Postdoc In Software Engineering

Introduction

Research software is essential for modern science, yet there is a lack of suitable metrics to assess its impact, fragmented practices across disciplines, and insufficient guidance for researchers on good open software practices. As part of the Open Science NL-funded GUIDE-ME project, the Software Engineering and Technology Cluster at TU/e is hiring a two-year postdoc to lead research on guidelines and metrics for impactful open research software practices.

Job Description

The GUIDE-ME project pursues the following three interconnected objectives:

• Building on existing approaches, develop and evaluate a set of metrics for assessing the impact of open research software.
• Develop actionable guidelines for sharing open research software. This includes analyzing existing open software sharing practices, distilling them into cross-domain best practices, and aligning them with the aforementioned metrics.
• Design and evaluate a training program to disseminate the guidelines and metrics to researchers across disciplines.

Throughout the project, the postdoc will work in close collaboration with the project team and external partners, including the Netherlands eScience Center. The project will be supervised by Dr. Alexander Nolte (TU/e, project lead) and Dr. Jacob Krüger (TU/e), with additional support from Dr. Slinger Jansen (Utrecht University), Dr. Louise Bezuidenhout (Leiden University), and Dr. Carlos Martinez-Ortiz (Netherlands eScience Center).

The position offers an excellent opportunity to develop your own research profile around the project’s themes, publish and present your work at international conferences, develop a professional network within the Dutch and international open science community, and gain experience in organizing workshops and collaborative research events.

Desired starting date: September 1, 2026.

Job Requirements

• A PhD in a relevant field, such as meta-science, research evaluation, science and technology studies, information science, computer science, or a related discipline.
• Experience with or understanding of (open-source) software ecosystems and software engineering practices.
• Skills in qualitative research methodologies, such as interviews, surveys, or co-creation workshops.
• Familiarity with quantitative research methodologies (e.g., mining software repositories) is an advantage but not mandatory.
• A team player who enjoys coaching PhD and Master's students and working in a dynamic, interdisciplinary team.
• Excellent (written and verbal) proficiency in English, good communication skills.

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 2 years. Please note that for a postdoc position, our departmental policy is that we offer a one-year contract first, which is extended based on good performance.
• Salary in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, scale 10 (min. € 4,241 max. € 5,538).
• A year-end bonus of 8.3% and annual vacation pay of 8%.
• High-quality training programs on general skills, didactics and topics related to research and valorization.
• An excellent technical infrastructure, on-campus children's day care and sports facilities.
• Unlimited access to the modern on‑campus TU/e Student Sports Center at an exceptionally affordable rate.
• Partially paid parental leave and an allowance for commuting, working from home and internet costs. 
• A TU/e Postdoc Association that helps you to build a stronger and broader academic and personal network, and offers tailored support, training and workshops.
• A Staff Immigration Team is available for international candidates, as are a tax compensation scheme (the 30% facility) and a compensation for moving expenses.

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.

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.

The Department of Mathematics and Computer Science conducts research across a wide range of topics including software engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, and formal methods. The Software Engineering and Technology Cluster focuses on how software is designed, built, shared, and evolved, with expertise in open-source software, software reuse, and collaborative development methods.
TU/e is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates with a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives and especially encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

Information

Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact the project lead Dr. Alexander Nolte, Assistant Professor, Mathematics and Computer Science, [email protected].

Visit our website for more information about the application process. You can also contact [email protected].

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 using the apply-button. The application should include a:

• Cover letter in which you describe your motivation and qualifications for the position.
• A research proposal (2–3 pages) outlining your vision for the GUIDE-ME project, covering research design, expected outcomes, timeline, and a reflection on your fit with the project.
• Curriculum vitae, including a list of your 5 most relevant 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.

Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.

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.