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Vrije Universiteit Brussel

PhD Position in Multimodal Sensor Design for Agrifood Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Computer Science

Funding

Full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to a maximum of 48 months subject to positive evaluation. The grant is linked to one of the government scales. Effective scholarship is conditional on enrolment as a doctorate student.

Deadline

Sep 20, 2026

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Country

Belgium

University

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

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Keywords

Computer Science
Agriculture
Electrical Engineering
Food Safety
Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Raman Spectroscopy
Optical Sensing
Photonic
Physics
ML

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About this position

PhD Position in Multimodal Sensor Design for Agrifood at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium.

This doctoral opening is hosted by the Faculty of Engineering, Department Toegepaste natuurkunde en fotonica, in the Brussels Photonics research group. The project is part of the MOSAIC initiative, focused on Multimodal Optical Sensing and AI for Crop & Food Safety.

The research aims to develop a handheld, all-in-one optical spectroscopic sensing platform for real-time, non-destructive evaluation of plants and food products. The work combines UV-VIS-NIR reflection spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, together with smart illumination design, advanced AI-driven data processing, and optical miniaturization using freeform optics.

Planned PhD tasks include building a multimodal laboratory setup, performing spectroscopic measurements, analyzing multimodal data with machine learning, and designing a miniaturized spectroscopic sensor optimized for agrifood applications.

Applicants should hold a master’s degree in physics, photonics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, or a related field. Strong interest in photonic systems is essential; experience with optical spectroscopy, optical design, lasers, spectrometers, fiber optics, Matlab/Python, and Zemax is advantageous. Strong English proficiency (C1 or equivalent) is required.

The position offers a full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to 48 months subject to positive evaluation. The planned start date is 01/12/2026. Apply through the VUB jobs portal by 2026-09-20 and upload your CV, motivation letter, and diploma.

Funding details

Full-time PhD scholarship for 12 months, extendable up to a maximum of 48 months subject to positive evaluation. The grant is linked to one of the government scales. Effective scholarship is conditional on enrolment as a doctorate student.

What's required

A master's degree in physics, photonics, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, or a related scientific field is required. Strong interest in photonic systems and light-based technologies is essential. Knowledge of optical spectroscopy and optical design is a strong asset, as are experience with experimental optical setups, lasers, spectrometers, and fiber optics, good programming skills in Matlab, Python or similar languages, and knowledge of numerical techniques and advanced simulation methods such as ANSYS Zemax OpticsStudio. The candidate should work independently and critically, communicate well, collaborate positively, manage time well, meet tight deadlines, have proficiency in spoken and written English at CEFR C1 or equivalent, be willing to travel within Europe and occasionally worldwide, and must not have performed assistant work paid from operating resources for more than 12 months cumulatively. Non-EEA nationals must meet permit and residence requirements.

How to apply

Apply via the VUB jobs portal by 2026-09-20. Upload your CV, motivation letter, and diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni). For questions about the job content, contact Lien Smeesters by email or phone.

More information can be found here

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