Robotics is a booming field of research, with the potential to transform our society. Soft robotics is a very young and promising field, and offers an exciting, radically different approach to operate safely and reliable in human-inhabited environments. Our ambition is to take the lead in realizing the next generation of soft robotic systems through the integrated design of affordable flexible hardware, power-efficient lightweight actuators, and efficient and intuitive control. Inspired by biology, new transduction principles and geometries will be explored, characterized by flexible geometries of materials with imperfect and anisotropic properties. Our vision embraces integrated design of soft robots, including desirable mechanical properties, embedded sensing and actuation, modelling and control. From this vision many scientific challenges arise in the areas of statics, dynamics and materials and transducers science for which you will take the lead in progressing these fields.

You will be embedded in a thriving national program that has been established to advance the emerging field of Soft Robotics. You will be working in a team of top scientists and you will have the opportunity to carry out excellent research, set up and contribute to educational programs and work on concrete solutions within our broad network of partners in policy and practice. We foster interdisciplinary collaboration between the six tenure trackers and the six postdoc positions to be appointed within this 4TU Soft Robotics program, and associated scientific staff, and public and private partners. It offers prospective candidates excellent opportunities to extend their networks with academic and societal partners.

You have a PhD in (soft)robotics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, physics, general engineering or in any other topic related to the program core domains.

You have an excellent publication record covering at least one of the following areas: (soft)robotics, material science, additive manufacturing or sensors and actuators.

You are a good collaborator who is able to combine and extend current knowledge and know-how to the departmental domains.

You need an excellent command of English (level C1 or higher, or comparable, this table).

INFORMATION AND APPLICATION

For more information please contact Prof.dr. H. van der Kooij, h.vanderkooij@utwente.nl and check the websites https://www.utwente.nl/en/et/be/ and https://www.ram.ewi.utwente.nl.

Please upload your application, including the following documents as a *single* PDF file named "Application Soft Robotics: Postdoc Soft Actuation and Sensing" through the button below.

• A cover letter carefully describing research interests and goals
• CV (including contact information for at least two academic references)
• Transcripts from your Bachelors, Masters and PhD degrees
• Transcripts of your language certificates
• A link to your personal website or multimedia portfolio highlighting your work in soft robotics is encouraged.

Applications should be uploaded through www.utwente.nl/vacatures/en.
A selection assessment can be part of the procedure. The deadline for application is November 30, 2018.

We offer a challenging fulltime postdoc position. The duration of the contract is one year, with the possibility to extend the contract for another three years after a positive evaluation. Working hours are 40 hours a week and salary ranges from 3173 to 4166 euros gross monthly depending on your experience.

The University of Twente offers an attractive benefits package, including a flexible workweek and the option of assembling a customized compensation and benefits package (the 'IKA'). Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities.

The University of Twente. We stand for life sciences and technology. High tech and human touch. Education and research that matter. New technology which leads change, innovation and progress in society. The University of Twente is the only campus university of the Netherlands; divided over five faculties we provide more than fifty educational programmes. We have a strong focus on personal development and talented researchers are given scope for carrying out groundbreaking research.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Because of our diversity values we do particularly support women to apply.

The Faculty of Engineering Technology (ET) is one of the five faculties of the University of Twente. ET combines Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering and Industrial Design Engineering. Our faculty has approximately 1800 bachelor and master students, 400 employees and 150 PhD candidates. The departments of the faculty cooperatively conduct the educational programmes and participate in interdisciplinary research projects, programmes and the research institutes: Mesa+ Institute, TechMed Centra and Digital Society Institute.