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
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
At the Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET), we work on engineering for impact: developing smart, sustainable, human-centred and technological solutions for societal challenges. We connect fundamental education, research and practice across five core domains: Asset & Maintenance engineering, Intelligent Manufacturing Systems, Personalised Health Technology, Resilience Engineering, and Sustainable Production, Energy and Resources.
We work on education and research in mechanical engineering, civil engineering and industrial design engineering. Together, we learn by making, creating, and innovating, addressing challenges in a solution-oriented way. Quality, connection and inclusivity are the foundation of our culture.
In our open community, students, researchers and staff collaborate with industrial and societal partners. This enables us to develop insights, applications and solutions that add value to society.
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