Computational Models of Musculokeletal Injury Prediction and Control of Bio-protective Exosuits

Job Description

Do you want to develop wearable technologies for preventing musculoskeletal injuries in occupational settings, e.g., factory workers performing manual tasks? Are you passionate about developing novel human-machine interfaces for robotic exosuits? The Neuro-Mechanical Modeling and Engineering Lab, Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, is seeking for a creative and outstanding post-doctoral fellow to work within the European Project SOPHIA. You will become part of a growing team of roboticists, biomechanists, as well as partners in machinery and automotive industries.

Your tasks

You will focus on human subjects performing locomotion and/or lifting tasks, who are prone to lower back and/or leg injuries. These injuries may be prevented by developing (1) statistical methods for the estimation of injury likelihood and (2) controllers for bio-protective robotic exosuits. Your tasks will include:

• Developing injury likelihood estimators based on real-time estimates of musculoskeletal states (e.g. muscle-tendon strains, joint compressive loads, etc.).
• Developing closed-loop control logics for bio-protective active trunk or leg exosuits to maintain injury likelihood within boundaries.
• Validating these methods in laboratory and factory environments.
• Joining a team of scientists and cooperate on related topics.

Your Profile

• University degrees in statistics, mechatronics, computer, electrical, biomedical engineering or related disciplines.
• PhD degree with strong experience in computational (statistical) models for injury prevention and/or robotic control.
• Proven experience in statistical modelling, data mining and/or machine learning.
• Proven knowledge in musculoskeletal modelling and object-oriented programming.
• Interpersonal, organizational and communication skills, creativity.
• Proficient in written and oral English.

Our Offer

• A full-time contract for 24 months
• A gross salary between € 3.353,- and € 4.402,- per month , depending on experience and qualifications.
• An annual holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, and an annual end of year bonus of 8.3%.
• A solid pension scheme.
• Minimum of 29 leave days in case of full-time employment.
• The University of Twente is situated on a green and lively campus with lots of facilities for sports and other extracurricular activities
• Outstanding research facilities and working environment
• Proximity to Enschede, a mid-size city with a large social offer, embedded in the beautiful nature of the Twente region.
• Fun work atmosphere with social events such as lab retreats.

Information and Application

You can apply for this position before 1st of September 2021 by clicking the ‘apply now’ button. Please include the following:

• A video (2-minute max) describing your scientific interests and why you are applying for this position.
• A cover letter (1-page max) specifying how your experience and skills match the position as well as summarizing your PhD work.
• A CV including English proficiency level, nationality, visa requirements, date of birth, experience overview, and publication list.
• Contact information for at least two academic references. A support letter will be requested by us only if your application is considered

The successful candidate ideally begins on December 1st, 2021, or as soon as possible after that date. For questions, please contact Prof. Massimo Sartori, mail: m.sartori@utwente.nl.

About the Department

The H2020 SOPHIA Project seeks to realize adaptable and safe human-robot collaborative environments. Through well-tested sensing methods, modeling, and control algorithms, SOPHIA will see humans and robots working together in factory production settings. In this way, SOPHIA will remove the separation between man and machine to improve factory output. SOPHIA consortium encompasses a large international consortium of academic and industrial partners.

Project Page: https://project-sophia.eu

About the Orgnization

The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) engages in education and research Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering with a view to enabling society and industry to innovate and create value using sound, efficient and sustainable technology. We are part of a ‘people-first’ university of technology, taking our place as an internationally leading centre for smart production, processes and devices in five domains: Health Technology, Maintenance, Smart Regions, Smart Industry and Sustainable Resources. Our faculty is home to some 1,800 Bachelor’s and Master’s students, 400 employees and 150 PhD candidates and offers three degree programmes: Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. Our educational and research programme are closely connected with UT research institutes Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centra and Digital Society Institute.

University of Twente (UT)

University of Twente (UT) has entered the new decade with an ambitious, new vision, mission and strategy. As ‘the ultimate people-first university of technology’ we are rapidly expanding on our High Tech Human Touch philosophy and the unique role it affords us in society. Everything we do is aimed at maximum impact on people, society and connections through the sustainable utilisation of science and technology. We want to contribute to the development of a fair, digital and sustainable society through our open, inclusive and entrepreneurial attitude. This attitude permeates everything we do and is present in every one of UT’s departments and faculties. Building on our rich legacy in merging technical and social sciences, we focus on five distinguishing research domains: Improving healthcare by personalised technologies; Creating intelligent manufacturing systems; Shaping our world with smart materials; Engineering our digital society; and Engineering for a resilient world.

As an employer, University of Twente offers jobs that matter. We equip you as a staff member to shape new opportunities both for yourself and for our society. With us, you will be part of a leading tech university that is changing our world for the better. We offer an open, inclusive and entrepreneurial climate, in which we encourage you to make healthy choices, for example, with our flexible, customisable conditions.