PhD Position: Designing Greener Wireless Systems KU Leuven in Belgium

This PhD position, hosted at imec in Leuven, Belgium, is a collaboration between imec and KU Leuven under the supervision of Prof. Sofie Pollin (KU Leuven) and Prof. Claude Desset (IMEC). The research is situated within the WaveCoRE research centre in KU Leuven's Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), focusing on wireless communication fundamentals and systems. The Networked Systems group, led by Prof. Pollin, covers advanced topics such as Cell-Free Massive MIMO, Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), IoT, joint communication and sensing, machine learning-based signal processing, and SWIPT.

The project addresses the urgent need for greener wireless systems as communication networks expand and new frequency bands (e.g., FR3 for 6G) are adopted. The increasing power consumption of networks raises environmental, economic, and battery lifetime concerns. The research aims to improve the energy efficiency of future wireless transceivers by developing predictive power consumption models, enabling exploration of various architectures and configurations before physical implementation. This supports the development of run-time control mechanisms to maximize energy efficiency in operation.

Key research challenges include: investigating energy-efficient solutions for new transceiver architectures and technologies, improving the accuracy of exploratory power models, connecting digital power estimates to hardware design, leveraging imec's advanced semiconductor research for deep-scaled CMOS models, and analyzing power-consumption trade-offs in advanced algorithms and architectures (e.g., digital predistortion for power amplifiers). The project also explores system-level power optimization, radar-like applications, distributed implementations, and the integration of AI for modeling power consumption trends and assessing the energy penalty of machine learning solutions.

The broader perspective includes sustainability and life cycle analysis, considering not only run-time power consumption but the total environmental impact. As a PhD student, you will join a multidisciplinary community at imec, collaborating with experts in wireless communication, signal processing, digital, analog, and mm-wave design, and machine learning. You will have opportunities to publish in top journals and conferences, participate in international collaborations, and access world-class facilities.

Applicants should hold a master's degree in electrical engineering, telecommunication engineering, or a related field, with exceptional grades and proficiency in English. Expertise in wireless communications, signal processing, and digital or analog design is required, along with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work in an international team. The position offers a PhD scholarship for up to four years (subject to positive evaluations), competitive salary, and an inclusive research environment. KU Leuven is committed to diversity, equal opportunity, and a respectful academic atmosphere.

Applications must be submitted via the imec website, referencing code 2026-152. For more information, contact Prof. Sofie Pollin ([email protected]) or Prof. Claude Desset ([email protected]). The application deadline is December 11, 2025.