The University of Twente, Faculty ITC, wishes to increase the number of women in the faculty to have a more balanced staff profile. During all phases of the selection process, we will therefore prioritize selecting women who fit the profile.
Your challenge
Changing environmental conditions such as soil moisture, temperature, and subsurface heterogeneity strongly influence the quality of geophysical observations. Improving our ability to image and monitor the subsurface is essential for applications in infrastructure management, environmental monitoring, climate adaptation, and sustainable urban development.
You will develop and apply advanced methods for subsurface characterization by combining geophysical sensing, physical modelling, and artificial intelligence. You will:
· design and conduct research using geophysical techniques such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), seismic, and electromagnetic methods;
· analyse and integrate geophysical datasets to characterize subsurface structures, buried infrastructure, and material properties;
· develop and apply AI and machine learning methods for signal processing, image analysis, data fusion, and prediction;
· build physics-informed and hybrid AI models that combine geophysical knowledge with data-driven approaches;
· contribute to the development of dynamic digital twins for subsurface monitoring, forecasting, and decision support;
· collaborate with researchers and external stakeholders, publish results in leading journals, and present findings at international conferences.
The project offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of geophysics, AI, and digital twinning, contributing to next-generation technologies for understanding and managing the subsurface.
This position is embedded within the national Sectorplan Earth and Environmental Sciences (AMW) programme and contributes to strategic research investments addressing climate resilience, environmental monitoring, and sustainable infrastructure management.
Information and application
For more information, you may contact Prof Dr M. van der Meijde (e-mail: m.vandermeijde@utwente.nl) or Dr Ir L.L. Olde Scholtenhuis (e-mail: l.l.oldescholtenhuis@utwente.nl). You are also invited to visit our homepage.
Please submit your application before 1 November 2026 including:
A motivation letter (maximum 2 A4 pages) clearly emphasizing your specific interest, qualifications and motivation to apply for this position.
- A detailed CV with the contact details of at least one reference person.
- A short description of your PhD thesis.
Applications that do not include the above-mentioned information will not be considered.
The interviews will take place on 16 and/or 17 November 2026.
Screening is part of the selection procedure.
For questions about working and living in the Netherlands, please consult the official website of the Dutch Government or the Expat Center East Netherlands website.
About the department
The research will be conducted at the University of Twente FieldLab, a unique experimental facility designed for both controlled and real-world subsurface investigations. The FieldLab offers instrumented test sites, advanced geophysical monitoring capabilities, semi-controlled hydrological conditions, and opportunities to study environmental dynamics over time.
The project brings together expertise from geophysics, engineering, environmental sciences, and artificial intelligence, offering an excellent environment for interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
This position is jointly hosted by the Department of Geosciences (faculty ITC) and the Department of Civil Engineering and Management (faculty ET) at the University of Twente. The Department of Geosciences is internationally recognised for its research on subsurface characterization, Earth observation, geophysics, geoinformatics, and sustainable management of natural resources. The Department of Civil Engineering and Management contributes expertise in infrastructure systems, asset management, digitalisation, and data-driven approaches for monitoring and decision support in the built environment. Together, the two departments offer a highly interdisciplinary research environment at the interface of geoscience, engineering, artificial intelligence, and digital twins.
About the organisation
The Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) provides international postgraduate education, research and project services in the field of geo-information science and earth observation. Our mission is capacity development, where we apply, share and facilitate the effective use of geo-information and earth observation knowledge and tools for tackling global wicked problems. Our purpose is to enable our many partners around the world to track and trace the impact – and the shifting causes and frontiers – of today’s global challenges. Our vision is of a world in which researchers, educators, and students collaborate across disciplinary and geographic divides with governmental and non-governmental organisations, institutes, businesses, and local populations to surmount today’s complex global challenges and to contribute to sustainable, fair, and digital societies.
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