Assistant-Associate Professor In Polymer and Soft-Matter Technology

Would you like to be part of a vibrant and collaborative academic community, contributing to innovations with real-world relevance? Join us in shaping the future of polymer and soft-matter technology in the heart of the high-tech region of the Netherlands! The Processing & Performance section of the Mechanical Engineering department at Eindhoven University of Technology is seeking a passionate and talented Assistant or Associate Professor to expand its team.

The department of Mechanical Engineering

The department of Mechanical Engineering conducts world-class research that closely aligns with the technological needs of the high-tech industry in the Netherlands. We are deeply embedded in the Brainport Eindhoven ecosystem, enabling our staff and students to contribute directly to the development of technological breakthroughs with real-world relevance. With a strong track record of successful spin-offs and active participation in numerous national and international research consortia we offer a dynamic environment where science meets application. 
By offering a balanced education and research program that combines fundamental and application aspects, we aim to develop engineers who are both scientifically educated, and application driven. We equip our graduates with practical and theoretical expertise, preparing them optimally for future challenges.

The Processing and Performance section

The department of Mechanical Engineering focuses on research in the field of product and process design and manufacturing. The heart of the department is devoted to designing, analyzing, improving and manufacturing new products and processes, as well as the materials needed for this.

The overarching ambition of the Processing & Performance (P&P) section is to change the design of polymer and soft-matter products and shaping processes from experimentally driven trial-and-error to virtual prototyping with quantitative predictive capability. To reach this goal, the P&P section aims at bridging the gap between sophisticated experimentation, constitutive modelling and reliable and feasible computational techniques, augmented with data-driven methods and machine learning, to quantitatively describe and predict the processing (fluid state) and properties (solid state) of polymers and soft matter. Specific attention is given to establishing (micro)structure-processing-property relationships.

The P&P section has strong connections with the departments of Chemical Engineering & Chemistry as well as with Biomedical Engineering. There are also strong long-lasting industrial collaborations which is reflected by the numerous PhD and postdoctoral projects that are supported by industry bilaterally, via research centers, and in larger consortia.

The section currently consists of a diverse and committed team of eleven scientific staff members,  and approx. five post-docs and twenty PhD researchers.

To support our research we have a number of excellently equipped laboratories dedicated to rheology, interfacial rheology, mechanical testing, polymer processing, and additive manufacturing. 

The Position

Research themes of the candidate
We welcome applications from candidates (experimental, modelling, or computational) who share the overarching ambition and philosophy as formulated above, for a seamless integration in and productive interaction within the section. In terms of specific fields of polymer and soft-matter technology, the section has an interest in strengthening its expertise in one of the following research themes:

1. Safe and sustainable-by-design polymer-based materials

The emphasis lies on designing and characterizing next-generation materials that incorporate sustainability from the onset, by including bio-based and biodegradable solutions, reducing hazardous chemicals in production, or substituting chemicals, while evaluating their performance, durability, and suitability for circular economy pathways such as reuse, recycling, and resource recovery.

2. Multi-physics polymer-based materials

Specific mechanical and other physical properties (e.g., dielectric properties, conductivity, optics, permeability, insulation, stimuli-responsive behavior) can be designed by controlling both the composition and the processing conditions over different length and time scales. In terms of applications, one can think of electromagnetic shielding, opto-mechanical components, batteries, fuel cells, flexible electronics, and sensors. Of interest is specifically to unravel composition and processing recipes to simultaneously optimize several target properties by control of the microstructure.

3. Polymer materials at extreme conditions

Polymer materials offer enormous versatility in terms of forming and properties of the final product, at relatively low cost. However, when it comes to exposure to extreme conditions, polymer materials have limitations; one can think, e.g., of cryogenic temperatures and very high pressures/impact loading. Of interest are specifically the material characterization under these conditions, as well as the failure mechanisms.

4. Elastomers

Elastomers, filled and unfilled, find wide-spread applications, e.g., car and truck tires, driving belts, tubes, packaging, sealing, vibration damping, surgical gloves, and diving suits. Of interest are specifically the processing/compounding, wear, and effects of ageing (e.g., chemical or UV-induced).

Responsibilities

• You will develop internationally leading research, and make significant contributions to high-impact journals.
• You will be responsible for setting up and driving your own independent research program by writing research proposals to acquire public and private funding. You will also lead or contribute to initiating and coordinating multidisciplinary research projects by diverse (external) funding sources.
• You will lead or contribute to the development of the Mechanical Engineering Bachelor's and Master's teaching programs, and you will teach lectures/tutorials at the Bachelor and Master level related to your research field and to that of the P&P section. TU/e supports its junior scientific staff in further developing their teaching skills by offering a training program that leads to an official teaching certification from Dutch Universities (University Teaching Qualification).
• You will supervise and mentor BSc, MSc, EngD and PhD students during their final projects and internships. Your mentorship will empower the next generation of engineers.
• You will contribute to the success of the research group, department, and associated institutes by initiating, participating or leading new internal and external collaborations.

In this role, you will contribute to the ambition of the Beethoven program to educate top talent and strengthen research across the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

Job Requirements

The following criteria are required for the job depending on working experience and level of professorship (Assistant or Associate Professor). For the more experienced profiles we expect more academic seniority in all aspects of the required academic profile (research, impact/valorization, education and leadership):

• PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering, Applied Physics, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or comparable domain.
• Proven experience in one of the four above-mentioned research themes.
• Ability to conduct high quality academic research, reflected in demonstratable outputs.
• Motivated and/or ability to teach, contribute to teaching processes, and develop excellent teaching skills.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
• Effective communication and leadership skills, including the ability to coach and mentor students and staff, lead projects or chair groups.
• Excellent proficiency in English, both written and verbal.

Conditions of Employment

A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:

• A tailor-made career proposal (Assistant or Associate Professor) will be considered given your experience and track record with the possibility of an immediate tenured position for candidates who present a demonstrably qualified profile and possess at least two years of relevant experience following their PhD.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. For a junior Assistant Professor this is (scale 11) min. € 4.728 to max. € 6.433 gross per month (on a full-time basis). For an Associate Professor the range of the gross salary is (scale 13/14) min. € 6.512 to max. € 8.673 gross per month (on a full-time basis). 
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• A start-up package for the purpose of hiring a PhD student to kickstart your research.
• For the Assistant Professor position we offer a development track with the prospect of becoming an Associate Professor.
• A dedicated mentoring program to help you get to know the university and the Dutch (research) environment.
• High-quality training programs for academic leadership and teaching.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care, sports facilities and resources allocated for conference travel. 
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as are a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) and partner career support.
• The possibility for part-time employment starting at 0.8 fte (min. 32 hours a week).
• The start date of this position is flexible and in agreement with the candidate.

On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!

Information and application

About us

Our university
Eindhoven University of Technology is an internationally top-ranking university in the Netherlands that combines scientific curiosity with a hands-on attitude. Our spirit of collaboration translates into an open culture and a top five position in collaborating with advanced industries. Fundamental knowledge enables us to design solutions for the highly complex problems of today and tomorrow. 

Embedding of our Professors
The department of Mechanical Engineering is organized in eight large sections, each comprising approximately ten Assistant, Associate, or Full Professors. All are considered as Principal Investigator (PI) according to our ‘everybody Professor’ vision. Each PI has the academic freedom to define and develop their own research profile. At the same time, collaboration lies at the heart of our culture; PIs actively engage with one another both within and across the sections. Within each section PIs share responsibility for shaping and delivering part of the curriculum, as well as access to state-of-the-art lab facilities and dedicated technical support.
The PIs and support staff across the department meet regularly to exchange ideas and present latest developments in Education, Research and Innovation/Valorization. These events are highly valued by our scientific staff and contribute to the strong sense of community and team spirit that defines our department.

Our culture
We foster a supportive, inclusive, and collaborative working environment where everyone feels valued and respected. We stimulate a team-oriented culture in which ideas are openly shared and interdisciplinary collaboration is encouraged. Challenges are met with a proactive, can-do attitude, and we prioritize mutual support and personal growth. Our commitment to wellbeing is reflected in initiatives such as intervision groups, a Wellbeing Signal Group, professional leadership programs, and an active mentoring system.

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Questions regarding the scientific content can be directed to prof. dr.sc.nat. M. Hütter via M.Huetter@tue.nl.

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact Josje van Oudenaarden, Senior Recruiter, via j.e.v.oudenaarden@tue.nl or +31 643559575.

Curious to hear more about what it is like as a professor at TU/e? Please watch the video.

Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application which should include:

• A cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• A Curriculum Vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.
• A description of your scientific interests and plans (1-2 pages).
• A statement of your teaching goals and experience (1-2 pages).
• Certificate of your PhD degree.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

We look forward to receiving your application at the latest June 2 23:59 CET, 2026.

The recruitment process will include the following sequential selection rounds:

• Online interviews with the selection committee on June 23, 25 or 29, 2026.
• Candidates’ day on our campus, including interviews and introduction program to get to know the group, the department and our university. We expect this to take place in September 2026.
• Formal interview with the Recruitment Advisory Committee. We expect this to take place in October 2026.

We look forward to your application and potentially welcoming you to our university.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.