Postdoc in Numerical Modelling of the Performance of Hearables in Contact with the User - DTU Electro

If you have acquired expertise in advanced modelling techniques and you are looking for challenging projects where you can apply your skills, you will find this postdoc project meets your expectations. 

The study and understanding of how hearables interact with the user wearing them is very much sought for by the manufacturers of hearing aids and hearables in general. Due to inherent difficulties, measurements and simulations of the devices are currently mostly done without considering this interaction. We present you with a modelling task with interesting research aspects such as the material properties of human tissue, their variability, the contact mechanics of the hearable with the skin and tackling a growing computational burden. There will be interaction with world-leading industrial partners for achieving practical breakthroughs based on the most advanced techniques in model reduction, numerical optimization, contact modelling and uncertainty estimation, all set up in a top-class research environment that will support you.

Responsibilities and qualifications
Smart hearable devices broadly comprise any audio system that is capable of capturing and reproducing sound and is placed in or over the user’s ears. The project is initially motivated by a special class of hearable, the Hearing Aid (HA). HAs are aimed at hearing-impaired persons and have very demanding requirements in terms of comfort, durability, and adaptation. However, the outcomes of the project are expected to be useful for most types of hearables.

Standardized measurement tests and numerical models of the acoustic and mechanical performance of hearable devices do not usually include a human subject wearing them. Instead, simpler, better understood setups with couplers and well-described boundary conditions are used. This situation hinders proper, well-adapted design of the devices.

The challenges involved in the modelling of hearables as fitted on a person include:

• significant numerical complexity due to Multiphysics and potential non-linear nature of the full problem, 
• the material properties of human tissues are subject to variability and uncertainty, and
• the contact of the hearable with the skin alters the performance and is not well understood.

This is a multi-faceted simulation problem, and you will need to address the aspects above, with the possibility of focussing on some of the challenges. You will develop numerical models combining the hearables, already very complex devices, and the human subject. You will:

• combine modelling techniques such as the Boundary Element Method (BEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) in an optimal way, as well as simplification to analogous equivalents of less relevant subsystems,
• model the contact hearable-skin by means of advanced techniques allowing for the natural variations,
• make room in the models for human tissue properties variability, identifying the most relevant contributions of such variations to the model results,
• study and apply techniques for reducing the computational burden, and
• validate models through experiments and existing measurement data.

You will create new and improved models of hearables that take into account their actual use on people, allowing deeper understanding of the underlying coupled physics and better adapted designs. We expect breakthroughs in at least two of the four challenges mentioned above.

Your activities during the postdoc will include:

• attending international conferences where you will present your work,
• publication of your research results in scientific, peer reviewed journals,
• interaction with industrial partners interested in the project, and
• collaborate with PhD candidates and senior staff in related projects.

Your required qualifications and skills are:

• a PhD degree in an acoustics-related topic,
• deep knowledge in the fields of acoustics, mechanics, numerical computing and physics,
• familiarity with contact mechanics and uncertainty quantification.

As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent). 

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility. 

Salary and terms of employment 
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 1.5 years. The position is a full-time position. Starting date is 1 December 2025 (or according to mutual agreement).

The workplace is DTU Lyngby Campus.

You can read more about career paths at DTU here.

Further information 
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Vicente Cutanda Henriquez (vcuhe@dtu.dk) and Associate Professor Niels Aage (naage@dtu.dk). 

You can read more about the Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering (DTU Electro) at https://electro.dtu.dk/ and about the Center for Acoustic-Mechanical Microsystems at www.camm.elektro.dtu.dk.

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark.

Application procedure 
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 3 October 2025 (23:59 Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply now", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD – in English)
• List of publications 

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. As DTU works with research in critical technology, which is subject to special rules for security and export control, open-source background checks may be conducted on qualified candidates for the position.

The Department of Electrical and Photonics Engineering (DTU Electro) is the result of a merger of the former departments DTU Electro and DTU Photonics. Its research is, among other things, used in the healthcare sector for diagnostics, treatment and improving the quality of life. Research topics are the development of more sustainable energy systems, safer autonomous systems and a faster, greener and more secure internet.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear mission to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That mission lives on today. DTU has 13,500 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.