Belgium offers a wealth of opportunities for prospective PhD students to engage in pioneering research across its esteemed universities. Below, we provide detailed information about available fully funded PhD vacancies at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), University of Antwerp, Hasselt University, and Ghent University. Each position comes with a monthly salary and presents a unique chance to advance your academic career while contributing to significant scientific discoveries.
PhD in Belgium: All You Need to Know
Open Academic Positions at various Universities in Belgium
- Available fully funded PhD and Postdoc Positions at Ghent University
- Fully Funded PhD and Postdocs at Hasselt University
- Fully Funded PhD and Postdocs at University of Antwerp
- Fully funded PhD and Postdoc Positions at the University of Leuven
Available Fully Funded PhD Vacancies at University of Leuven (KU Leuven) in Belgium
The University of Leuven (KU Leuven) is internationally recognized for its rigorous academic standards and innovative research contributions. Here are some of the current PhD opportunities available:
Title: Vacancy for two PhD researchers in Predictive and Prescriptive Process Modelling
- Position Type: Full Time, 1-year renewable bursary contract, for up to 4 years.
- Location: The Faculty of Economics and Business
- Deadline: 16.08.2024
- Summary: Two PhD positions are open in the area of Predictive and Prescriptive Process Modelling at the LIRIS research group within the Faculty of Economics and Business at KU Leuven. One position will be hosted at KU Leuven with an exchange period at the University of Melbourne, while the other will be hosted at the University of Melbourne with an exchange period at KU Leuven. The research aims to advance the development of models that predict and prescribe optimal business processes.
- Requirements: Candidates should preferably hold a master’s degree in Business and Information Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Statistics, or related disciplines. Strong academic performance and a solid background in mathematics are required. Proficiency in Python programming, along with knowledge in data science, machine learning, statistics, and process modelling, is essential. Applicants must demonstrate a passion for research, creativity, and the ability to work efficiently in a research setting, including investigating new research questions and solutions. Additionally, international candidates must meet GRE/GMAT and English language proficiency requirements.
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Title: PhD position – microaggression, work and career experiences of women
- Position Type: Full Time
- Location: The Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
- Deadline: 31.08.2024
- Summary: This PhD position focuses on studying microaggressions in the workplace and their impact on the work and career experiences of women. The research is conducted by the Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Professional Learning (O2L) Research Group at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at KU Leuven, in collaboration with the University of Melbourne. The project, funded by Global PhD Partnerships, covers two PhD positions, with one student spending three years at each university.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a master’s degree in psychology, educational sciences, business sciences, social sciences, or related disciplines, with excellent academic performance. They should have a strong interest in labor market topics and conducting research on policy-relevant and societal themes. Proficiency in English is essential, along with strong writing skills for communicating research findings. Candidates should be independent, proactive, and possess excellent time management skills.
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Title: PhD position: NTM lung disease unveiled
- Position Type: Full Time
- Location: The Department of Respiratory Medicine
- Deadline: 31.07.2024
- Summary: This PhD position focuses on studying nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung infections within an interdisciplinary research team at the University Hospital Leuven and KU Leuven. Led by Professor Natalie Lorent, the project aims to understand markers predicting disease severity and progression in NTM lung disease to improve management decisions.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in Medicine or Biomedical Sciences, with a keen interest in infectious/respiratory diseases. They should be motivated, enthusiastic, and able to work independently in a diverse team environment. Basic laboratory skills are advantageous, and good communication skills, along with fluency in English, are essential. Knowledge of Dutch and French is considered an asset.
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Title: PhD position: Assessing and enhancing quality of time series data with AI methodologies
- Position Type: Full Time
- Location: The Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT)
- Deadline: 15.07.2024
- Summary: This PhD position, based within the STADIUS research division at the Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT), focuses on developing machine learning methods to assess and enhance the quality of time series data, particularly biomedical signals. Led by Professors Alexander Bertrand and Maarten De Vos, the project aims to validate these methods using real-world clinical data.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a master’s degree in engineering, with a background in fields such as electrical or mathematical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, information technology, artificial intelligence, or signal processing. Strong mathematical skills and a genuine interest in algorithms and methodologies for machine learning, artificial intelligence, and signal processing are essential. Candidates should have demonstrated independent research skills, excellent academic performance, and proficiency in the English language.
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Available Fully Funded PhD Vacancies at University of Antwerp in Belgium
The University of Antwerp offers a dynamic research environment with numerous opportunities across its faculties. Here are some of the current PhD positions available:
Title: Doctoral scholarship holder social policy
- Department: Department of Sociology
- Position: Full-time
- Deadline: 17.06.2024
- Summary: The University of Antwerp’s Department of Sociology is seeking a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in Social Policy. The selected candidate will contribute to the FWO-funded research project “When flexicurity drops the ball,” examining the role of European welfare states in mitigating income effects of volatile employment. Responsibilities include preparing a PhD thesis, publishing scientific articles, and assisting with teaching and research support tasks.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in sociology, socioeconomic sciences, economic sciences, or related fields, with strong academic performance, preferably with honors. Proficiency in English and a keen interest in socioeconomic policy issues are essential. A solid background in quantitative research methods and data analysis, including statistical software like STATA, SPSS, SAS, or R, is required. Candidates should demonstrate attention to detail, integrity, and a commitment to quality, as well as the ability to work independently and creatively within a multidisciplinary team.
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Title: Doctoral scholarship holder objective and subjective assessments of the urban soundscape
- Department: Construction
- Position: Full-time
- Deadline: 17.06.2024
- Summary: The University of Antwerp’s research groups SuPAR and the Antwerp Social Lab seek a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in the field of objective and subjective assessments of the urban soundscape. The selected candidate will actively contribute to the “De Oorzaak” citizen science project, analyze data, develop AI-based prediction models, conduct VR-based listening tests, and assess the impact of different soundscapes on quality of life. Additionally, the candidate will engage in teaching and research support tasks within the Department of Civil Engineering Technology and the SuPAR research group.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Sciences, or Social Sciences, preferably in (Engineering) Acoustics/Physics, Computer Science/Informatics, Construction, Civil or Mechanical Engineering. Excellent academic performance, teaching competences aligned with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision, and research qualities consistent with faculty and university research policies are required. Attention to quality, integrity, creativity, and cooperation, along with good written and oral English skills (minimum B2 level), are essential. Experience in environmental or building acoustics research, analyzing and comparing objective and subjective data, or developing and analyzing VR-based experiments is advantageous. Additional skills in statistics (SPSS and/or R), large-scale surveys (Qualtrics), big data analyses, Machine Learning (Python), and/or listening tests are beneficial.
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Title: Doctoral scholarship holder computational neurobiology
- Department: Center for Molecular Neurology
- Position: Full-time
- Deadline: 17.06.2024
- Summary: The Computational Neurobiology Lab at the VIB Center for Molecular Neurology seeks a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in computational neurobiology. The selected candidate will work on a project integrating computational biology, AI, and biomedical science to identify patient-specific triggers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. Using deep learning, generative models, and cross-modal autoencoders, the candidate will develop a statistical framework and computational tool for reconstructing past causal longitudinal trajectories to aid in treatment design and biomarker discovery.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree (or expect to by the start date) in applied mathematics, computer science, statistics, machine learning, or related areas. Enthusiasm and motivation to develop statistical and computational frameworks for neurodegenerative diseases, excellent academic performance, particularly in mathematics, statistics, machine learning, and bioinformatics, and strong programming skills in Python (knowledge of R is a plus) are required. Experience in developing and troubleshooting statistical frameworks and computational models, along with proficiency in written and spoken English, is essential. Ability to effectively communicate research to both computational and experimental biologists is desired.
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Title: Doctoral scholarship holder ecotoxicology exploring phytoremediation for PFAS cleanup
- Department: Department of Biology
- Position: Full-time
- Deadline: 01.07.2024
- Summary: The Department of Biology at the University of Antwerp, in collaboration with the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IMDO), is seeking a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in the field of ecotoxicology. The successful candidate will focus on the phytoremediation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the terrestrial environment, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Lieven Bervoets, Prof. Dr. Anne Bergmans, and Dr. Thimo Groffen.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Environmental Science, or related fields, with interest in social sciences and willingness to approach the research topic from a socio-technical perspective. Basic experience with laboratory work and field-based research in the natural sciences, excellent academic performance, fluency in both Dutch and English, teaching competencies aligned with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision, and strong communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills are required.
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Title: Doctoral scholarship holder ecotoxicology PFAS systemic regional approach to assess spatial distribution, transfer, exposure and remediation of widespread pollution in Willebroek, Flanders
- Department: Department of Biology
- Position: Full-time
- Deadline: 01.07.2024
- Summary: The ECOSPHERE research group within the Department of Biology at the University of Antwerp is seeking a full-time doctoral scholarship holder in the field of ecotoxicology. The successful candidate will investigate the aquatic and terrestrial ecotoxicology of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) within the framework of the LIFE project: “PFAS systemic regional approach to Assess Spatial distribution, Transfer, Exposure and Remediation of widespread pollution in Willebroek, Flanders (PFASTER)”.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold an Academic Master’s degree recognized by the EU in biology, biochemistry, environmental sciences, or related fields, or be in the final year of such a degree. Demonstrated outstanding academic performance according to the ECST grading scale, teaching competencies aligned with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision, research qualities in line with faculty and university research policies, attention to quality, integrity, creativity, and cooperation, excellent oral and written English communication skills, knowledge of Dutch is a plus, flexibility and team spirit in an international research environment, possession of a driver’s license valid in Belgium, or willingness to obtain one, and possession of a FELASA C certificate, or willingness to obtain one during the project, are required.
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Available Fully Funded PhD Vacancies at Hasselt University
Hasselt University offers a variety of PhD positions in different research domains, providing a stimulating environment for scholarly growth.
Title: PhD student Techno-economic analysis and life cycle analysis of the upscaling of flexible perovskite solar cells
- Deadline: 31.05.2024
- Location: The Environmental Economics (EEC) Research Group
- Summary: As part of the LUMINOSITY project, this PhD position focuses on the techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle analysis (LCA) of scaling up the manufacturing of flexible perovskite solar cells. The goal is to evaluate and enhance the competitiveness of LUMINOSITY technology compared to existing substitutes, thus fostering its technological development. Additionally, the candidate will prepare a doctoral thesis by publishing scientific research articles and expanding the research network through participation in international academic conferences. A limited teaching assignment tailored to the candidate’s background and PhD is also included.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in business engineering, engineering, economics, or an equivalent field, or will obtain such a degree by July 2024. Proficiency in data collection, quantitative research methods, and relevant software is required. Excellent academic performance, evidenced by bachelor and master transcripts, fluency in English, and knowledge of Dutch is advantageous. Experience with multidisciplinary research projects, familiarity with life cycle analysis and techno-economic analysis, particularly in renewable energy technology or photovoltaics, is a plus.
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Title: PhD student Human brain imaging to evaluate the effect of exercise on brain structure and function
- Deadline: 31.05.2024
- Location: REVAL Rehabilitation Research group of Hasselt University
- Summary: This PhD position involves spearheading a research project investigating the effects of exercise intervention on cerebral complications in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients, particularly focusing on the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. The primary responsibilities include using state-of-the-art medical imaging techniques, such as MRI, to collect, analyze, and report data. Additionally, the candidate will coach T2DM patients during exercise sessions and collect blood samples for biomarker analysis. Frequent travel between research sites during data collection is required. Teaching activities related to research and neuroscience are also part of the role.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, human movement sciences, biomedical sciences, psychology, medicine, engineering, computer sciences, or an equivalent field. Strong academic performance, a keen interest in medical imaging, and experience with tools such as SPM, FSL, etc., are advantageous. Proficiency in computer programming languages like MATLAB, Python, etc., is recommended, along with good to excellent knowledge of statistics, including modeling. Familiarity with experimental research design, execution, and analysis is necessary. Candidates should possess strong problem-solving skills, flexibility, organizational capacity, stress resistance, and excellent communication skills in English. Proficiency in Dutch or a willingness to learn is essential for communication with participants and patients. The ability to foster a positive working atmosphere and collaborate effectively with various stakeholders is also required.
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Available Fully Funded PhD Vacancies at Ghent University in Belgium
Ghent University offers a broad spectrum of PhD opportunities within its diverse research environment, known for its excellence in science and innovation.
Title: PhD Researcher in Adaptive UAV Sensing Techniques for Flood Crisis Management
- Location: TW05 – Department of Information Technology
- Contract: Limited duration
- Occupancy rate: 100%
- Deadline: 31.08.2024
- Summary: The IDLab at Ghent University seeks a PhD student for a joint project with VITO, focusing on developing deep learning computer vision pipelines for UAVs in flood crisis management. The role involves creating real-time processing algorithms for UAV imagery, adaptive computation for detailed image analysis, and selecting crucial frames for further processing. The researcher will also contribute to educational activities and mentorship.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a (European) Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, or related fields, with honors-level grades. A strong foundation in machine learning and a drive to advance adaptive inference technologies are essential. Commitment to developing novel algorithmic solutions, proficiency in computer science tools (Python, Git, Linux, etc.), and machine learning frameworks like PyTorch are required. Experience in computer vision, remote sensing, drone technology, or embedded computing platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson) is desirable. Candidates should possess excellent analytical skills, be team players with robust communication skills, and have fluency in English (C1 CEFR level) in both speaking and writing.
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Title: PhD Student (NudgeFlow Project)
- Location: TW01 – Department of Architecture and Urban Planning
- Contract: Limited duration
- Occupancy rate: 100%
- Deadline: 15.06.2024
- Summary: This PhD scholarship is part of the ‘NudgeFlow’ project, a highly specialized research opportunity in residential ventilation system engineering. The scholar will engage in extensive research, working with the Building Physics research group at UGent and collaborating with KU Leuven, UAntwerpen, BBRI, and TU Eindhoven. The project encompasses four major work packages, each focusing on different aspects of ventilation system engineering:
- Developing Dwelling Geometries: Utilizing parametric geometries for statistical representation of common dwelling models, essential for simulating the NudgeFlow concept.
- Establishing Boundary Conditions and Occupancy: Generating high-frequency stochastic weather files and estimating disturbances, leveraging advanced forecasting models and occupancy schedule generators.
- Implementing a Stochastic Multi-zone Calculation Method: Adopting IBPSA project 1 libraries for a robust calculation method, ensuring the reliability of simulation outcomes.
- Simulating and Evaluating the NudgeFlow System: Conducting comprehensive simulations and evaluations of the NudgeFlow system in a virtual testbed, comparing it against benchmark cases.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a Master’s degree in engineering, demonstrating a strong foundation in relevant subjects. They are expected to possess analytical skills for complex simulations and statistical analyses, collaborative spirit for working with various research teams, technical expertise in building physics principles and ventilation systems, and a commitment for an initial 12-month period, with potential extension up to 48 months based on performance.
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Title: PhD position Surrogate modeling and Machine Learning for science and engineering
- Location: TW05 – Department of Information Technology
- Contract: Limited duration
- Occupancy rate: 100%
- Deadline: 15.06.2024
- Summary: IDLab, part of imec at Ghent University, offers a PhD in surrogate modeling and machine learning within its data science and technology group. The role focuses on developing machine learning techniques for scientific and engineering problems and involves collaboration, research publication, and participation in national and international AutoML projects.
- Requirements: Candidates should hold a (European) Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related field, with honors-level grades, either already obtained or expected in the near future. A robust foundation in machine learning, technical skills in computer science (Python, Git, etc.), and experience with frameworks like PyTorch or Tensorflow are required. Strong analytical ability, teamwork and communication skills in English, both spoken and written, are essential.
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These positions provide an excellent platform for motivated individuals to engage in advanced research while developing their academic and professional skills. Each university offers a supportive environment with state-of-the-art facilities and a collaborative research community. Take the next step in your academic career and apply for these exciting opportunities today!