PhD Candidate in PET/CT for infection and inflammation

Join the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Doctoral Network PREFERENCE and help make a transformative difference in the field of molecular imaging. This position is based in the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, one of the partners of PREFERENCE, and focuses on the detection of early-stage infection and inflammation.

Your role

You will pursue research on this project under the supervision of Professors Charalampos Tsoumpas, Andor Glaudemans, Riemer Slart and Joyce van Sluis. You will also have an international coach from the University of Turku and a business coach from Siemens Healthineers. Furthermore, you will participate in training activities, undertake secondments with European academic institutions and industries, and collaborate closely with the other 14 PhD candidates of the network. You will register for a PhD with the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Groningen, and your work is expected to lead to conference presentations, peer-reviewed journal articles, open-source software, patent applications and eventually clinical products.

Work environment

The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) is one of the largest and most innovative academic hospitals in the Netherlands. In addition to providing clinical care, it is a constituent member of the University of Groningen with a strong focus on research, training and education. The Department of Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging has an international reputation for its state-of-the-art infrastructure and front-end research activities, together with its internal and external collaborations. The department has installed a Siemens Biograph Vision Quadra PET/CT scanner, one of the 14 such scanners available in the network, and has a strategic high-profile collaboration with Siemens Healthineers. As part of the project, you are expected to complete one-month secondments with Aarhus University Hospital (Denmark), the Turku PET Center (Finland) and CollectiveMinds (Sweden).

What do we ask

You should be a creative and passionate researcher with BSc and MSc degrees in Physics, Medical Physics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Computational Engineering. Excellent communication skills, proof of excellent command of the English language (e.g., IELTS or TOEFL), passion for using new technologies and an innovative mindset are essential. Knowledge of C++, Python and the ability to perform experiments will be considered advantageous.

What do we offer

We offer one PhD position to join an enthusiastic network of experts. The full-time contract will be for three years, with a starting date not earlier than 1 October 2026 and ideally not later than 31 March 2027. In addition, you will receive 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A reduced taxation scheme may apply for some candidates. The conditions of employment comply with the Collective Labour Agreement for Medical Centres (CAO-UMC). An appropriate career development program for the individual will be available.

Important remarks

• The research project is only tentatively approved. In the unlikely event that no collaboration agreement is completed by all involved parties, the project may be cancelled or delayed substantially.
• Due to strictly applied employment conditions imposed by the awarded EU grant scheme, the candidate must not have resided in the Netherlands for longer than 12 months within the preceding 36 months prior to the appointment commencement date.