PhD position on Optimizing Oncological Treatment Processes

Would you like to apply your knowledge in optimization to ensure optimal care for cancer patients when dealing with workforce shortage?

Job description

Due to the aging population, cancer care in Europe is under strain, and challenges will continue to grow as cancer incidence is projected to increase by 20% in the coming years. For patients, longer waiting times can lead to higher mortality rates. The cancer care field is currently not only in need of medical breakthroughs, but requires effective and efficient pathways to diagnose and treat patients (Price et al., The Lancet Oncology).

In response, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute and TU Delft have initiated the SUSTAIN project, sponsored by the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF). Within this project, there are two open positions for PhD students: one at TU Delft (this position) and one at Erasmus MC.

The goal of the SUSTAIN project is to increase efficiency – and thereby sustainability – of oncological care, starting at the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute. To achieve this, we will develop and apply optimization techniques to (1) optimize the day care at the Department of Medical Oncology (MedOnc) and (2) optimize the radiotherapy treatment preparation process at the Department of Radiotherapy (RadOnc).

Although there is existing literature on optimizing logistics for oncological care, full implementation is lacking, and the uncertainty of task durations is not accounted for. A pilot study at Erasmus MC Cancer Institute resulted in a 70% reduction in patient idle time for a one-stop-shop for palliative radiotherapy. The aim of this project is to develop and apply optimization methods for the more complex settings of the MedOnc and RadOnc departments to reduce the number of hospital visits and decrease the time from intake to the start of treatment, ultimately improving patient and staff satisfaction.

You will work closely with the PhD student appointed at Erasmus MC. Your main focus will be on developing and applying optimization methods, while the other PhD student will analyze current processes and implement the developed algorithms.

Your daily supervisor will be Dr. Theresia van Essen. The daily supervisor of the other PhD student will be Dr. Mark Mulder. Dr. Steven Petit will be involved in the supervision of both PhD students (https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7240248047220248576/).

Requirements

The successful candidate is expected to have an MSc degree in mathematics, econometrics or closely related field by the start of the appointment and should have a strong affinity or experience within the application field of health care. Fluency in English is required, fluency in Dutch is preferred.

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.

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

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.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from € 2872 per month in the first year to € 3670 in the fourth year. 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.