PhD Candidate in Computational Cardiac Modelling and Arrhythmia Risk Prediction

Welcome to Maastricht University!
After a heart attack, some patients carry a hidden but potentially life threatening risk of sudden cardiac death, a risk that current clinical tools cannot fully explain or predict. In this PhD project, you will develop advanced, physiology driven computational models to unravel how electrical and structural changes in the heart interact to create this risk.
You will work at the intersection of engineering, medicine and data science, contributing to research with real clinical impact as part of an international consortium.

PhD Candidate in Computational Cardiac Modelling and Arrhythmia Risk Prediction

Our goal: Within the Vamp MD project, CARIM and FHML aim to advance personalised risk prediction for cardiac arrhythmias. As a PhD candidate, you contribute to this ambition by connecting mechanistic, organ level cardiac models with population level risk modelling.

Your colleagues: You will be embedded in the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM) and work closely with a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, experimental electrophysiologists and AI researchers across the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (Dr. Fu Siong Ng) and France (Dr. Laura Bear). In Maastricht, you will work alongside a fellow PhD candidate who covers the clinical analysis side of the project.

What you do
You are the primary computational modeller of the Dutch team in an international consortium. Your research focuses on integrating electrical and structural cardiac data and translating mechanistic insights into improved risk prediction models. Your tasks and responsibilities are:
 
•    Develop patient specific organ level cardiac models integrating ECGI with MRI/CT derived structural data.
•    Extend population level Markov models for sudden cardiac death risk using novel electro structural features.
•    Connect organ level mechanistic insights with population level risk prediction as the core contribution of your PhD.
•    Validate models using clinical outcomes, experimental data and epidemiological datasets.
•    Support ECGI data collection at Maastricht UMC+.
•    Collaborate with international partners in France and the United Kingdom.
•    Publish scientific papers and present your work at conferences.

The project includes international research visits and extended collaboration with partners abroad, including an extended research visit to IHU-Liryc Bordeaux for experimental validation. 

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you. 

What you bring 
We’re not looking for checkboxes; we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

•    Master’s degree in (Bio)medical Engineering, Clinical Technology, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science or a related computational field (Medical Doctors with
     computational expertise are also encouraged to apply). 
•    Strong programming skills (e.g. Python, MATLAB, C++).

•    Experience with or strong interest in computational and mathematical modelling. 
•    Interest in cardiac physiology and disease mechanisms. 
•    Excellent written and spoken English (Dutch is beneficial but not required). 
•    Strong analytical skills and the ability to work independently within an international team.

What we offer 
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• A 12-month contract (1,0 fte) with the prospect of a 3 year extension.
• A gross monthly salary between €3059,00 and €3881,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML)
FHML is committed to health in the broadest sense: from molecule to human, and from healthcare to prevention. We train healthcare professionals and researchers through innovative educational programmes and conduct groundbreaking research in health and well-being. As part of Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), our international and interdisciplinary community forms a unique collaboration between university and academic hospital, where education, research, and care come together.

Interested?
Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to Dr. Matthijs Cluitmans via m.cluitmans@maastrichtuniversity.nl The end date of the publication is 25 May 2026.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.