PhD Position Modeling Foot Growth and Deformities in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Join an interdisciplinary research team to better understand how the growing foot develops in children with cerebral palsy.

We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join a 4-year research project aimed at advancing our understanding of foot growth and deformities in children with cerebral palsy. In this project, you will develop statistical shape models and finite element models of the growing foot to investigate normal bone development, understand how growth is altered in cerebral palsy, and ultimately support the development of treatment strategies.

You will become part of a multidisciplinary research team and be supervised by Nazli Tümer and Amir Zadpoor at the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft, together with Marjolein van der Krogt from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC. Throughout the project, you will collaborate with clinicians, clinical researchers, and a postdoctoral researcher based at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, who will develop musculoskeletal models in close collaboration with Ajay Seth from the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at TU Delft.

This PhD position is part of the ZonMW-funded project Foot4Thought: Multimodal Modelling to Understand and Prevent Foot Deformities in Cerebral Palsy, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to computational biomechanics with direct clinical relevance.

There are many opportunities for you to grow your academic career through coursework, mentoring BSc/MSc students, consortium participation, conference presentations, webinars/workshops, and teaching.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis.

Job requirements

You should have:

• An MSc degree in Biomechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline by the start date of the position (September 2026)
• Experience in scientific programming (e.g., Python, Matlab)
• Experience in finite-element analysis
• Experience in medical image analysis and data processing
• Basic knowledge of and/or experience in AI-driven models
• The ability to manage multiple tasks effectively
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English

The following aspects will help you stand out:

• Basic knowledge of and/or experience in musculoskeletal modelling
• The ability to thrive in a multidisciplinary research environment
• A self-motivated, proactive, and self-driven working attitude
• Curiosity-driven self-learning ability
• Written and oral communication skills in Dutch

Keep in mind that this describes the background we imagine would best fit the role. Even if you do not meet all the requirements and feel that you are up for the task, we absolutely want to see your application! The PhD process is a learning experience.

About TU Delft

Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.

At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.

Working at TU Delft means joining an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.

Faculty Mechanical Engineering

ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists.

Conditions of employment

Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1.5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months, followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2.5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to making your move as smooth as possible. The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands and expand your social network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.