Job Description

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for f reedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Faculty of Engineering, Department of Applied Physics and Photonics, Brussels Photonics (B-PHOT) research group at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) is looking for an excellent PhD candidate to work on selective spectral microscopic imaging (SSMI) for in-situ sensing applications.

Many emerging applications, including microplastic detection, food safety, bioimaging, and materials analysis, require optical microscopes that can capture spatial and spectral information simultaneously, while remaining fast, data-efficient, and suitable for in-situ use. However, conventional hyperspectral microscopy is often limited by slow acquisition speeds and large volumes of redundant data, restricting its applicability in real-world scenarios.

The goal of this PhD project is to develop a snapshot spatio-spectral microscopy framework that extracts meaningful spectral information from a single image, by combining innovative optical system design with learning-based data processing. The research aims to jointly achieve high spatial resolution, fast imaging speed and reduced data volume, overcoming fundamental trade-offs of traditional approaches. This PhD position focuses on differentiable optical modelling, learning-based reconstruction and classification algorithms, enabling joint optimisation of optics and data processing.

We are looking for an excellent PhD candidate in photonics (48-month duration) to join our team under the supervision of Prof. Heidi Ottevaere and Prof. Yunfeng Nie.

For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You should have a master’s degree in physics, photonics, applied physics, electrical engineering, applied math or related scientific field. Interest in optical instrumentation, spectroscopy or computational imaging is necessary.

• Experience with or strong motivation to learn optical design, physical modelling, image processing, and machine learning.
• Hands-on experience with optical design and laboratory setups is a strong plus.
• Good programming skills are a strong plus. Experience with Matlab, Python or a similar language and environment is a plus. Depending on the skills of the candidate, training can be arranged in the first year of the PhD.
• Good knowledge of numerical techniques and advanced simulation methods (ANSYS ZemaxOpticsStudio) is a plus.
• You are expected to be able to carry out the research activities independently and in a critical manner, whilst having excellent communication skills and a positive attitude towards collaboration.
• Good time management skills are a must, along with the ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Proficiency in both spoken and written English (typically CEFR level C1 or equivalent) is required. You will have the opportunity to take evening English classes to improve your language skills if needed.
• You should be prepared to travel in Europe and potentially worldwide e.g. for participation in conferences or research stays at partner institutions.

• You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.

• As a (non-)EEA national, meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with the VUB residence requirements. More info here

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/06/2026

You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.

IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike;
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques;
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps;
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 22/02/2026, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your CV;
• your motivation letter;
• your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).

Our application process is as follows (subject to change):

• step 1: an initial selection based on your application file;
• step 2: a job interview.

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Yunfeng Nie at yunfeng.nie@vub.be or on ++32 2 629 34 53.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.