The position is embedded in the Institute of Data Science, a research unit within the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences, Maastricht University. The candidate will work together with PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and other senior researchers. The candidate will conduct research on Federated Health Data Models and, specifically, will contribute towards the development of a decentralized health data sharing platform supporting the search access and analysis of health data. You will make use of blockchain based model to propose health data interoperability and AI-model development monitoring solutions. The position is supported by two large-scale, multi-disciplinary European Funded projects, which bring together universities, companies, and end-users, all active in the fields of AI and Medicine, to design and collaborate with novel health data sharing platforms. REALM-ai, is a project aiming to develop a monitoring and certification system for AI medical software approval and the second is iCARE4CVD where the aim is to create a federated health data sharing infrastructure to support health data analysis. Both projects require the development of a blockchain-based health data sharing and ai-model-development infrastructure.

The tasks of the successful candidate include:

• Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team of researchers and industry partners in the REALM and iCARE4CVD projects.
• Contribute to the design and development of a decentralized infrastructure for health data sharing and AI model creation, leveraging blockchain technology.
• Implement and optimize blockchain-based solutions to ensure secure, scalable, and privacy-preserving data sharing and analysis.
• Work on the integration of AI-based medical software approval systems within the REALM project, including the development of a monitoring and certification framework.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of a federated health data sharing infrastructure within the iCARE4CVD project, enabling advanced analysis and insights.
• Conduct extensive evaluations and experiments using real-world healthcare datasets to validate the performance and effectiveness of the developed solutions.
• Publish research findings in top-tier conferences and journals, and actively participate in scientific and technical communities through presentations and workshops.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, including data and computer scientists, healthcare professionals, legal and data privacy experts, to ensure successful project outcomes and timely deliverables.
• Participation in project meetings and contribution to reports, as well as possible travels across Europe and beyond for the implementation of the project and participation in conferences.
• Mentor and supervise graduate and PhD students involved in related research activities.
• Assistance in teaching activities of the department.

The ideal candidate has:  

• A PhD in computer science, data science, or a related field, with a focus on blockchain technology, distributed systems, or healthcare/bio informatics. Exceptional candidates with relevant experience in industry will also be considered.
• Strong expertise in blockchain technology and its applications in decentralized systems, with a solid understanding of consensus algorithms, smart contracts, and privacy-preserving mechanisms.
• Experience in the design and development of large-scale distributed systems, preferably in the context of healthcare or related domains.
• Familiarity with healthcare data standards (e.g., HL7, FHIR) and experience working with electronic health record (EHR) systems.
• Some experience with data analysis, machine learning, and statistical modeling techniques is desirable.
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in blockchain development, such as Solidity and Python.
• Strong publication record in top-tier conferences and journals related to distributed systems, or healthcare technology.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to think critically and creatively to propose innovative solutions.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work well in a team-oriented research environment.
• Prior experience in European research projects and familiarity with project management processes and deliverables is desirable.

As a Post-Doc at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, you will be employed by the most international university of the Netherlands, located in the beautiful city of Maastricht. In addition, we offer you:

• Good employment conditions. The position is in grated in scale 11 according to the UFO profile Researcher, function level 3 with corresponding salary ranging from € 4.332 to € 5.929 gross per month (based on a full-time employment of 38 hours per week). In addition to the monthly salary, an 8.0% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus are applicable.
•  An employment contract for a period of 24 months with a scope of 1.0 FTE.
• As Family-friendly University, we offer flexible working hours and the possibility to work partly from home if the nature of your position allows it. You will receive a monthly commuting and internet allowance for this. If you work full-time, you will be entitled to 29 vacation days and 4 additional public holidays per year, namely carnival Monday, carnival Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day. If you choose to accumulate compensation hours, an additional 12 days will be added. Furthermore, you can personalize your employment conditions through a collective labor agreement (CAO) choice model.
• As Maastricht University, we offer various other excellent secondary employment conditions. These include a good pension scheme with the ABP and the opportunity for UM employees to participate in company fitness and make use of the extensive sports facilities that we also offer to our students.
• Last but certainly not least, we provide the space and facilities for your personal and professional development. We facilitate this by offering a wide range of training programs and supporting various well-established initiatives such as 'acknowledge and appreciate'.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the Collective Bargaining Agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, Click here

The preferred starting date is Octorber 1, 2023.

Maastricht University

Why work at Maastricht University?

At Maastricht University (UM), everything revolves around the future. The future of our students, as we work to equip them with a solid, broad-based foundation for the rest of their lives. And the future of society, as we seek solutions through our research to issues from all around the world. Our six faculties combined provide a comprehensive package of study programmes and research.  

In our teaching, we use the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method. Students work in small groups, looking for solutions to problems themselves. By discussing issues and working together to draw conclusions, formulate answers and present them to their peers, students develop essential skills for their future careers.

With over 22,300 students and more than 5,000 employees from all over the world, UM is home to a vibrant and inspiring international community.

Are you drawn to an international setting focused on education, science and scholarship? Are you keen to contribute however your skills and qualities allow? Our door is open to you! As a young European university, we value your talent and look forward to creating the future together.  

Click here for more information about UM.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development. FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention. The Faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3150 students gather to explore exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work!

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses  

Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen and Venlo, the homes of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening on each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to one of the largest chemistry and materials sites in Europe, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.

Institute of Data Science performs applied research in data science and artificial intelligence by collaborating across disciplines, institutions, and sectors. The goal of our research is to accelerate scientific discovery, improve clinical care and well-being, and to strengthen communities. We specialise in machine learning, decentralised applications related to biomedical data, as well as promoting the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) principles. IDS is part of the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences.

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/institute-data-science

The Department of Advanced Computing Sciences is Maastricht University’s largest and oldest department broadly covering the fields of artificial intelligence, data science, computer science, mathematics and robotics. Over 100 researchers work and study in the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences, whose roots trace back to 1987. The department’s staff teaches approximately 800 bachelor’s and master’s students in 3 specialized study programmes in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. 

https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/dacs