Twan Basten

Eindhoven University of Technology, a leading research institution in the Netherlands, is offering six PhD positions focused on advancing design automation and diagnostics in the semiconductor industry. The university is renowned for its collaborative culture and strong ties to high-tech industries, particularly in the Brainport region. These positions span the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics and Computer Science, and are aimed at solving complex, multidisciplinary challenges in system-level modelling, analysis, design, and synthesis for semiconductor equipment, especially lithography machines. The research topics include automated computational design synthesis of system topologies, scenario-based system-level performance engineering, timing-aware distributed supervisory controller synthesis, AI-driven legacy system explanation and refactoring, data mining for diagnostics using knowledge graphs and foundation models, and automating health monitoring in semiconductor equipment. Each project is supervised by leading academics and involves collaboration with industry partners such as ASML AI Research. Candidates will work in a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment, receive comprehensive training, and benefit from excellent employment conditions including a four-year contract, competitive salary, bonuses, pension, paid leave, and support for international staff. Applicants must have a master’s degree in a relevant field and demonstrate strong analytical, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Specific expertise in software engineering, programming, cyber-physical systems, formal methods, AI, data mining, control theory, and related areas is required for certain positions. Applications are accepted online until November 30, 2025, and should include a cover letter, CV, and references. The university provides a supportive infrastructure, professional development opportunities, and a dynamic campus environment. For more information, candidates are encouraged to contact the listed supervisors or HR services.

Eindhoven University of Technology is offering six PhD positions focused on advancing design automation, diagnostics, and AI applications for complex semiconductor systems, particularly lithography machines. These positions span the departments of Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics and Computer Science, and are designed to address the limitations of current domain-specific automation solutions by developing holistic, system-level approaches. The research topics include automated computational design synthesis of system topologies, scenario-based compositional system-level performance engineering, timing-aware distributed supervisory controller synthesis, AI-driven legacy system explanation and refactoring, data mining for diagnostics using knowledge graphs and foundation models, and automating health monitoring in semiconductor equipment. Each project is supervised by leading academics and, in some cases, involves collaboration with industrial partners such as ASML AI Research. Candidates will work on cutting-edge challenges such as system architecture exploration, model-based performance engineering, supervisory control synthesis, generative AI for software maintenance, advanced diagnostic frameworks, and predictive monitoring technologies. Applicants should have strong backgrounds in relevant fields, with specific skills required for each position, such as software engineering, formal methods, control theory, and AI. The positions offer the opportunity to contribute to innovation in the Brainport region and beyond, working in interdisciplinary teams and with internationally recognized industrial partners. Funding details are not specified in the announcement. Interested candidates should apply online via the AcademicTransfer link, submitting their CV, motivation letter, and transcripts, and indicating their preferred PhD project(s).

The Eindhoven University of Technology offers a PhD position in scenario-based compositional system-level performance engineering within the Department of Electrical Engineering. This opportunity is part of a larger Design Automation program, executed in collaboration with ASML, and spans multiple departments including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science. The research focuses on advancing holistic system-level design for complex cyber-physical manufacturing equipment, such as semiconductor lithography machines, which are crucial for global technological progress. The project aims to push the boundaries of system-level modelling, analysis, design, exploration, and synthesis. The candidate will develop methodologies to ensure correct behavior and required performance (throughput, latency) of manufacturing systems, considering constraints from various engineering domains like form factor, costs, and thermal conditioning. The approach leverages scenario-based design, clustering behaviors into scenarios, and starts from use cases and operating modes (including failures). The research will involve developing domain-specific languages (DSLs) for use case specification, as well as model transformation, analysis, and synthesis algorithms to guarantee functionally correct system configurations with assured performance. The position is hosted by the Model-Based Design Lab in the Electronic Systems group. The candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of academic and industry researchers, benefiting from high-quality training programs, technical infrastructure, and a vibrant international network. The university is located in Brainport Eindhoven, a world-leading tech region known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Applicants must have a master’s degree in computer engineering, computer science, systems engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or applied mathematics. Required skills include strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, software engineering and algorithm development experience, modeling of cyber-physical systems, and preferably DSL development. Excellent communication and collaboration skills and fluency in English (C1 level) are essential. Employment conditions include a four-year full-time contract, intermediate assessment after nine months, and teaching tasks (10–15% of employment). Salary is in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (€3,059–€3,881/month), with a year-end bonus, vacation pay, pension scheme, paid leave, commuting and internet allowances, and a tax compensation scheme for international candidates. Additional benefits include access to sports facilities, on-campus childcare, and support for career development. To apply, submit a complete application online, including a cover letter, CV with publications, and contact information for three references. The deadline is May 31, 2026. Applications sent by email or post will not be processed. For further information, contact Dr. Marc Geilen or Prof. Twan Basten. A pre-employment screening may be part of the selection procedure.