Researcher - Next-Generation Roof Decking with Perforations and Micro-Profiling

Title: Researcher - Next-Generation Roof Decking with Perforations and Micro-Profiling

Employer: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)

Location: Boulevard de la Plaine 2 Brussels, Belgium

Published: 2026-07-16

Application deadline: 2026-08-24 23:59 (Europe/Brussels)

Job type: PhD

Field: Civil Engineering, , Structural Engineering, , Materials Engineering, , Mechanics, , Computational Engineering, and 2 more Programming Languages, Software Engineering

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.

2 - Position Description

The Faculty of Engineering, Department Mechanica van materialen en constructies, is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.

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

As a predoctoral researcher you will conduct experimental and numerical research on the structural behaviour and design of light- and micro-profiled steel roof sheeting, with the primary objective of improving the understanding of the mechanical behaviour and stability of these innovative roofing systems. The research will include the design and execution of laboratory experiments, the development and validation of finite element models, and the formulation of analytical and design-oriented models. Building on this work, you will contribute to complementary investigations on the combined effects of micro-profiling and patterned perforations on the structural performance of roof sheeting. In addition, the position involves experimental studies on the interaction between roof sheeting and the supporting steel structure, with particular emphasis on the rotational restraint and diaphragm action provided by the sheeting and their contribution to the stability and load-bearing behaviour of steel members. You will work in close collaboration with academic and industrial partners to support the development of reliable, efficient and sustainable design solutions for next-generation steel roof decking systems.

This doctoral project will take place in the frame of project PERFORM, funded by the European Union (Research Fund for Coal and Steel, RFCS).

The position might also include, to a limited extent, coordinating and supervising tutorials, laboratory sessions, and exercises (WPO) for courses taught by the MeMC department. The specific teaching assignment will be determined each year in consultation with you and your colleagues.

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

3 - Profile

• You hold a Master degree in Civil Engineering or a related field.
• You should have knowledge of the design and structural analysis of steel structures. Familiarity with the Eurocodes, especially those covering cold-formed thin-walled steel sections, is considered an asset;
• You have a solid background in mechanics of materials, computational mechanics and experience with finite element simulations and optimisation. You have expertise in the use of finite element software (preferably ABAQUS) and you have programming skills (preferably in Matlab, Python or C++);
• You are a person showing the necessary reliability, autonomy and initiative;
• Your former experience with (non-destructive) experimental characterization is an advantage;
• You are interested to perform experimental and analytical/numerical research;
• You are interested to interact and collaborate closely with academic and industrial partners during the PhD study;
• You are a team-player and can work in an international environment using English as a scientific communication tool. Proficiency in both spoken and written English (typically CEFR level C1 or equivalent) is required;
• You have an affinity for writing as you will be strongly encouraged to publish your work in peer-reviewed i