Doctoral fellow

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 daily. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.
With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programs grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

As part of the highly prestigious FWO - Research Foundation Flanders, a PhD position is available at Ghent University.

The PhD candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary team working towards this objective by being part of (a) the imec-associated research lab Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST) (Department of Electronics and Information Systems) and (b) Electrochemistry and Surface Analysis (ESA) (Department of Chemistry) at Ghent University.

The PhD researcher will work on the implementation of emerging nanodevices as biosensors to detect and monitor, in a liquid biopsy concept, multiple biomarkers linked with radiation-induced inflammation occurring in Prostate Cancer treatment. The PhD student will be responsible for the execution of the biosensing experiments, in which he/she will solve problems independently but also collaborate with colleagues. He/she will develop and validate, in the frame of this research project, new electrochemical sensors for the detection of inflammatory biomarkers related to radiation toxicity and properly report their research results, in the form of written reports and oral presentations. He/she will lead experiments to detect and monitor bio/chemical biomarkers, identify key parameters for effective sensing, and design a comprehensive biosensing framework with standardized protocols. The whole system can be realized by integrating sensing technologies available at CMST and ESA teams, in the state-of-the art cleanroom at Ghent University. The PhD candidate will be in continuous interaction with other researchers working on the project.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a m/f/x Doctoral fellow:

We are looking for a highly motivated person interested in our area of research, ready to explore new avenues in science and develop his/her skills and knowledge further with the following requirements:

• You hold a Master’s degree in (Bio)Engineering or Chemical/Biochemical/Biomedical/Sciences. 
  ** Please note: Master’s students finishing in June/July 2026 are also eligible to apply.
• You are interested in practical work and interdisciplinary research. 
• You have good knowledge and practical experience with electrochemistry, sample preparation, electrochemical measurement set-up, etc. 
• You are a motivated person, with a strong curiosity and a genuine wish to learn more and develop your skills and knowledge further. 
• You are proactive and take responsibility for managing and executing your project in a well-structured, thorough way, both by solving problems independently and by instructing and collaborating with others. 
• You are fluent in English, both spoken and written, and you have excellent communication skills to report results (written and oral). 
• You are willing to write proposals for national funding opportunities. 

• The rankings of the university(-ies) where the BSc and MSc diplomas are obtained will be taken into consideration during the selection process. 
• Coding skills (Matlab) and experience with writing scientific papers are a plus. 
  
  

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which, after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. 
• Your contract will start on June 1st 2026, at the earliest and September 1st 2026, at the latest. 
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales 
• 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. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits 
• Α pleasant work climate to do cutting-edge science in a supportive and collaborative team. 
• You will receive advanced and extensive training, technical and advisory support throughout the research project by the highly qualified research staff (CMST/imec support team). 
• Access to the leading-quality cleanroom installation and characterization facilities at Ghent University. 
• You will have opportunities to participate in national and international meetings/conferences and establish your own network. 

INTERESTED?

If you are interested in this job offer, you can address your motivation letter, curriculum vitae, copies of higher-education degrees, grade transcripts, English certificate, and the name and contact details of two persons who are willing to give a reference by e-mail to: ioulia.tzouvadaki@ugent.be and mieke.adriaens@ugent.be. 
All documents should be sent electronically (in PDF format by email).
Please mention in the subject line: "PhD position: FWO”.

The application deadline is: May 1st 2026.
We do not accept late applications.
Please note that the vacancy can be closed before the deadline if a suitable candidate is found.
As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position.

More information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Prof. Ioulia Tzouvadaki and Prof. Mieke Adriaens (ioulia.tzouvadaki@ugent.be and mieke.adriaens@ugent.be). 

Centre of Microsystems Technology (CMST) (www.cmst.be) is an IMEC-associated interdisciplinary research group at Ghent University. CMST focuses on smart microsystems design, fabrication, and integration, and more specifically: i) for health applications, ii) conformable, soft sensors for wearables and textile integrated sensor systems and structural electronics, iii) optical microsystems including soft and flexible waveguide probes for optogenetics and flexible wearable photonic patches. CMST has on board an excellent Clean Room support team (14 highly skilled research supporting staff), a business developer, and an innovation officer supporting all CMST members in patent development, start-up, and/or spin-off endeavors. CMST consists of scientists and engineers who are determined to provide support according to their skill set and expertise, and transfer knowledge. 
Electrochemistry and Surface Analysis (ESA) is part of the Department of Chemistry at Ghent University. One of the objectives of this research group is the development of biochemical sensors for cervical cancer self-testing devices that can yield rapid, easy-to-understand results at low cost.