PhD Position: Fatigue in Motion

Fatigue profoundly impacts mobility and quality of life in people with neurological disorders, yet its effects on everyday movement remain poorly understood. In this PhD project, you will combine cutting-edge physiological measurements, motion analysis and wearable technology to uncover how fatigue shapes mobility in daily life.

This PhD project investigates how fatigue affects gait, balance and functional mobility in individuals with neurological disorders. A key component of the project is the use of plethysmography to assess physiological responses associated with physical and cognitive fatigue, combined with advanced motion analysis in the laboratory and wearable sensors in daily life. By linking physiological markers of fatigue to movement quality and real-world activity, you will gain new insights into why mobility deteriorates during daily activities and how fatigue limits participation.

This project is embedded within the NWO-TTW funded Care is Coming Home programme. This large multidisciplinary consortium brings together academic medical centres, universities, healthcare organisations and industry partners to develop and implement innovative technologies for home-based healthcare and rehabilitation. The PhD project Fatigue in Motion is conducted in close collaboration with Sint Maartenskliniek, a leading specialist hospital in posture, gait and movement disorders, and Kinetic Analysis, an expert partner in advanced movement measurement and analysis.

As a PhD candidate, you will play a central role in the design and execution of this research project. Your responsibilities will include developing study protocols, conducting laboratory and real-world measurements, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, and disseminating findings through scientific publications and conference presentations. You will collaborate closely with clinicians, researchers and industry partners across the consortium to advance the assessment and understanding of fatigue-related mobility limitations in neurological populations.

Additional responsibilities may include mentoring BSc and MSc students and taking on limited teaching duties.

Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate .

At Radboud University, I can fully focus on expanding my expertise while learning from my peers and mentors. Noemí Segura-Solé PhD candidate in Microbial Ecology

• You hold an MSc degree in Human Movement Sciences, Neuroscience, Biomedical Engineering, Technical Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, or a related field, and have a strong interest in clinical research.
• You have experience with movement analysis, physiological measurements, and/or qualitative research methods, combined with excellent analytical, organisational and communication skills in both Dutch and English.
• You are proactive and persistent, and enjoy working at the interface of neuroscience, technology, rehabilitation and clinical practice.

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).
• You will receive a starting salary of €3,204 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €4,051 in the fourth year (salary scale P ).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20.

Work and science require good employment practices. Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions reflect this. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself. For example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports membership.

In addition, you receive a 34% discount…