This position offers an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and growing research team at KU Leuven, within the Mobility and Industrial Management (MIM) research group (https://www.mech.kuleuven.be/en/mim). MIM is an internationally recognised group focusing on innovative solutions to complex transport and mobility challenges, combining expertise in intelligent transport systems, operations research, and transport system analysis.
As a PhD researcher, you will work in an interdisciplinary and international environment, contributing to research at the intersection of technological developments, societal trends, and mobility needs. The team benefits from strong collaborations with academic and industry partners, providing a stimulating setting to develop your research skills while working on impactful, real-world mobility problems.
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Project
This PhD project offers the opportunity to work at the forefront of automated mobility, focusing on how future automated vehicles can safely and efficiently interact with human drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians in everyday traffic. Rather than studying automation in isolation, you will address the real challenge of mixed traffic, where vehicles must balance safety with smooth and predictable behaviour to avoid congestion or confusion.
The research combines traffic modelling, data-driven analysis, and control design, and is closely connected to real-world pilots such as the autonomous bus currently operating in Leuven. You will develop innovative methods to design and evaluate driving strategies that make automated systems better “team players” in traffic, while also investigating how these strategies scale up to network-level impacts.
The project offers a unique opportunity to bridge theory and practice, working with real data and collaborating with stakeholders such as public transport operators and insurers, ensuring your research delivers tangible impact on future mobility systems.
Profile
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated candidate with a strong analytical mindset and an interest in future mobility systems.
Required qualifications include:
- A master’s degree (with at least distinction) in engineering, computer science, informatics, applied mathematics, or a related field
- Strong interest in applying quantitative and mathematical methods to real-world mobility problems
- Programming skills (e.g. Python or similar)
- Excellent command of English, both written and spoken (sufficient for research and teaching duties)
Additional assets:
- Background in traffic flow theory, transport engineering, or control systems
- Experience with data analysis, optimisation, or simulation
- Interest in automated/connected vehicles and mobility systems
The candidate should be eager to work both independently and collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment.
Offer
- A four-year fully funded doctoral research positions at KU Leuven
- 80% research on traffic modelling, control, and automated mobility
- 20% educational tasks (e.g. seminars, workshops, and thesis supervision)
- Opportunities to attend international conferences and collaborate with leading research partners
You will join a dynamic international research group with other PhD students working on quantitative methods such as control and operations research, applied to real-world mobility challenges.
Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. dr. ir. Claudio Roncoli, mail: [email protected].
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
