PhD's and postdocs

Starting your PhD or postdoctoral research? Turn your vision into tomorrow’s science. Join VITO and get inspired by our international community of visionary thinkers: our visioneers. Become a part of the sustainable technologies that change the world.

Each year, VITO starts a number of new PhD projects in close collaboration with excellent universities. The subjects are selected to enforce our strategic research themes and are application-oriented to maximise the impact of the VITO research for society. View our PhD topic list to select a subject to get more information and apply. Check the application procedure.

In the last 5 years, the number of PhD researchers active per year was between 70 and 90. 40% of them come from abroad, resulting in an international research community. They are attracted to VITO by our ‘cleantech development’ programme and the strong link with real applications. We encourage them to move on to companies in Flanders.

The PhD community is represented within VITO by the PhD committee. This committee is the contact point for new PhD students and works together with the PhD support team to set up a high-quality PhD programme. They coordinate the PhD buddy programme and are in the process of setting up the annual PhD event.

Throughout the year, VITO publishes a number of PhD subjects, with as objective ‘enforcing the VITO strategic research’. These subjects are selected carefully in advance and the PhD project will be set up as a close collaboration between VITO and a pre-defined excellent university.

The PhD committee is an international group of PhD students at VITO, which represents the community of PhD students currently performing their PhD at VITO.

On this page, you can find the jury dates and deadlines for online registration of your candidature and file submission.

VITO wants to strengthen its collaboration with research groups from various Flemish universities through doctoral and postdoc projects, which is why the 'VITO-FWO' mandates were created in 2022.

Our PhD topics strongly focus on the practical applicability in the near future. The selection criteria include industrial need and economic feasibility.

Activity-based working
From our HQ in Mol over our satellite offices in Antwerp-Berchem, Genk, Ghent or Ostend, to occasionally working from home. You go where your activities take you.
Grow as you go
You can develop more than just our company. With innovation as our main asset, it goes without saying that personal growth is encouraged. Staying informed is part of your job. We give you the confidence and freedom to explore independently. To find inspiration through newsletters and seminars. To keep up to date in your field with additional on-the-job training and workshops and see yourself and the world turn into something bigger.
An inspiring environment
Surround yourself with like-minded visioneers. Find sustainable solutions. Immerse yourself in a learning culture. Get to know people from all over the world with their own expertise, working together.