PhD Position Cognitive Guidance in XR to Improve Independent Mobility for People with Disabilities
Are you passionate about human behavior, XR technology, and real societal impact? Join us in studying how people interact with complex environments and empowering individuals with disabilities with XR
Job description
Navigating complex public transportation environments is an enormous challenge for many individuals with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive disabilities, limiting their independence and participation in society. Recent advances in immersive eXtended Reality (XR) using off-the-shelf head-mounted displays (HMDs), wearable sensing/actuation technologies, cognitive science, and AI offer unique opportunities to create personalized training and assistive systems that can support people with disabilities in developing and applying navigation skills in a safe and personalized manner. However, it is an open question how these technologies should be designed and tailored to the highly diverse, dynamic, and individualized needs of people with disabilities.
In this PhD project, you will design and evaluate immersive XR experiences that allow users to safely acquire navigation skills in realistic environments such as public transportation hubs, university campuses, and airports. You will focus on decision making and learning in challenging scenarios such as safely crossing a busy bike path or interacting with a passing vehicle. Specifically, you will investigate how modulated external stimuli (ranging from quiet, empty settings to highly crowded, noisy environments) influence user decision making and motor behavior, and how repeated exposure can modulate these processes over time. You will then develop XR applications that provide real-time guidance through visual, auditory, or haptic feedback in everyday situations. Using wearable devices, machine learning, and cognitive models you will investigate how behavioral, physiological, and cognitive data can be used to inform real-time guidance, personalize training, monitor progress, and adapt support to users' changing needs.
This highly interdisciplinary project involves close collaboration with researchers, accessibility organizations, technology developers, and lived experience experts. You will have the opportunity to conduct user studies, develop novel algorithms, build immersive/augmented realities, and validate your solutions in real-world settings.
This PhD is ideal for candidates interested in one or more of the following areas:
Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality (VR/AR/MR)
Cognitive Modeling and Decision Making
Motor Learning
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Wearable Technologies and sensors
Human-Computer Interaction
Human Factors
Accessibility and Inclusive Design
You will join a multidisciplinary consortium of academic, societal, and industry partners working towards one shared goal: enabling more independent, empowering, and accessible mobility for everyone.
Are you excited about combining cognitive science, AI, immersive technology, and societal impact? We would love to hear from you.
Job requirements
You are a highly motivated candidate with a MSc degree in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, , Rehabilitation Engineering, Industrial Design, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field.
Further, you have:
Open-mindedness and strong motivation to embark on interdisciplinary research
Solid programming skills
Experience with experimental research involving human participants
Interest or background in cognitive modeling, human decision-making, or behavioral data analysis
Ability to take initiative and work independently
Affinity with teaching and supervising students
Proficiency in verbal and written English
Candidates with a strong track record in VR/AR/MR development (for example, Unity or Unreal Engine), cognitive and movement sciences, AI and machine learning, human factors, or a combination of the above are especially encouraged to apply. In addition, experience with one or more of the following topics is considered a plus: accessibility and inclusive design, motor learning, decision making, user experience research.
TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)
Working at TU Delft means contributing to solutions that really make a difference.
For over 180 years, we have been training engineers who make an impact worldwide in companies, government bodies, or as entrepreneurs. Our alumni turn knowledge into concrete solutions for the challenges of today and tomorrow.
These challenges are changing rapidly. That is why we focus on themes such as energy, climate, digitalisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and smart mobility every day. Our education and research are directly aligned with what society needs now and in the future.
At TU Delft, our people make the difference. With their knowledge and curiosity, our staff provide a high-quality education and conduct pioneering research that extends beyond the campus. You will have the opportunity to take the initiative, work with others, and grow as a professional.
Working at TU Delft means join an international community of professionals and students. Together, we create knowledge, innovations, and solutions that help move the world forward.
Faculty Mechanical Engineering
From chip to ship. From machine to human being. From idea to solution. Driven by a deep-rooted desire to understand our environment and discover its underlying mechanisms, research and education at the ME faculty focusses on fundamental understanding, design, production including application and product improvement, materials, processes and (mechanical) systems.
ME is a dynamic and innovative faculty with high-tech lab facilities and international reach. It’s a large faculty but also versatile, so we can often make unique connections by combining different disciplines. This is reflected in ME’s outstanding, state-of-the-art education, which trains students to become responsible and socially engaged engineers and scientists. We translate our knowledge and insights into solutions to societal issues, contributing to a sustainable society and to the development of prosperity and well-being. That is what unites us in pioneering research, inspiring education and (inter)national cooperation.
. Do you want to experience working at our faculty? These videos will introduce you to some of our researchers and their work.
Conditions of employment
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met.
Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3204 - €4051 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.
As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills.
The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.
Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.
Additional information
For more information about this vacancy, please contact Laura Marchal Crespo (
[email protected]).
Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 15 September 2026 upload the following documents:
A letter of motivation explaining why you are the right candidate for this project, and a brief description of how you plan to contribute to this project (no more than 2 pages).
A detailed CV, including a list of academic publications (if any), and a list of projects you have worked on with brief descriptions of your contributions.
A complete record of Bachelor and Master courses (including grades).
Your Master Thesis (at least as draft).
If the applicants are selected for an interview, they will be asked to provide contact details of at least two or three references with their consent.
You can address your application to Laura Marchal Crespo.
Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements.
Please note:
You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.
Faculty/Department: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
Salary range: €3204 - €4051
Submission is possible until: 15 Sep 2026
