Innovation Mandate Opportunity in 3D Metal Printing, Data acquisition & Advanced Imaging

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 Applied Mechanics, is looking for a postdoctoral researcher. 

More concretely your work package contains: 

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

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You hold a Masters degree in either Mechanical Engineering, automation engineering or Electronic Engineering and a PhD or about to finish.

• You want to contribute to innovations in advanced data acquisition. You are a team-player and can work in an international environment using English as a scientific communication tool. The succesfull candidate:  

  • is motivated to become an expert in data acquisition and advanced imaging solutions that can be used for AI models; 

  • posseses practical and programming skills to conduct experimental and software development work, implement monitoring solutions and perform hardware modifications to industrial PC;

  • has a strong background in advanced software development preferably in C / C++ and hardware integration of cameras and framegrabbers for real-time purposes and ethernet based communications;

  • has basic scripting skills in Matlab and/or Python as required for data collection, processing and presentation;  

  • has  some experience in FPGA design and implementation;  

  • has a strong analytical spirit;

  • a customer oriented spirit to support industrial applications and commercialization.  

  Past experiences in the following topics are considered a bonus: additive manufacturing, machining, software development, (optical) measurement techniques, etc.

• 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.

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered a contract, for an assignment of 0.05 FTE, for 24 months (extendable, on condition of the positive evaluation of the research activities), with planned starting date 01/05/2026, depending on the call opportunities of VLAIO. 

Additionally, we offer:

• an interesting PostDoc position allowing to perform research on a popular industrial topic with access to a beyond state-of-the-art hybrid additive-subtractive research platform as a testbed;
• exciting and stimulating tasks in an international academic environment;
• access to a unique additive manufacturing facillity at MECH, VUB;
• further training and education opportunities.

You’ll receive a salary linked to one of the scales set by the government.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 30/03/2026, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your CV;
• your motivation letter;
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).

Our application process is as follows (subject to change):

• step 1: an initial selection based on your application file; 
• step 2: a job interview.

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Dieter De Baere at dieter.de.baere@vub.be or on (+32) 2 629 28 07.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.