Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
The 3ME Faculty trains committed engineering students and PhD candidates in groundbreaking scientific research in the fields of mechanical, maritime and materials engineering. 3ME is the epitome of a dynamic, innovative faculty, with a European scope that contributes demonstrable economic and social benefits.
Delft Centre for Systems and Control
The Delft Centre for Systems and Control (DCSC) coordinates the education and research activities in systems and control at Delft University of Technology. The Centre’s research mission is to conduct fundamental research in systems dynamics and control, involving dynamic modelling, advanced control theory, optimization and signal analysis. The research is motivated by advanced technology development in mechatronics and microsystems, sustainable industrial processes, transportation and automotive systems, and physical imaging systems. The group actively participates in the Dutch Institute of Systems and Control (DISC).
Job description
Microscopy has become increasingly more important in biological and biomedical work. This is to a great extent due to the development of advanced imaging methods such as confocal microscopy and multi-photon excitation microscopy that provide 3-D imaging in (optically thick) specimens. Unfortunately, the use of these techniques is seriously hampered by specimen-induced aberrations that result in reduced depth penetration, loss of spatial resolution, and increased phototoxicity. Current implementations of adaptive optics (AO) provide evidence that AO can significantly improve image quality, depth penetration, and spatial resolution while reducing phototoxicity in scanning microscopy. However, severe speed limitations render them impractical for real-life applications.
The goal of this PhD-project is, in collaboration with other researchers from Molecular Biophysics and from Astronomy, the development of fast, active compensation methods for specimen-induced wavefront aberrations by using AO in combination with smart predictive algorithms that take into account all system properties including the scanning nature of the acquisition, the dynamic properties of the deformable mirror (DM) based AO, and the nature of the optical optimization. Particular tasks are the development of (predictive) algorithms for signal analysis and control and the real-time validation and implementation of these algorithms.
Requirements
We are looking for a candidate with a MSc degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Aerospace Engineering or equivalent, with a strong background in either systems and control and/or optical systems. The candidate is expected to develop integrated control algorithms, to validate these in laboratory demonstrators, and to publish his/her research in scientific journals and conferences.
Conditions of employment
TU Delft offers an attractive benefits package, including a flexible work week, free high-speed Internet access from home, and the option of assembling a customized compensation and benefits package (the 'IKA'). Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
Information and application
The position will remain open until filled. However, interviewing of candidates will start in early April 2009. Additional Information about this position can be obtained from Dr. Georg Schitter (phone: +31 15 2786152).
If you are interested in this position, you may send:
your Curriculum Vitae,
a cover letter stating your motivation,
your grades,
a summary of your MSc thesis and list of publications (if any), and
the names and contact data of two professional reference persons
electronically or as hard-copy, written in the English language and mentioning the vacancy number 09.03 to:
Application-3mE@tudelft.nl
