PhD in Acoustic Performance of Timber Structure Connections

Introduction

Are you fascinated by improving the acoustic performance of timber buildings? Help develop advanced numerical models that predict sound transmission and bridge the gap between sustainable construction and high acoustic performance. Join this joint PhD project between TU/e and DTU!

Job Description

Buildings made from timber and other biobased materials generally have a significantly lower carbon footprint than conventional concrete or masonry constructions. However, lightweight timber structures often exhibit high variability in sound insulation, and poor acoustic performance remains a barrier to their wider adoption in the construction industry.

A still poorly understood source of this variability lies in the connections between structural components, such as screws, nails, steel brackets, and adhesive joints. Whether a floor is screwed or glued together, and how widely spaced the fasteners are, can significantly affect how sound travels through a building. Current prediction methods largely ignore these details, while more detailed models are often too computationally expensive for practical use. Developing methods that are both physically accurate and computationally efficient is therefore the central challenge of this project.

We offer a PhD position (4-year contract) within the QUIET-ARC project, a collaboration between Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) as part of the EuroTech Universities PhD programme.

As a PhD candidate in the QUIET-ARC project, you will investigate how different connection types and layouts influence sound transmission in timber buildings, develop efficient numerical simulation methods to model these effects, and quantify the uncertainty introduced by construction variability into acoustic predictions.

Noise is recognised by the World Health Organisation as a major public health concern. By improving the predictive capability of computational models for timber buildings, this research supports more reliable prediction tools for sustainable constructions and contributes to the wider adoption of low-carbon building materials.

The project will take place under joint supervision of dr.ir. Cédric Van hoorickx (TU/e, specializing in numerical modelling of sound transmission) and dr.ir. Jonas Brunskog (DTU, with expertise in the acoustics of lightweight structures). You will be based in the Building Acoustics research group ( https://building-acoustics.net/ ) in the Department of the Built Environment at TU/e, and will spend approximately six months at DTU’s Acoustic Technology group in Denmark.

Job Requirements

• A master’s degree (or an equivalent university degree) in acoustics, building physics, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, or related disciplines.
• A research-oriented attitude.
• Motivated to develop your teaching skills and coach students.
• Fluent in spoken and written English (C1 level).

The following experience could be considered an advantage and may be highlighted in your motivation letter:

• Affinity for building acoustics, vibro-acoustics, or structural dynamics
• Previous experience with/affinity for computational methods
• Previous publications and scientific communications

Conditions of Employment

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

• 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.
• 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. € 3,204 - max. € 4,051 gross base salary per month (full-time)).
• In addition to your base salary, you will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus, both calculated based on your annual gross base salary.
• Generous leave options: a standard 29 days (based on a 38 hour working week) per year that you can increase to 41 days by working two hours more per week (flexible working hours). This is prorated if you work part-time.
• As a TU/e employee, you participate in the ABP pension scheme, providing retirement pension and pension benefits for surviving dependents and occupational disability. TU/e pays 70% of the pension premium, while employees contribute the remaining 30%.
• 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 .
• An excellent technical infrastructure, and on-campus children's day care.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• We support your wellbeing with free 24/7 access to OpenUp, providing you and your family with mental health support, expert guidance, and online training.
• An allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs.
• A Staff Immigration Team and a tax compensation scheme (the Expat Scheme ) for international candidates.

On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment . Build on your career at TU/e!

About us

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. Discover what Light Up means to TU/e in our short company video .

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 .

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the hiring manager dr.ir. Cédric Van hoorickx, assistant professor, c.m.l.van.hoorickx@tue.nl .

Visit our website for more information about the application process . You can also contact Yvette Maass, HR-Advisor, HRadviceBE@tue.nl .

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.

Application

We invite you to submit a complete application by using the apply button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• 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.
• Copies of relevant BSc and MSc diplomas and grade transcripts.

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.

Please note

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
• 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 .
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.