C4Bio PhD/postdoc position KU Leuven in United Kingdom

KU Leuven’s Science and Technology Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, is recruiting a PhD candidate or postdoctoral researcher for FIBEr, the KU Leuven Core Facility for Biomechanical Experiments.

The position is embedded in C4Bio, an international initiative launched by FIBEr to build consensus and harmonize methods in biological tissue characterization. The project addresses a major gap in the field: unlike many other engineering areas, standardized ISO/ASME-style protocols are still largely absent for biomechanical testing of biological tissues. This has led to large inter-laboratory variation in reported tissue properties, which can affect experimental reproducibility and the reliability of downstream applications in in silico medicine, medical product development, and digital twin modeling.

The successful candidate will help lead two major international collaborative test campaigns involving at least 15 research groups worldwide. These campaigns will focus on planar biaxial tensile testing of cardiovascular tissues and unconfined compression testing of cartilage. Responsibilities include coordinating calls for participation, selecting participants, designing and organizing testing rounds, managing data collection, carrying out advanced statistical analyses, facilitating scientific discussions across laboratories, drafting consensus testing protocols, and organizing dissemination activities such as workshops and symposia.

In addition to coordination work, the role includes research on experimental variability and methodological uncertainty in biomechanical testing. The project combines benchtop experimentation with computational modeling and digital twin approaches to improve robustness, reproducibility, and community adoption of tissue characterization methods.

The opportunity is suitable for candidates interested in experimental biomechanics, scientific standardization, computational engineering, statistics, and international research coordination. The posting explicitly offers either a full-time one-year postdoctoral appointment or a two-year PhD appointment, with the ambition to secure additional funding and extend the position further. KU Leuven also highlights a broad range of employment benefits.

Applicants should have a PhD in engineering preferably in biomedical technology, unless applying for the doctoral track where this is not mandatory. Required experience includes mechanical testing, knowledge of non-linear continuum mechanics, data and project management, and strong English communication, organization, and teamwork skills.

For additional information, contact Mrs. Heleen Fehervary at [email protected]. The application deadline is 2026-08-02.