PhD Position Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Lipid Nanoparticle Formation and Purification
Will you lower the costs and improve the stability of nanomedicine?
Job description
SPARC (Scalable Personalized Nanotherapeutics for Cancer Treatment) is an ambitious research program dedicated to making advanced cancer therapies more effective and accessible, particularly for patients with hard-to-treat “cold tumors.” By developing personalized nanomedicines, SPARC aims to improve patient survival through innovations such as tumor-on-a-chip platforms that reduce reliance on animal testing, and novel manufacturing technologies that enhance therapeutic efficacy and product stability.
As part of this program, we are seeking a highly motivated Ph.D. student with an interest in cross-disciplinary research to join a shared position between the Complex Fluid Processing group (Prof. Johan Padding) in the Process & Energy department and the Precision Therapeutics group (Dr. Alina Rwei) in the Chemical Engineering department of TU Delft. The position will formally be at Complex Fluid Processing.
The project is embedded in a strong academic–industrial network and offers close collaboration with leading pharmaceutical partners, including Merck KGaA and Johnson & Johnson. As part of the project, the candidate will spend time at partner facilities, gaining valuable industry experience and exposure.
In this project you will investigate, through molecular modelling, the mechanisms that are relevant for the formation and purification of lipid-based drug delivery nanoparticles (LNPs). The goal is to reduce the significant and expensive losses that typically occur during the manufacturing process of nanomedicine.
For the formation part, you will investigate the formation and stability of LNPs in water-ethanol mixtures under the influence of different flow fields. For the purification part, you will investigate different mechanistic causes of membrane fouling, focusing on how membrane properties (charge, pore size, hydrophilicity) affect interaction with small LNPs and non-encapsulated components (lipids, solvent, mRNA strands). Both investigations will make use of coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations that balance material specificity with achieveable time scales.
The project also involves close interaction with other research teams within the SPARC consortium, e.g., membrane fouling correlations will be implemented in CFD simulations of tangential flow filtration systems, and the mechanical properties of the lipid nanoparticles will be correlated to their biological performance.
Job requirements
You are a recent graduate looking to use your modelling skills and curiosity to improve the production of nanomedicine. With your pioneering mindset and communicative nature, you thrive in a complex multi-disciplinary team consisting of universities, knowledge institutes and companies and you are not overwhelmed by the ambitious nature of the project.
You also have:
- An MSc or equivalent in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Nanotechnology or a related field
- An analytical mindset with ability to work across computational and experimental domains
- Excellent communication skills in English, and want to work in a multidisciplinary team
- Proven experience with molecular dynamics simulations and transport phenomena
- Experience with pharmaceutical downstream processes is a plus
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 Prof. Johan Padding at
[email protected].
Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 11 September 2026 upload the following documents:
CV
Cover letter
A detailed list of marks obtained for your BSc/MSc courses
You can address your application to Prof. dr. ir. Johan Padding.
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: 11 Sep 2026
