KU Leuven has a full-time academic vacancy at the Ghent Campus in the area of electrical or electronics engineering to design technologies for the digital and/or energy transition. We are looking for internationally orientated candidates with an excellent research record in digital or energy technologies and with educational competencies in both theoretical and experimental courses. The successful applicant will be appointed in the Department of Electrical Engineering-ESAT and the Faculty of Engineering Technology of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group of KU Leuven. We envision a close co-operation with the Faculty of Architecture in Ghent.
The Faculty of Engineering Technology has an extensive national and international network, both in the academic and business world.
The research group can build upon a solid research infrastructure, an extensive international network, connections with companies and non-profit organisations, a stable offer of highly talented PhD students and a supportive work environment. The research of ESAT-Ghent focuses on three domains: light and lighting technology, wireless and embedded systems, and energy.
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Duties
Research
- You develop a research programme at an international level in electrical or electronics engineering technology for the digital and/or energy transition within the field of creative design solutions, strongly focussed on user-oriented digital technologies in living and working environments and public spaces. A non-exhaustive list of examples is: IoT, connected sensors, communication technologies, energy management systems, energy efficient buildings, smart lighting, … As many of the most pressing problems facing society today are complex and multifaceted, research often involves bringing together different fields to share expertise and knowledge, and apply unique perspectives to a common problem. Therefore, we envision a close co-operation with the Faculty of Architecture in Ghent.
- You strengthen existing research lines and develop interdisciplinary research in one of the research groups of ESAT-Gent (Light and lighting technology, Electa and DRAMCO) in cooperation with the faculty of Architecture, extending joint PhD initiatives, and strengthen the cooperation.
- You engage in targeted scientific research, resulting in PhD’s and publications that meet international standards and lead to broad international recognition.
- You support or initiate an ecosystem of stakeholders, potentially including both companies and non-profit organisations and governmental and other communities, through the valorisation of research results aimed at progressing digital innovation in industry and society.
- As part of your research programme, you develop international partnerships, within the academic world as well as with industrial partners.
- You are able to acquire competitive funding, both project-based government funding as well as industrial funding.
- You contribute to the further development of the research group and the faculty.
- You pay the required attention to the technology transfer and application of the results of your research in industry/government/society.
Teaching
- You provide high-quality education for both bachelor and master students in the field of electronics-ICT or energy technology, with a clear commitment to the quality of the programme as a whole. All professors are expected to contribute to basic undergraduate courses. The candidate is expected specifically to take the responsibility for a technological course in the educational program of Architecture and for the follow-up of the interdisciplinary “Creative Makers” program and support the bachelor projects of engineering and sustainability.
- You contribute to the faculty’s and the university’s pedagogical project through the supervision of student projects (for example interdisciplinary design projects) and by acting as a promotor of PhD students.
- You develop your teaching in accordance with KU Leuven’s views on activating and researched-based education and make use of the possibilities for educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university.
- Your teaching duties are determined in agreement and are based on your specific profile. The scope is limited in the first years of your appointment. In your further career, the faculty will also pay a great deal of attention to the balance between research and teaching time.
Service
- You are prepared to provide services to the scientific community, to society and to the university in function of the needs and your personal interests.
- You maintain close contact with the local stakeholders.
- You play an active part in promoting the Faculty of Engineering Technology and its cooperation with the Faculty of Architecture towards new students and the wider professional field by participating in open days, networking events and fairs,...
Profile
- You have a PhD in electrical or electronics engineering or an equivalent degree.
- You have a strong research track record in the discipline, evidenced by your publications or by your research experience in a relevant sector. You have the ambition to valorise the result of your research and have economic and/or societal impact. International experience is an important advantage.
- You have verifiable qualities related to academic education. Teaching experience is an advantage.
- You possess organisational skills and have a cooperative attitude. You also possess leadership competencies in a university or industry context.
- A good command of English is required. KU Leuven provides courses in academic English.
The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of your employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in meetings and to acquire the level of Dutch that is required for tenure.
Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch resp. English to the required standard.
Offer
We offer full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment.
KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly focused on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and strives for international excellence. In this regard, the university actively works together with research partners in Belgium and abroad and provides its students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.
You will work at the KU Leuven Campus in Ghent, in a historic city with a 40-minute rail connection to Brussels, and about three hours train to Paris, London and Amsterdam.
Junior researchers are appointed as assistant professor on the tenure track for a period of 5 years. At he end of this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed (or tenured) as associate professor.
To facilitate scientific integration and research in the first phase, a research position equivalent to a PhD fellowship for 4 years is made available. You can apply for a start-up grant of EUR 110,000, on the condition that you are appointed for at least 50%.
KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, …
Interested?
For more information on the contents of the job, please contact
* Prof. dr. ir. Georges Gielen, departmental chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, tel.: +32 16 32 40 76, email: georges.gielen@kuleuven.be, or
* Prof. dr. ir. Bart Vanrumste, vice-departmental chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, tel.: +32 16 32 64 07, e-mail: bart.vanrumste@kuleuven.be, or
* Prof. dr. Peter Hanselaer, campus chair of KU Leuven Ghent Campus, tel.: +32 477 445 501, e-mail: peter.hanselaer@kuleuven.be.
If you have problems submitting your application online, please send an email to solliciteren@kuleuven.be.
Add to your application following documents in English (more information is available on the KU Leuven job site):
- your biosketch in which you indicate your added value as an academic for research, education and service to society of your past career and of your future activities (maximum 2 pages);
- a file on your five most important publications or realizations;
- an extensive cv including a full publication list and if applicable a portfolio of your architectural projects;
- your research plan with focus on the development of your research line and research team in relation with the colleague-researchers of the entity of employment, also reflect on interdisciplinary cooperation (maximum 4 pages);
- your vision on academic education and its organization (maximum 2 pages);
- your contribution to society by outreach and public communication on science and technology, internal representation in boards and councils and service activities directly in relation to your developed expertise (maximum 1 page);
- your vision on leadership (maximum 1 page).
KU Leuven places great importance on research integrity and ethical conduct and will therefore ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.