Arbetsbeskrivning

We are looking for a postdoc to join our team at the Division of Signal Processing and Biomedical engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering. Become part of our innovative team and contribute to exciting research investigating the pathophysiological effects of intracranial heating within a collaborative and dynamic environment.  About us  At the department of Electrical Engineering research and education are performed in the areas of Communications, Antennas and Optical Networks, Systems and Control, Signal processing and Biomedical engineering, and Electric Power Engineering. We work with sustainable and smart solutions to societal challenges, such as energy efficiency and electrification in areas ranging from transport and production systems to communication solutions and biomedical engineering. The Biomedical Electromagnetic group focuses on developing new, more effective medical methods and systems for diagnostics and treatment. Core activities include signal processing, antenna design, and measurement hardware development. Building complete prototype systems for clinical testing is a central goal. About the research project   Hyperthermia therapy, i.e heating of tumour tissue in the range of 40–44°C, is applied in combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy to improve clinical outcome. In recent years, the ability of hyperthermia to dramatically enhance tumour control rates and even increase patient survival rates for most common cancer types has been demonstrated. Our research advances focused microwave heating as a safe, quantifiable, and effective cancer treatment modality. Using a numerical model of our hyperthermia system, we are the first group worldwide to demonstrate the ability to increase brain‑tumor temperatures to therapeutic levels with clinically relevant precision, and without inducing unacceptable hot spots in healthy tissues. Parallel to developing the clinical prototype of the device, it is essential to assess the safety of the therapy by systematically investigating the pathophysiological effects associated with intracranial heating. Although these effects are primarily relevant for establishing safety limits, they may simultaneously reveal biological mechanisms that can be leveraged to design innovative treatment strategies. In this project, we will develop a biomedical model, study protocol, and microwave heating device capable of focally heating the brain of a large‑animal subject. The large animals with similarly built brain vessel network as humans are necessary to obtain a relevant information. This is a pilot trial in which the sheep will be anesthetized and continuously monitored for intracranial pressure and other vital signs during the heating procedure. Any brain expansion induced by noninvasive heating, delivered through a purpose‑built animal applicator, will be quantified noninvasively using angiographic imaging and invasively through intracranial pressure measurements and relevant biomarkers. Your role in the project will be to design and construct the heating device for the trial, actively participate in the experimental sessions, and analyze the resulting data. Who we are looking for  The following requirements are mandatory:  • A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree in biomedical engineering, medical physics, electrical engineering or related disciplines. This eligibility requirement must be met no later than the time the employment decision is made   • Strong written and verbal communication skills in English  • Experience in the area of antenna systems and their applications in biomedicine/biology • Knowledge of computational electromagnetics with practical experiences with electromagnetics modeling software • Programming in Matlab, Python  You are expected to be somewhat accustomed to teaching, and to demonstrate good potential within research and education.  The following experience will strengthen your application:  • A doctoral degree or an equivalent foreign degree, obtained within the last three years prior to the application deadline • Practical experience in designing, manufacturing and characterization of antenna systems • Practical experiences with clinical hyperthermia systems • Experience working with animal models in biomedical research  • Creative thinking, attention to detail and ability to complete tasks We value a collaborative attitude, creative thinking and an ability to work independently. Self-motivation, attention to detail, and a problem-solving analytical ability are important personal qualities for this position.  What you will do  • Design and construct heating device for the study • Support establishment of the study protocol for the measurements on large animals • Analyse the acquired data    • Supervise master’s and/or PhD students to a certain extent  • Possibility to engage in teaching at undergraduate/master’s level  Contract terms   The position is a temporary full-time employment for two years with the possibility of a one-year extension.  The position requires physical presence throughout the entire employment. A valid residence permit must be presented by the start date, otherwise the offer may be withdrawn.  What we offer  • As a postdoc at Chalmers, you are an employee and enjoy all employee benefits. Read more about  working at Chalmers  and our benefits  for employees.  • A dynamic and inspiring working environment in the coastal city of Gothenburg.  • Application procedure  The application should be written in English be attached as PDF-files, as below. Maximum size for each file is 40 MB. Please note that the system does not support Zip files.  CV  • A comprehensive CV, including a complete list of publications.  • Details of previous teaching and pedagogical experience.  Personal letter  • A brief introduction about yourself.  • A summary of your previous research fields and key research outcomes.  • An outline of your future goals and research focus.  Use the button at the foot of the page to reach the application form.   Please note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete. Incomplete applications and applications sent by email will not be considered. Contact details to references will be requested after the interview.  We welcome your application no later than March 26, 2026.  For questions, please contact:  Hana Dobsicek Trefna, Professor [email protected]