Doctoral scholarship holder in-air acoustic sensing and applied machine learning for building the next-generation of intelligent robotic systems

The Department of Electrical and ICT Engineering Technology in the Faculty of Applied Engineering is looking for a full-time (100%) doctoral scholarship holder in the field of in-air acoustic sensing and applied machine learning for building the next-generation of intelligent robotic systems. The position is within the Cosys-lab research group, under supervision of prof. Jan Steckel and prof. Walter Daems.

Position

• You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis in the crossroads between the fields of robotics, signal processing and machine learning. The candidate will explore how graph-based representations of acoustic scene information can be leveraged to model and interpret complex environments. By combining these representations with predictive processing frameworks, the project aims to enable robots to anticipate and adapt to sensory input rather than merely react to it. A particular emphasis will be placed on ultrasound-based sensing in air, pushing the boundaries of perception for intelligent robotic systems capable of navigating and interacting with their surroundings in a more human-like, cognitive manner.
• You will publish scientific articles related to the research project.
• You will carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks for courses related to Cyber-physical systems and applied image/data processing.

Profile

• You hold a Master degree in Computer Science, Electronics Engineering or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.
• You can demonstrate good study results.
• Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.
• You have experience in, or are interested to learn about, the programming of robotics frameworks such as ROS2.
• You are eager to learn and broaden your knowledge through a curious and scientific mindset.
• You have experience with machine learning frameworks and scientific computing environments such as PyTorch and Matlab.

What we offer

• We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of two years. Following a positive evaluation and the availability of funding the scholarship can be renewed for another two years.
• You will submit an application to the Flemish science fund (FWO) for a full doctoral scholarship during the first year of your appointment.
• The planned start date is 1/1/2026 or as soon as possible after that date.
• Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.
• You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
• You will do most of your work at Campus Groenenborger in a dynamic and stimulating working environment.
• Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.

Want to apply?

You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 30 October 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments: a motivation letter, your academic CV, a small text explaining how you see your research interest aligning with the research topics in the field of ultrasound/robotics/ML by prof. Jan Steckel and prof. Walter Daems. The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Jan Steckel through jan.steckel@uantwerpen.be.