PhD in Printing of Complex Fluids at Wageningen University & Research Wageningen University & Research in Netherlands

Wageningen University & Research is advertising a fully funded PhD position in Printing of Complex Fluids within the chair group Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter and the Physics of Soft Matter team.

The project focuses on the physics and physical chemistry of inkjet printing, especially the behavior of multicomponent complex fluids immediately after droplet creation. Research topics include droplet formation, jetting behavior, high-speed fluid flow, meniscus distortion, bubble pinch-off, satellite droplets, and the role of surfactants, polymers, colloidal pigment particles, and other impurities in printed inks.

You will develop your own experimental tools, create model ink systems with reduced complexity, and combine experiments with highly resolved analysis to understand the physicochemical hydrodynamics governing printing at microscale and very high speeds. The work is interdisciplinary and involves collaboration with academic and industrial partners, plus a postdoctoral researcher to be hired.

Supervision is by Prof. Jasper van der Gucht, with primary co-supervision by Dr. Uddalok Sen and support from Dr. Thomas Kodger.

Eligibility highlights: completed MSc in physics, physical chemistry, fluid dynamics, or soft matter; independent working style; interest in instrumentation; experience with soft materials, computational tools, microscopy, and especially high-speed imaging; English at C1 level.

Funding: fully funded PhD with salary from €3,059 per month in year 1 to €3,881 per month in year 4, plus standard WUR employment benefits. The contract is initially for 18 months and may be extended for the project duration.

Application deadline: 2026-07-27. Apply via the WUR vacancy page and submit only a CV and motivation letter (maximum 3 pages total). Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required at this stage.