PhD Position in Systems and Control for Diagnostics of Interconnected Complex Dynamical Systems Eindhoven University of Technology in Netherlands

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join the Dynamics and Control section for research on diagnostics of interconnected complex dynamical systems. This position is part of the 'Holistic Design Automation for Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment' project, involving collaboration with the semiconductor company ASML and multiple departments at TU/e, including Electrical Engineering and Mathematics and Computer Science.

The research focuses on developing innovative monitoring algorithms for complex dynamical systems, particularly semiconductor equipment, to automate fault isolation and provide diagnostics performance guarantees. Key topics include interconnected dynamical systems, (distributed) observer design, data-driven approaches, machine learning methods, and fault detection and isolation. The project aims to address the challenges of monitoring and diagnosing faults in systems with many interconnected modules, where traditional approaches either fail to account for module interactions or make fault isolation difficult.

As a PhD candidate, you will design hierarchical diagnostic tools, collaborate with both academic and industrial partners, and have access to graduate courses at the Dutch Institute of Systems and Control (DISC). You will be part of a vibrant research community of over 60 researchers, including faculty, postdocs, and PhD students, working on advanced control, estimation, planning, learning, and diagnostics strategies for intelligent autonomous systems.

The position is supervised by Dr. Michelle Chong, Prof.dr.ir. Nathan van de Wouw, and Prof.dr.ir. Tom Oomen. Applicants should have a master's degree in systems and control, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or applied mathematics, with a strong background in mathematical control theory. Experience or interest in hybrid dynamical systems, observer design, learning techniques, and optimization is expected, along with proficiency in Matlab or Python. Fluency in English and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively are required.

The position offers a four-year full-time contract with a competitive salary (€3,059 - €3,881 per month), year-end bonus, vacation pay, pension scheme, paid leave, training programs, technical infrastructure, childcare, sports facilities, commuting and home working allowances, and a tax compensation scheme for international candidates. The application deadline is 21st February 2026. Applications must be submitted online with all required documents, including CV, publication list, references, statement of interest, diplomas, transcripts, and a brief description of your MSc thesis or relevant projects.

For more information, contact Dr. Michelle S. Chong ([email protected]), Prof.dr.ir. Nathan van de Wouw ([email protected]), or Prof.dr.ir. Tom Oomen ([email protected]). For application details, visit the official job posting or the TU/e career page.