Phd Position Computational Design of Patient-Specific Shoulder Implants

Design next-generation patient-specific shoulder implants using finite element analysis and topology optimization. Join us to shape the future of personalized orthopedics.

PhD Position: Computational Design of Patient-Specific Shoulder Implants

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at TU Delft

Are you passionate about combining computational mechanics, medical imaging, and advanced design optimization to improve people’s lives? Do you want to help shape the next generation of personalized medical implants? Join us in this ambitious, multidisciplinary project at the forefront of computational design, biomechanics, and in silico medicine.

In this PhD project, you will develop the computational foundation for patient-specific shoulder implants with architected internal structures tailored to mechanical needs. Conventional implants are typically designed with generic geometries and stiffness distributions, which can lead to stress shielding, bone resorption, or poor long-term stability. Your challenge is to change this paradigm.

You will create a systematic design framework that uses cutting-edge finite element analysis and topology optimization to design medical implants that are:

• Lightweight yet mechanically robust.
• Optimized for stiffness, strength, and fatigue life.
• Tailored to each patient’s bone geometry and loading environment.
• Manufacturable in biocompatible materials such as titanium.

Leveraging medical imaging, you will extract patient-specific loading conditions, build high-fidelity finite element models, and optimize the internal architectures that deliver the right mechanical response. The final designed structures will be fabricated and validated through mechanical testing, ensuring clinical and translational relevance.

This PhD position is part of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network (Horizon Europe). As a MSCA Doctoral Candidate, you will join a cohort of early-stage researchers across several international partner institutions, participate in network-wide schools and workshops, and complete mandatory research secondments abroad. The MSCA programme offers highly competitive employment conditions, structured training, and exceptional international exposure.

Your Key Responsibilities:

• Develop cutting-edge finite element analysis for characterizing the mechanical response of complex implant microstructures.
• Implement and test topology optimization strategies for designing architected implants subject to multiple objectives (for instance maximum strength and fatigue life).
• Collaborate with a wide doctoral network in pursuit of common goals, which is comprised of material scientists, experimentalists, and design engineers.
• Validate optimal designs through mechanical experiments and manufacturability studies.

Your Profile:

• A Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Computational Mechanics, Applied Physics, or a related field.
• Strong background in finite element analysis and topology optimization.
• Experience with programming in Python and/or Julia.
• Interest in biomechanics, finite element analysis, topology optimization, and medical device design.
• Good communication skills and the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Willingness to relocate and gain international exposure through secondments.
• You must not have lived or carried out your main activity (work, studies) in the Netherlands for more than 12 months in the past 36 months.

What We Offer:

• A fully funded position within a prestigious MSCA Doctoral Network.
• Academic training in cutting-edge computational analysis and design tools.
• Structured training through network-wide workshops, summer schools, and transferable-skills courses.
• International secondments at academic and industrial partners.
• Close interaction with a cohort of Doctoral Candidates working on related topics.

• 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 €3059 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
• 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.

Relocation Support: Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make 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.

About TU Delft

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.

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focuses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.

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. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.

For more information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Alejandro M. Aragón (a.m.aragon@tudelft.nl).