PhD Position – Scalable Lipid Nanoparticle Purification Technologies

Job Description

Organization: Delft University of Technology (TU Delft)

Faculty: Faculty of Applied Sciences

Location: Delft, Netherlands

Position: PhD Position – Scalable Lipid Nanoparticle Purification Technologies

Project Overview

The SPARC (Scalable Personalized Nanotherapeutics for Cancer Treatment) project focuses on developing scalable and efficient purification technologies for lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) used in advanced drug delivery and cancer therapy.

This PhD project will investigate innovative purification systems for lipid-based drug delivery nanoparticles, addressing challenges such as nanoparticle loss, membrane fouling, and limited filtration throughput. The research combines computational fluid dynamics (CFD), filtration engineering, membrane technology, and experimental validation to develop improved and modular purification systems.

The project is a collaboration between the Precision Therapeutics group and the Complex Fluid Processing group at TU Delft, with connections to pharmaceutical industry partners including Merck KGaA and Johnson & Johnson.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop CFD models to investigate flow, diffusion, and filtration in tangential flow filtration systems.
• Model membrane fouling and its impact on filtration performance.
• Design novel filtration flow geometries to maximise throughput while minimising mechanical stress and loss of lipid nanoparticles.
• Investigate and experimentally validate alternative membrane materials for LNP purification.
• Develop and evaluate modular purification systems, including quick-connect components.
• Combine computational modelling with experimental research to optimise purification processes.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary research teams within the SPARC consortium.

Required Qualifications

• MSc or equivalent degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nanotechnology, or a related field.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Interest in interdisciplinary research combining computational and experimental approaches.
• Excellent written and spoken English.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations.
• Knowledge of pharmaceutical downstream processing.
• Experience with filtration, membrane technology, fluid dynamics, or nanoparticle-based drug delivery.

Employment Details

• Full-time 4-year PhD position.
• Initial 1.5-year employment contract followed by a 2.5-year contract subject to a successful progress assessment.
• 38 hours per week.
• PhD research conducted within the TU Delft Graduate School.
• Doctoral education and professional development opportunities provided.

Salary & Benefits

• Gross monthly salary: €3,059–€3,881, increasing from the first to the fourth year.
• 8% holiday allowance.
• 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• Customisable compensation package.
• Health insurance discounts.
• Monthly work-cost contribution.
• Flexible working arrangements.
• Relocation support through TU Delft’s Coming to Delft Service.

Application Documents

• Detailed Curriculum Vitae.
• Bachelor’s transcript/grade report.
• Master’s transcript/grade report.
• Cover letter outlining motivation and relevant experience.
• Three referees’ contact details may be requested at the interview stage.

Contact: Dr. Alina Rwei
Email: [email protected]

Application Deadline: 6 October 2026

Job ID: 3773