Researcher in focused ultrasound neuromodulation of peripheral nerves

Organisation/Company Ghent University Research Field Engineering » Biomedical engineering Engineering » Electrical engineering Engineering » Other Physics » Biophysics Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Application Deadline 16 Oct 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

• Faculty of Engineering and Architecture
• Department:EA05 - Informatietechnologie
• Occupancy rate:100%
• Number of positions:1
• Type of employment:Contract of limited duration
• Term ofassignment:8 maanden
• Wage scale:WM1 to WM4 (master degree or doctoral degree)
• Required diploma:Master or PhD

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With its 11 faculties and more than 80 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

The goal of this PhD or postdoctoral research is to design a focused ultrasound (FUS) system for spatially selective activation of the vagus nerve. The focus is on two usage scenarios: non-invasive transcutaneous FUS and minimally invasive FUS that places the transducer directly on the vagus nerve. FUS has been rediscovered in the past 15 years and has enjoyed much attention from researchers. Despite this, the mechanisms of action of FUS are still not well-understood. For this reason, this job opening focuses on fundamental research including simulations of FUS biophysics and validation in experimental in-vitro/in-vivo setups.

The first subobjective is to build extensive validated knowledge of the biophysics of FUS for vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). The second subobjective is to formulate the requirements of a prototype FUS system for VNS, focusing on steerability of the stimulation target and low complexity of implementation. The third subobjective, is to experimentally validate the simulation predictions. The project end result is a comprehensive set of requirements for a (pre)clinical FUS system for VNS. The end result should pave the way for a future prototype hardware realization of vagus nerve FUS.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a Master’s degree or a thesis-based doctorate in biomedical engineering, electrical engineering, engineering physics or in a related domain.
• The candidate has experience in simulations, prototyping and proof-of-principle experiments for focused ultrasound applications. Affinity with CMOS processes and transducer technology is a plus.
• Ability to devise creative solutions based on and going beyond the state-of-the-art.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer you a contract of definite duration for the period from 01.11.2026 to 30.06.2027.
• Your contract will start on 01.11.2026 at the earliest.
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers.

Your application must include the following documents:

• In the field ‘CV’: your CV and a transcript of your academic record (merged into one pdf file)
• In the field ‘Cover letter’: your application letter in pdf format
• In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of the required degree (if already in your possession). If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
• In the field “other documents”: a reference letter, an overview of your study results.

Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.