PhD Position in the Design of Bio-Hybrid Interactive Electronics

Help pave the future for bio-hybrid electronics that unite living organisms and silicon electronics by designing software tools for discovering, generating, and implementing new hardware paradigms.

Job description

Background:

Biodesigners are rapidly uncovering a wealth of unique possibilities in aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability that living organisms, such as bacteria, offer for interactive systems. However, integration with digital technologies, which offer their own set of interactive possibilities and also are the foundation of the current systems that are pervasive in society today, remains a challenge. This is largely in part because the computational architectures upon which modern interactive systems are built prioritize metrics such as speed, size, power, and stability, in turn demanding that any interfacial modules have well-defined and stable electrical characteristics. Such paradigms are fundamentally at odds with living organisms, which are inherently variable, dynamic, and transient. As a result, although research in both biodesign and computational systems continue to produce innovative interactive systems, these endeavors, and their respective communities of researchers and practitioners, largely exist on separate tracks, with their own set of design values, goals, and capabilities.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to play a formative role in bridging the gap between the world of biodesign and conventional electronics systems design. We seek to create a novel class of bio-hybrid interactive electronics, particularly exploring how we can re-purpose, or even intentionally misuse, modern electronics parts to cater to the needs and requirements of living organisms, while establishing new modes of interaction and a vocabulary to facilitate the seamless integration of living and computational technologies.

This PhD:

The goal of this thesis is to develop novel design tools for conceiving and building interactive interfaces that integrate living organisms and silicon-based electronics systems. To accomplish this, a particular species of bacteria will be identified as an exemplar organism. The PhD candidate will work alongside biodesigners and the living organism itself to cultivate and formalize an understanding of the capabilities of this organism through the lens of electronics systems design, with the aim to create a taxonomy and vocabulary that can form the foundation of new metrics and priorities for future research directions for HCI designers. The candidate will use these insights to design software tools to aid in the creation of biohybrid electronics. These tools will be deployed in diverse design sessions (e.g., workshops, focus group studies, case studies) that bring together biodesigners and electronics systems designers to generate and prototype novel concepts for bio-hybrid electronics.

The PhD candidate will be situated at the intersection of the Knowledge and Intelligent Design group (https://www.tudelft.nl/io/over-io/afdelingen/sustainable-design-engineering/kind) and the Materializing Futures group (https://www.tudelft.nl/io/over-io/afdelingen/sustainable-design-engineering/section-materializing-futures) in Sustainable Design Engineering (SDE), a department within the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.

Job requirements

The successful candidate will have:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Excellent programming skills
• Proficiency in written and verbal English
• Technical competencies in one or more of the following: generative AI, digital and analog electronics design, computer graphics, interaction design, physical prototyping and/or other skills relevant to developing and testing custom software design tools
• Strong interest in biodesign and hands-on interaction with living organisms
• Experience or interest in conducting empirical research (e.g. user studies, participatory workshops) with user-centered design methods
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team, communicate effectively, and take initiative
• Prior publications and experience in human-computer interaction research are assets but not requirements

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. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.

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 Industrial Design Engineering

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Delft designers act as a bridge between advances in technology and the needs of people, organisations and society to create products, services and systems with purpose.

IDE is a leader in design research across the application areas of mobility, sustainability and health, as well as its development of design tools and methods. A 350-strong research team and over 2,000 students work together in our inspiring hall, labs and studios.

In close cooperation with industry, the public sector and NGOs we rehearse possible futures in research and education to design for a complex future.

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.