PhD scholarship in Applied Physics, Neuromorphic Photonics, and Ising machines

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 Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Department Physics, Research Group No Large Research Group is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant. 

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

Description:
Within the framework of the Belgian-funded FWO project “Integrated Photonic Ising Machines,” there is currently an open position at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) for a PhD student in the field of Neuromorphic Photonics and Ising machines. Researchers with a background in Physics, Electronics, or Photonics are explicitly encouraged to apply.

You will have the opportunity to:

• be supervised by an expert in the field;
• take the lead on an exciting research project;
• conduct research in close collaboration with partners in the FWO project;
• design photonic integrated circuits for use as Ising machines;
• participate in innovative training modules, including a series of hands-on workshops that develop technical, transferable, and presentation skills, as well as international conferences and outreach activities.

Description of the research field:
Two Belgian teams from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Ghent University (UGENT) are combining their expertise to develop a new type of optical computing devices capable of solving difficult combinatorial problems. Such combinatorial problems frequently arise in our society, for example in logistics, finance, or pharmaceutical research. However, for many real-world applications, finding a solution requires powerful computer clusters that consume a lot of energy and run for long periods. Our project aims to create a radically new platform of analog hardware accelerators — so-called Ising machines — that can efficiently speed up these computationally difficult tasks, unlike any current digital computer.

These Ising machines are an emerging computational concept and show promising results. They are based on the idea that the lowest energy state of a well-designed dynamical system contains the solution to the combinatorial problem. However, their implementation is highly challenging due to limitations in bandwidth, scalability, and stability. A breakthrough is needed to make them practically usable for real-world applications. Photonics offers an ideal pathway to achieve this breakthrough thanks to its inherent parallelism and high speed. We aim to develop accelerators for a wide range of problems that are faster and more energy-efficient than digital computers and previous experimental implementations. This work is experimental, numerical, and theoretical in nature.

You will be selected by the Applied Physics research group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, but you will work in close collaboration between the two research groups. You will carry out the PhD in a “cotutelle” arrangement, meaning you will be jointly supervised by two groups, conduct part of your research at (at least) two institutions, and receive a degree from both institutions. This ensures an efficient exchange of ideas and exposes researchers to all aspects of the project. Researchers are encouraged to work on multiple aspects of the current project (for example, a specific experimental implementation and its underlying theory).

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 Master’s degree in physics or engineering sciences or equivalent

• -

• 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?

You’ll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/09/2026. 

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

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.

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 31/07/2026, 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 Guy Van Der Sande at guy.van.der.sande@vub.be or on +32 (0)2 629 36 57.

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.