1 - Working at the VUB
For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.
At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.
Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again.
Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.
2 - Position description
The Faculty of Engineering, Department Applied Mechanics, Research Group Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics is looking for a PhD-student with a doctoral grant.
More concretely your work package, for the preparation of a doctorate, contains:
Research:
The FLOW research group is a young, dynamic group working in the fields of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and data-driven modelling. At the Department of Mechanical Engineering (MECH) - Thermo and Fluid Dynamics (FLOW), there is now a vacancy for a PhD research position.
In the reacting flow group at FLOW, we aim to address the current challenges in energy transition enhancing sustainable energy technologies that involve renewable carbon-free fuels, efficient energy conversion, and pollutant emissions reduction. The group focuses on numerical simulations, for which in-house codes for Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS), Large Eddy Simulation (LES), and 1D flame calculations are available and constantly further developed. Commercial codes are used for Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations. Several national and international collaborations with industrial and academic partners exist.
The current position focuses on the assessment and modeling of relevant carbon free fuels, e.g., hydrogen and ammonia. The deployment of hydrogen-based fuels is key to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and for clean energy conversion, e.g. in gas turbines, shipping, and industrial burners. However, hydrogen-based fuels feature entirely different combustion characteristics due to very different fuel properties, such as flame speeds, ignition characteristics, and particularly they feature thermodiffusive instabilities. These instabilities have a leading order effect on the flame dynamics of hydrogen-based fuels, but the underlying physics are yet not sufficiently well understood. To gain deep insights into the fundamental physics of such flows, you will perform cutting-edge DNS on state-of-the-art high-performance computers. Leveraging conventional physical analyses and innovative machine-learning methods, you will analyze flame-turbulence interactions, pollutant formation, as well as unclosed terms relevant to LES modeling. The analysis involves the fluid dynamic as well as combustion related aspects of the flow. Finally, you will develop innovative LES models and pioneer their application in real combustors, e.g. in burners, furnaces, and gas turbines, to show their outstanding impact.
You will be expected to apply for external funding, to publish at top-tier journals, and actively participate in scientific conferences.
Teaching:
The position also involves, to a limited extent, coordinating and supervising exercises, practical sessions and projects (WPO) within modules in the Bachelor’s programmes in Mechanical Engineering, as well as supervising projects undertaken by Bachelor’s students. The specific duties are determined annually in consultation with the candidate.
For this function, our Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene) will serve as your home base.
3 - Profile
What do we expect from you?
- You must hold a master’s degree (or equivalent) in engineering, physics or close related field with above-average results.
- You have good knowledge of fluid dynamics and thermodynamics, ideally also combustion;
- You have a good level English;
- You possess programming skills;
- You are self-motivated and you have a strong learning ability;
- You have a good communication and interpersonal skills;
- You have not performed any works in the execution of a mandate as an assistant, paid from operating resources, over a total (cumulated) period of more than 12 months.
- As a (non-)EEA national, meet the conditions for obtaining a valid permit for VUB and comply with the VUB residence requirements. More info here.
The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.
4 - Offer
Are you going to be our new colleague?
You’ll be offered a full-time PhD-scholarship, for 12 months (extendable up to max. 48 months, on condition of the positive evaluation of the PhD activities), with planned starting date 01/10/2026.
You’ll receive a grant linked to one of the scales set by the government.
IMPORTANT: The effective result of the doctorate scholarship is subject to the condition precedent of your enrolment as a doctorate student at the university.
At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.
As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:
- Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
- An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
- Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
- Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike;
- A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
- Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques;
- Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps;
- The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
- And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.
5 - Interested?
Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?
Then apply, at the latest on 01/08/2026, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:
- your cover letter (1-2 pages): describe your motivation, relevant background, and how your interests align with the position;
- your curriculum vitae: highlight academic qualifications, work experience and technical skills;
- your academic transcripts from previous degrees;
- your references: contact details of 2–3 referees who can attest to your academic or professional capabilities;
- your diploma (not applicable for VUB alumni).
Our application process is as follows (subject to change):
- step 1: an initial selection based on your application file;
- step 2: a job interview.
Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Prof. Lukas Berger at [email protected] or on +32 2 614 82 61.
Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.
Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.
