TU/e 11 PhD Positions 2026: Closed

TU/e Excellence & Sustainability PhD Programme 2026

Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) launched this recruitment through the Mechanics of Materials (MoM) section in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The programme sought 11 doctoral researchers for multidisciplinary work combining experimental mechanics, theoretical understanding, computational modelling and industrial collaboration.

The research programme was organised around four broad themes:

• Green steels — understanding how sustainable steel production routes alter microstructure and mechanical behaviour.
• Hydrogen-resistant steels — linking materials physics, experiments, modelling and digital twins to hydrogen-assisted degradation.
• Cryogenic thermal interfaces — improving predictive understanding of heat transfer and mechanical behaviour under extreme cooling.
• Wafer handling — studying silicon contact mechanics, surface quality and particle generation relevant to semiconductor manufacturing.

The 11 PhD Projects

The call combined seven computational-mechanics projects and four experimental-mechanics projects. Every project involved an industrial partner.

Eligibility and Research Profile

TU/e sought candidates with a strong academic and technical record. The vacancy specified:

• an MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Physics or a similar discipline;
• a strong background in mechanics of materials, continuum mechanics or experimental mechanics, depending on project fit;
• an excellent academic record demonstrated through complete official BSc and MSc grade lists;
• English proficiency at C1 level or higher;
• interest in interdisciplinary research and collaboration with industrial partners; and
• willingness to develop teaching skills and coach students.

Depending on the selected project, useful additional experience included metallurgy, materials and microstructure characterisation, mechanical testing, micromechanics, microscopy, FEM, numerical analysis, Matlab/Python programming, digital image correlation and microstructure-based simulation.

Salary, Contract and Benefits

These were salaried PhD employment positions rather than conventional scholarships.

TU/e also listed leave provisions, commuting/home-working support, training, technical infrastructure, sports facilities and other employee benefits under the applicable Dutch university employment framework.

Application Requirements for the 2026 Call

The official vacancy required a complete online application. Requested materials included:

• a cover letter describing motivation and qualifications;
• a CV including BSc and MSc start/end dates;
• a publication list;
• a brief description of the MSc thesis project;
• contact information for three references;
• official BSc and MSc grade lists;
• a clear indication of which of the 11 projects the applicant wanted to be considered for; and
• a separate list of relevant technical experience in continuum/computational mechanics, experiments, modelling, programming, microscopy, metallurgy or related methods.

Two-Step Selection Process

TU/e described a two-stage assessment:

1. Excellence assessment: all candidates were screened first on academic quality and the evidence supplied with the application.
2. Project selection: candidates who passed the first stage received more detailed information from the responsible principal investigators so that a final project choice could be made in mutual consultation.

The call used rolling screening. TU/e explicitly stated that some positions could be assigned before the formal deadline and that complete applications received priority.