PhD position in Mapping the Modern Electromagnetic Environment: Identifying Stray Currents in Complex, Interaction-Driven Sy...

University of Twente (UT); Netherlands; Hybrid; EUR 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance 8%

End-of-year bonus 8.3%

Pension scheme

Sports facilities on campus

Parental leave

Twente Graduate School training

Job summary

The rapid electrification of modern systems requires new EMC measurement and analysis methods. In this PhD project at UT, you will design and validate a cost-effective, synchronised multi-node sensing system for time-domain measurements of voltages, currents, electric and magnetic fields, supported by DSP.

You will correlate data across time, frequency and space to identify interference sources and propagation paths, and explore practical mitigation including targeted filtering.

Qualifications

• MSc degree in Electrical Engineering or closely related field.
• Strong interest in EMC, measurement systems, signal processing, power electronics.
• Enjoy experimental research and are comfortable designing, building, programming, validating measurement setups.
• Experience with digital signal processing and analysis of time-domain data.
• Programming skills in Python, MATLAB, C/C++ or comparable tools.
• Independent and motivated yet collaborative researcher with good communication in English.
• Willing to perform field measurements; Dutch proficiency is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop measurement and analysis methods for observable EMC environments.
• Design and validate a synchronised multi-node sensing system for time-domain measurements of voltages, currents, and fields.
• Correlate information across time, frequency, space and impedance to identify interference sources and paths.
• Investigate practical mitigation, including targeted filtering solutions.
• Perform measurements on dairy farms to study disturbances and welfare implications.

Skills

EMC

Measurement systems

Signal processing

Power electronics

Python

MATLAB

C/C++

English proficiency

Education

MSc in Electrical Engineering

Job description

Organisation/Company University of Twente (UT) Research Field Agricultural sciences » Zootechnics Engineering » Electrical engineering Engineering » Electronic engineering Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 21 Oct 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Netherlands Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Not Applicable Hours Per Week 40.0 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The rapid electrification and digitalisation of society are creating increasingly complex electromagnetic environments. Fast-switching power electronics in vehicles, buildings, hospitals and farms can generate electromagnetic interference (EMI) that propagates through unexpected conducted and radiated paths. Conventional EMC measurements, typically performed at a single location and moment, provide only limited insight into how such interference behaves at system level.
In this PhD project, you will develop the measurement and analysis methods needed to make these environments observable. You will design and validate a cost-effective, synchronised multi-node sensing system for simultaneous time-domain measurements of voltages, currents, electric fields and magnetic fields, supported by digital signal processing.
Using these synchronised measurements, you will develop methods to correlate information across time, frequency, space and impedance. The aim is to identify interference sources and propagation paths and understand how disturbances spread through complex electrical systems. This work will provide an important foundation for future cognitive EMC systems that can ultimately adapt mitigation measures to changing conditions.
A key application will dairy farms, where increasing electrification and automation can give rise to stray currents and voltages that are difficult to locate and may affect cow welfare and behaviour. You will perform measurements on farms to determine where these disturbances originate and how they propagate, and use this understanding to investigate practical mitigation, including targeted filtering solutions. In this way, your research can contribute directly to solving a real problem experienced by farmers while advancing the state of the art in EMC.

• You have, or will shortly acquire, an MSc degree in Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.
• You have a strong interest in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), measurement systems, signal processing, power electronics, or a combination of these fields.
• You enjoy experimental research and are comfortable designing, building, programming, and validating measurement setups.
• You have experience with, or are motivated to learn, digital signal processing and analysis of time-domain measurement data.
• You have programming skills in a scientific or engineering environment, for example Python, MATLAB, C/C++, or comparable tools.
• You are an enthusiastic, independent and highly motivated researcher who also enjoys working in a collaborative team.
• You have strong analytical and communication skills and are proficient in written and spoken English.
• You are willing to perform field measurements and interact with external stakeholders; Dutch proficiency is an advantage for interaction with Dutch farmers

Additional Information

• A full-time position for four years, with a qualifier in the first year, and the flexibility to work (partially) from home.
• Your salary and associated conditions are in accordance with the collective labour agreement for Dutch universities (CAO-NU).
• You will receive a gross monthly salary ranging from €3.204,- (first year) to €4.051,- (fourth year).
• There are excellent benefits including a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%, and a solid pension scheme.
• A minimum of 232 leave hours in case of full-time employment based on a formal workweek of 38 hours. A full-time employment in practice means 40 hours a week, therefore resulting in 96 extra leave hours on an annual basis.
• Free access to sports facilities on campus.
• A family-friendly institution that offers parental leave (both paid and unpaid).
• You will have a training programme as part of the Twente Graduate School where you and your supervisors will determine a plan for a suitable education and supervision.

For more information regarding this position, you are welcome to contact Dr. Tom Hartman at [e-mail] .
The interviews will take place around 4-6 November, please take this into account.