A 3-year PhD position is available at MagVenture A/S and DTU Electrical Engineering supported by the Industrial PhD program of the Innovation Fund Denmark.
It is a collaborative project led by Associate Professors Axel Thielscher (DTU) and Dr. Claus Mathiesen (MagVenture A/S). The successful candidate will be enrolled at the PhD school of DTU Electrical Engineering, and will be hosted at both MagVenture A/S and DTU.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive method to stimulate the brain, with several medical and research applications such as depression treatment. In the PhD project you will develop a computational model to characterize the effectiveness of TMS. Specifically, the model will enable objective predictions on how the TMS effects on brain activity and the unwanted side-effects (such as muscle twitches, stinging sensations) depend on technical parameters. This will open up novel ways to guide product development and optimization based on objective parameters.
Responsibilities and tasks
You will join a leading multi-disciplinary team, involving biomedical engineers, electrical engineers and neuroscientists. Your main task will comprise the integration of volume conductor models of the TMS current flow with neural activation models. In addition you will work closely with experimental neuroscientists for validating the model predictions in practical TMS experiments.
For that you should have prior experience in biomedical engineering, computer science, physics or similar in a broader sense and specifically in modeling of neural activity and/or volume conductor modeling for brain stimulation or EEG/MEG. Good programming skills are a clear plus, and you should have clear interest in the neuroscientific aspects of the project. You should be highly motivated and have the ability to efficiently structure your own work while at the same time being willing to contribute to the team.
Qualifications
Candidates should hold a MSc in engineering or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to the MSc in engineering.
Approval and Enrolment
PhD scholarships are subject to academic approval, and the candidates will be enrolled in one of the general PhD programmes of DTU. For information about the general requirements for enrolment and the general planning of the scholarship studies, please see the DTU PhD Guide.
Assessment
The assessment of the applicants will be made by Dr. Claus Mathiesen (MagVenture A/S) and Axel Thielscher, Associate Professor (DTU).
We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and an academic freedom tempered by responsibility.
Salary and appointment terms
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed with the relevant union. The period of employment is 3 years.
You will work on an inspiring interdisciplinary project that is embedded in an industry-academic collaboration. The working atmosphere is informal and cooperative.
MagVenture A/S, established in 2007, is a leading manufacturer of TMS systems for depression treatment, clinical examination and research in the areas of neurophysiology, neurology, cognitive neuroscience, rehabilitation and psychiatry. MagVenture's mission is to be the most dynamic and innovative supplier of TMS solutions.
You will join the Neurophysics group, which is hosted both at DTU Electrical Engineering and at the Danish Research Center for Magnetic Resonance (DRCMR). The latter gives you access to excellent resources for brain stimulation and MR scanning and allows for close collaboration with a top-notch Neurophysiology research group, headed by Prof. Hartwig Siebner, in the course of the PhD project.
You can read more about career paths at DTU here.
Further information
You are welcome to contact Associate Professor Axel Thielscher () for further information. You are welcome to send informal inquiries to this e-mail address. However, the full application has to be handed in online as described below.
Application
Please submit your online application no later than 1 March 2018. Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill in the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. Go to the following website to fill in the online application form: http://www.dtu.dk/english/career/job?id=98b4604f-44a9-484a-8ba2-a6db72875a49
The file must include:
- A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
- Curriculum vitae
- Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma
- Excel sheet with translation of grades to the Danish grading system (see guidelines and excel spreadsheet here)
Candidates may apply prior to obtaining their MSc, but cannot begin before having received it.
All qualified candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.
The Department of Electrical Engineering is the central department at DTU in electrical, biomedical engineering and acoustic technology. It is our goal to ensure an engineering training and research, which matches that of other leading universities around the world. The department is organized into sections each covering important areas of electrical, biomedical engineering and acoustic technologies. Including PhD students we have a total of 275 staff members.
DTU is a technical university providing internationally leading research, education, innovation and scientific advice. Our staff of 5,800 advance science and technology to create innovative solutions that meet the demands of society; and our 11,000 students are being educated to address the technological challenges of the future. DTU is an independent academic university collaborating globally with business, industry, government, and public agencies.