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PhD in 'medical image analysis and artificial intelligence'

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. 

 

The position is part of the ETRO research group. RDI, a member of IMEC. ETRO. RDI (http://www.etrovub.be/) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), conducts fundamental and applied research in the field of Micro- and Optoelectronics, multidimensional signal processing and audiovisual computing. We are a core member of IMEC, the world-leading research and innovation center in nanoelectronics and digital technologies. Our team is currently a fertile mix of people of different nationalities. The main working language is English.

 

ETRO works closely with UZ Brussel, the university hospital of the VUB, a highly regarded medical institute that has received national and international recognition. UZ Brussel conducts both fundamental and translational clinical research in a wide variety of biomedical domains.

2 - Position description

We are currently seeking a PhD scholarship holder for a Research Grant position of the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronics and Informatics, research group ETRO.RDI.

 

The Department of Electronics and Informatics (ETRO) at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is looking for a highly motivated PhD student to conduct research under the supervision of Prof. Jef Vandemeulebroucke in the field of medical image analysis and artificial intelligence. The selected candidate will work on ELEVATE, a multidisciplinary research project developing the next generation of generative AI methods for medical image generation and dimensionality enhancement. The project focuses on musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging of the lower limbs, with the aim of bridging the gap between research imaging (e.g. 3D/4D CT, fluoroscopy) and routine clinical input (e.g. affordable 2D/3D data and surface scans) by generating anatomically faithful, patient-specific 3D/4D representations from simple measurements such as X-rays and surface scans.

 

Within ELEVATE, the PhD student at ETRO will contribute to the core of the AI pipeline by designing and validating generative models (e.g. diffusion-, autoencoder-, and GAN-based approaches) that can infer missing anatomical information and realistic, biomechanics-aware transformations. The work will be carried out in close collaboration with clinical and imaging partners at UZ Brussel, as well as with other academic and industrial partners in the ELEVATE consortium, ensuring strong alignment with real-world clinical workflows and subsequent valorisation pathways.

 

In addition to this research, you will also be expected to contribute to the functioning of the department. This includes:

  • Supervising exercise sessions or practical classes;

  • Representing VUB at events, information days, and SID-ins.

 

For this position, the VUB Main Campus in Etterbeek will be your primary home base. However, close collaboration and regular presence at the VUB Health Campus in Jette will also be expected.

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

 

  • Master’s degree in Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Electronics & Informatics Engineering, or a closely related field.

 

  • You have strong scientific writing and communication skills; ability to work in an interdisciplinary team with clinicians and engineers;
  • You have strong programming skills in Python;
  • You have knowledge of medical image processing, and machine learning and deep learning techniques;
  • Written and spoken proficiency in (scientific) English is required.
  • The following requirements are an asset for this function:
    • You have experience with medical imaging packages (e.g. SimpleITK/ITK, nibabel, …) and evaluation metrics for anatomy/shape (e.g. surface distance, temporal consistency);
    • You have hands-on experience with PyTorch and/or MONAI (or an equivalent deep learning framework);
    • You have experience with programming (Python, C++, etc.) and machine learning and signal processing libraries;
    • You have HPC/GPU computing experience, including running deep learning workloads on compute clusters (CUDA-compatible GPUs, multi-GPU training, Slurm).

 

  • Your master's degree awarded by a recognized institution in the EEA or Switzerland;
  • For non-EEA diplomas (including the UK): an official NARIC equivalence certificate or written confirmation from a Flemish university that gives the diploma access to a doctoral programme;
  • Your master's degree must have been obtained ≤24 months before March 2027.

 

  • 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.

 

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?

 

Then we offer you a full-time PhD scholarship , for a period of 12 months (extendable to a maximum of 48 months, subject to a positive evaluation of the doctoral work), with a planned start date between 1 June 2026 and 1 September 2026. You will receive a grant amount linked to one of the scales set by the government. The exact net amounts depend on nationality, marital status, etc. 

 

IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.

 

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career. You will be part of a dynamic team of developers, researchers, postdocs and professors within the team of Prof. Jef Vandemeulebroucke. You will work closely with medical physicists and physicians. We provide opportunities to attend various advanced training programs, both in Belgium and abroad. You will work at ETRO, with your primary workplace being both ETRO at the VUB campus Etterbeek (Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels) and UZ Brussel at the VUB campus Jette (Laarbeeklaan 101, 1090 Brussels). 

 

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 19/04/2026, 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, during which we will discuss your education, experience, motivation, and suitability for the position.

 

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Dr Benyameen Keelson at Benyameen.Keelson@vub.be.

 

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.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS VACANCY?

You can contact the person mentioned in the job description.

Apply now »