PhD Position Haptics

We are looking for an ambitious Ph.D. student interested in multimodal haptics research!

The Haptic Interface Technology Lab (HITLab) is an interdisciplinary research group led by Dr. Yasemin Vardar at the Human-Robot Interaction Section of the Cognitive Robotics Department of the Delft University of Technology. Our overarching goal is to understand how tactile information translates into human perception and how this information can be effectively simulated in digital environments.

• Design tactile signals with specific attributes.
• Conduct human-participant experiments to evaluate perceptual responses to haptic feedback.
• Apply machine learning algorithms to analyze perceptual and physical data.
• Publish work in journals and conferences to develop writing and communication skills.
• Attend international conferences to develop presentation and networking skills.
• Co‑supervise
  
  B.Sc. and M.Sc. students and help improve lab organization to develop leadership skills.
• Assist in teaching courses to develop teaching skills.

Academic background:

• High motivation for interdisciplinary research.
• MSc degree in a related subject (Electronic engineering, computer science, mechatronics engineering, or similar).
• Interest in working in an international team.
• Initiative and ability to dream big.
• Curiosity and hunger for learning new technologies.
• Independent and critical attitude.
• Strong work ethic and scientific integrity.

Relevant experience (preferred):

• Signal processing.
• Mechatronic design.
• Data analysis with machine learning algorithms.
• Experience working with electromechanical hardware such as sensors and actuators.

Doctoral candidates will be offered a four‑year period in principle, typically in two contracts: an initial 1.5‑year contract with a progress assessment within 15 months, followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2.5 years, assuming satisfactory performance.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3,059 to €3,881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year, based on a full‑time contract (38 hours). The package includes 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, which offers a supportive research environment with supervision and mentoring.