development of novel spectroscopic sensors within the framework of the FWO-SBO-funded research project MOSAIC, Multimodal Optical Sensing and AI for Crop & Food Safety.

MOSAIC aims to develop and demonstrate a handheld, all-in-one optical spectroscopic sensing platform for real-time, non-destructive evaluation of plants and food products. The project focuses on a modular sensing system combining ultraviolet (UV), visible (VIS), and near-infrared (NIR) reflection spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, supported by a co-optimized smart illumination design and advanced AI-driven data processing. Miniaturization of the sensing platform will be achieved through the use of freeform optics, enabling the integration of multiple optical functionalities into a single optical surface while ensuring efficient beam shaping and light collection.

The PhD research will include:

• Development of a novel multimodal laboratory setup combining reflection, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy
• Performing and demonstrating spectroscopic measurements combining UV-VIS-NIR reflection, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy
• Analysis of multimodal spectroscopic data using advanced machine learning techniques
• Optical design and miniaturization of a novel spectroscopic sensor based on freeform optics, optimized for agrifood applications

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

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

A master's degree in physics, photonics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, or a related scientific field.

A strong interest in photonic systems and light-based technologies is essential, in addition to the following skills and expertise:

• Knowledge of optical spectroscopy and optical design, which is considered a strong asset.
• Experience with experimental optical setups, lasers, spectrometers, and fiber optics, is a strong plus.
• Good programming skills. Experience with Matlab, Python or a similar language and environment is a plus. Depending on the skills of the candidate, training can be arranged in the first year of the PhD.
• Good knowledge of numerical techniques and advanced simulation methods (ANSYS Zemax OpticsStudio) is considered a strong asset.
• You are expected to be able to carry out the research activities independently and in a critical manner, whilst having excellent communication skills and a positive attitude towards collaboration.
• Good time management skills are a must, along with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in both spoken and written English (typically CEFR level C1 or equivalent) is required. You will have the opportunity to take evening English classes to improve your language skills if needed.
• Willingness to travel within Europe and occasionally worldwide for conferences, workshops, and research stays at partner institutions.
• You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.
• As a (non-)EEA national, meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with the VUB residence requirements. More info here .

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