Delft University of Technology
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PhD Position in Foundation Models for Automotive Imaging Radar Delft University of Technology in Netherlands
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
PhD employment for 4 years in principle, split into an initial 1.5-year contract and a 2.5-year extension subject to a go/no-go assessment and performance. Salary ranges from €3204 to €4051 gross per month based on full-time 38 hours/week, plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. Health insurance discounts and a monthly work costs contribution are mentioned.
Deadline
Oct 18, 2026
Country
Netherlands
University
Delft University of Technology
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About this position
PhD opportunity at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in foundation models for automotive imaging radar, with a strong focus on machine learning, deep learning, self-supervised learning, multimodal learning, 3D perception, and sensor fusion.
The project investigates how to learn general radar representations from largely unlabelled data so they can transfer across radar configurations and adapt efficiently to downstream tasks such as 3D object detection and free-space estimation. Research directions include transferring representations from vision and LiDAR foundation models to radar, building multimodal foundation models, handling different radar representations and sensor configurations, and possibly generative or predictive modeling of dynamic radar scenes.
You will work in the Intelligent Vehicles group within the Department of Cognitive Robotics at TU Delft, in collaboration with Perciv.AI and industrial partner NXP Semiconductors. The project is part of the FIND project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). The work combines methodological ML research with experiments on real automotive sensor data, using research vehicles, advanced radar prototypes, and substantial computing resources.
Eligibility highlights: MSc in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field; strong academic record; solid ML/DL background; Python and PyTorch preferred; interest in foundation models and multimodal perception; good English; experience with radar, signal processing, computer vision, autonomous driving, or sensor fusion is advantageous.
Funding: This is a salaried PhD employment position, typically 4 years in total, with an initial 1.5-year contract and a 2.5-year extension subject to progress. Salary is €3204–€4051 gross per month (full-time, 38 hours/week), plus holiday allowance and end-of-year bonus.
Application window: Apply online by 18 October 2026. Submit a motivation letter, CV, BS/MS transcripts, and supporting materials such as thesis draft, publications, project descriptions, or code repositories. Applications must be submitted through the portal; email/post applications are not processed.
Funding details
PhD employment for 4 years in principle, split into an initial 1.5-year contract and a 2.5-year extension subject to a go/no-go assessment and performance. Salary ranges from €3204 to €4051 gross per month based on full-time 38 hours/week, plus 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. Health insurance discounts and a monthly work costs contribution are mentioned.
What's required
Applicants should have an MSc degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field. A strong academic record and solid background in machine learning and deep learning are required. Candidates should be able to develop, understand, and critically evaluate machine learning research software, preferably in Python and PyTorch. Interest in foundation models, self-supervised learning, multimodal learning, and 3D perception is expected, along with an affinity for experiments on real automotive sensor data and vehicle demonstrators. Ability to work independently and collaboratively, good written and spoken English, and experience with radar, signal processing, computer vision, autonomous driving, or sensor fusion are advantageous. English proficiency at the level required by TU Delft Graduate School is needed.
How to apply
Apply online via the application button no later than 18 October 2026. Upload a motivation letter, detailed CV, BS and MS transcripts, and any supporting materials such as thesis draft, publications, project descriptions, or code repositories. Address the application to Prof. Dr. D.M. Gavrila and do not send applications by email or post.
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