Researcher Digital Experimental Mechanics
Are you energized by building the next generation of engineering labs, crafting high-quality mechanics experiments, and enabling data-driven research and education? Do you enjoy working at the intersection of materials, mechanics, human–technology interaction, and digitalisation? Then we’d love to work with you!
We are looking for a Researcher to build up our experimental infrastructure and contribute to advancing mechanics education and research at UT. The role blends hands-on lab tasks, digital innovation, and joint research.
About the Role
As an Researcher in Digital Experimental Mechanics, you will contribute to modernising our experimental practice across education, research, and lab operations. You will help compose hybrid mechanics labs (hands-on + digital), develop reliable experimental workflows, support materials–surface interaction research, and contribute to long-term lab resilience. You will collaborate closely with academic staff, technicians, and researchers from Mechanical Engineering (ME), Industrial Design Engineering (IDE), and the wider Engineering Technology community. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys crafting things that work, making mechanics intuitive and accessible, and enabling others to do excellent experimental science.
What You Will Work On
You will play a key role in:
- Modernising Engineering Education
- Crafting hybrid learning experiences that combine physical experiments with simulations and datasets.
- Developing reusable, scalable teaching assets for mechanics and material-interaction courses.
- Helping students understand the link between materials, surfaces, and experienced performance.
- Building Digital & Data-Driven Workflows
- Developing standardised, traceable data acquisition and processing workflows.
- Contributing to an evolving “digital lab manual” with scripts, procedures, and guidelines.
- Improving reproducibility and efficiency in mechanical testing.
- Advancing Interaction Mechanics Research
- Supporting experimental campaigns on static and cyclic material–surface interactions.
- Collaborating on simplified digital twin models that connect experiments and simulations.
- Helping generate datasets that strengthen ongoing research lines.
- Strengthening Lab Capacity & Continuity
- Detailing critical experimental workflows and equipment procedures.
- Supporting training for staff and students.
- Contributing to a long-term continuity plan that ensures stable, future-ready laboratory operations.
Information and application
Please submit your application before April 30, 2026 using the “Apply now” button, and include:
- A Curriculum Vitae
- A cover letter of at most A4.
- information for at least two academic references
- Transcripts from your Bachelor and Master degrees and of your PhD.
Additional information about this position can be acquired from dr. D.T.A. Matthews : d.t.a.matthews@utwente.nl.
Screening will be part of the selection procedure.
The first rounds of interviews will take place between May 4th - May 14th.
About the organisation
The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) engages in education and research of Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. We enable society and industry to innovate and create value using efficient, solid and sustainable technology. We are part of a ‘people-first' university of technology, taking our place as an internationally leading center for smart production, processes and devices in five domains: Health Technology, Maintenance, Smart Regions, Smart Industry and Sustainable Resources. Our faculty is home to about 2,900 Bachelor's and Master's students, 550 employees and 150 PhD candidates. Our educational and research programmes are closely connected with UT research institutes Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Center and Digital Society Institute.
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