Postdoctoral Researcher in Acoustofluidics

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 Chemische ingenieurstechnieken en industriële scheikunde, is looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a grant.

More concretely your work package, for the validation of your doctoral research, contains:

µFlow Cell is a multidisciplinary research group of the VUB that works on the upscaling of microfluidics for pharmaceutical, biotechnological or medical applications.

µFlow Cell is recognized and supported by VUB as a Group of Excellence in Advanced Research (GEAR). The group has several research lines that are further developed with the financial support of the Brussels Government via Innoviris, the Flemish Government via FWO and VLAIO, the European Union via Horizon Europe, or through direct collaborations with interested companies.

To support the activities of µFlow Cell, VUB is also building a new cleanroom (MICROLAB) for microfabrication in silicon and glass for microfluidics, which will be operational in the third quarter of 2024. MICROLAB has a floorspace of 550 m, of which 300 m will be equipped with the most advanced machines for every essential production step in microfabrication.

µFlow Cell is now looking for a postdoctoral researcher who will participate in the project 'Scalable Bulk Acoustic Wave Solutions for Manipulations of Micro- and Nanoparticles in Flow (AWESOME)’. This project is supported by the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) for a period of 4 years, starting 1/10/22. The project will be carried out by a multidisciplinary research team with groups from VUB, UHasselt and KU Leuven. The project will also be advised by 10 Flemish/Belgian companies aiming at applications in the production of pharmaceutical ingredients and vaccines, harvesting of bioparticles in bioreactors, advanced coatings and materials and removal of microplastics from water. In particular, you will work on the use of acoustic waves to manipulate microparticles in flow, and during your activities seek new ways to manipulate smaller particles and in higher throughput than what is currently possible, so that the technique can be applied on industrial scale.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will at least be responsible for the following tasks:

• Design and fabrication of microfluidic chips in silicon, glass and polymers.

• Design and construction of new experimental setups in which the chips can be tested.

• Design, conduct, analyse and report experiments.

• Interaction with other academic researchers and industrial research groups.

• Prepare and attend technical meetings with internal or external customers.

• Contribute to writing scientific publications with the team.

• Co-supervise master and interact with PhD students working on related topics.

• Maintain order, safety and quality in your workspace.

You will be supervised by Prof. Wim De Malsche.

For the AWESOME project, you will work in a team of 4-5 colleagues. This team is embedded in a larger group of 15-20 researchers working on microfluidics.

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

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

PhD in Physics, Chemistry, Bioengineering, Electronics, Electromechanics, Electricity, Materials, Microfabrication, nanotechnology, or equivalent.

The following additional technical/functional knowledge is appreciated.

• Knowledge and hands-on experience of microfluidics is a must.

• Expertise and hands-on experience in microfabrication of silicon, glass, and polymers.

• Familiarity with lab and cleanroom environment is a plus.

• You must be adept at researching professional literature and patents.

• Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English is essential, knowledge of Dutch or other languages is a plus.

• ICT: excellent knowledge of basic software packages Excel, Word, Outlook, Powerpoint, and use of machine software are essential. Knowledge of Solidworks or similar CAD programs, Matlab, Labview, and PLC is a plus.

For this position, we expect the following personality.

• Hands-on mentality.

• Sense of initiative and flexibility.

• Strong in scientific analysis and reporting.

• Working with high self-imposed standards for quality and accuracy.

• Able to work both autonomously and in a team.

• Strong in multi-tasking.

• Willing to occasionally work overtime to meet specific deadlines.

You stayed abroad for at least 12 months of the 3 years preceding the start date, and during this period you did not work or study in Belgium. However, during these 12 months, short-term stays in Belgium are allowed such as holidays, participation in conferences or a short stay to prepare your stay as a postdoctoral researcher.

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 postdoctoral scholarship, for 24 months (extendable up to max. 36 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the research activities), with planned starting date 01/09/2024.

You’ll receive a grant 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 30/06/2024, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

your CV;

your motivation letter;

your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Prof. Dr. ir. Wim De Malsche at or on 02 629 37 81.

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.