The Department of Industrial Design conducts research on and education in the design of systems with emerging technologies in a social context. We excel at integrating various academic disciplines, including engineering, design, business, and social sciences.
What happens if you grow the materials of your design yourself? Does it shift the way you take care of, use them, or discard them? What does it do to your understanding of the materials’ relations to other beings and matter in your environment? And what if we can scale up this way of working to position design as a regenerative ecological practice?
This research project adopts a radical paradigm shift to respond to ongoing ecological tensions and sustainability concerns. More-than-human design proposes to understand design practice as a broad set of entangled human and non-human relations, challenging anthropocentric worldviews that underpin extractive practices. Yet, it remains challenging to escape human-centeredness as it is deeply embedded in our materials, tools and facilities. This PhD position shifts our view of design to a collaborative act between humans and nonhumans. In doing so, it aims to map out, understand, and design regenerative fabrication spaces and research-through-design exemplars.
You will conduct a literature review on regenerative design practices, conduct multispecies ethnography to map relations in existing regenerative design studios (in backyards, community gardens, farms, and forests), and create, write about, and exhibit design exemplars that restore, renew, and revitalize socio-technical and ecological systems. Your work will contribute to the research of the making-with cluster at Industrial Design, specifically to establish and grow the MoTH studio: a regenerative biosensing cohabitation space on the TU/e campus.
This position is part of the Regenerative Ecologies of Design and Production for European Heritage (RED&Pro) project, which proposes a transformative research and innovation agenda that positions Europe’s cultural heritage as a driver of the green and digital transitions. The project will establish a new culture of regenerative design, enabling professional designers, craft practitioners, industries, and policymakers to collaborate across sectors—from textiles and ceramics to woodworking, metalwork, and architecture—and pioneer value creation models that move decisively beyond sustainability. Through six experimental RED-Labs, RED&Pro will pilot place-based production ecosystems that integrate traditional craft techniques with digital innovation, bioregional material ecologies, and circular resource flows. These laboratories will demonstrate how material reuse, bio-based sourcing, and interdisciplinary methodologies can reduce dependence on fragile global supply chains while strengthening resilient, urban–rural economies. Combining research on regenerative design with design-led methodologies, the project will generate evidence, tools, and scalable methods and models that demonstrate how cultural heritage can underpin a new regenerative economy for Europe. A strong, multidisciplinary consortium of cultural and creative sector innovators, industry partners, and academic experts ensures that RED&Pro will deliver both research excellence and practical pathways toward ecological, social, and economic regeneration.
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A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in a design-related field.
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A research-oriented attitude and an open, curious mind, research experience is a plus
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Design practice experiences in digital, craft, or related areas, interdisciplinary experience is a plus
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A willingness to stay with the trouble and to simultaneously learn and unlearn.[OD2]
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Experiences with regenerative practices such as biomaterial prototyping, multispecies ethnography, gardening, or other are a plus
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Skills in sketching, filmmaking, and other forms of design communication and documentation are a plus.
Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).
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A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station. In addition, we offer you:
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Full-time employment for four years, with an intermediate assessment after nine months. You will spend a minimum of 10% of your four-year employment on teaching tasks, with a maximum of 15% per year of your employment.
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Salary and benefits (such as a pension scheme, paid pregnancy and maternity leave, partially paid parental leave) in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale P (min. € 3,059 - max. € 3,881).
- A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
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High-quality training programs and other support to grow into a self-aware, autonomous scientific researcher. At TU/e we challenge you to take charge of your own learning process.
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An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
- Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
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An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
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A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) for international candidates.
On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at TU/e!
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. TU/e is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.
Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region here.
The Department of Industrial Design conducts research on and education in the design of systems with emerging technologies in a social context. We excel at integrating various academic disciplines, including engineering, design, business, and social sciences.
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager dr. O. Tomico Plasencia, [email protected].
Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact [email protected].
Curious to hear more about what it’s like as a PhD candidate at TU/e? Please view the video.
Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at TU/e? Please visit our career page.
We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:
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Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
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Curriculum vitae, including a list of your publications and the contact information of three references. Kindly note that we may reach out to references at any stage of the recruitment process. We recommend notifying your references upon submitting your application.
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Design portfolio (submitted as pdf portfolio or pdf document with link to website)
Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. We give priority to complete applications.
We look forward to receiving your application and will screen it as soon as possible. The vacancy will remain open until the position is filled.
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You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
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A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the National Knowledge Security Guidelines.
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Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.
Type of employment: temporary position | Contract type: full time | Number of positions: 1 | Full-time equivalent: 1.0 FTE | City: Eindhoven | County: Noord-Brabant | Country: Netherlands | Reference number: 2026/286 | Published: 2026-05-13 | Last application date: 2026-06-14
