PhD Candidate in Extended Reality (Transportation)

TL;DR

PhD Candidate in Extended Reality (Transportation): Conducting research on interaction dynamics between pedestrians, cyclists, and micromobility users using immersive XR and wearable sensing technologies with an accent on behavioral modeling and safety analysis. Focus on developing scalable XR simulators, validating findings through mixed-reality experiments, and contributing to the SAFE MOVE integrated data platform.

Location: Must be based in or be able to relocate to Delft, Netherlands

Salary: €3,059–€3,881 gross per month

Company

Delft University of Technology is a top international university combining science, engineering, and design to address global challenges in energy, climate, mobility, and health.

What you will do

• Develop a common XR multimodal ontology framework and scalable urban traffic simulators.
• Conduct XR experiments to investigate behavioral, cognitive, and physiological responses of road users.
• Validate XR findings through mixed-reality and real-world experiments.
• Design and evaluate XR-based safety training programs for active mobility users.
• Collaborate with project partners to integrate XR with microscopic traffic simulation and AI-based safety models.
• Contribute to the development of the SAFE MOVE integrated UMO data platform.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in transportation, human-computer interaction, mechanical engineering, cognitive science, or related fields.
• Strong background in XR technologies and experience developing applications using Unity or Unreal.
• Demonstrable experimental design and data collection skills.
• Proficiency in Python, C#, and statistics.
• Excellent English communication and writing skills.
• Ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders in an academic environment.

Culture & Benefits

• 4-year PhD position with a structured Doctoral Education Programme.
• Competitive salary according to the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Support for relocation, including the Coming to Delft Service and Dual Career Programme.
• Access to a customisable compensation package and discounts on health insurance.
• Inclusive research environment that values diversity and open science.

Hiring process

• Submission of CV, motivational letter, MSc thesis summary, writing sample, transcripts, and a three-slide research presentation.
• First round of interviews by the end of July 2026.
• Second round of interviews in early September 2026.