PhD Position Textile-Form Weaving Design Methods for Digital Design-Fabrication Workflows

Shape the future of on-demand, zero waste, 3D woven garments

Job description

INTERWeuVEN is a Horizon Europe research project that combines European textile heritage with emerging digital manufacturing technologies. The project develops 2D–3D Textile-Form Weaving (TFW) - a design and fabrication approach in which woven textile structure and product form are produced simultaneously. By integrating computational design with digital Jacquard weaving, TFW enables on-demand, zero-waste garment manufacturing: cutting and sewing steps are removed from conventional production processes entirely.

INTERWeuVEN brings together 16 academic and industry partners across Europe and Canada to develop design tools, digital interfaces, robotic fabrication methods, and business models that integrate with circular material systems - including regenerative fibres and textile recycling flows.

Within INTERWeuVEN, this PhD researcher will investigate how design methods and digital workflows can connect 2D–3D garment design with Textile-Form Weaving fabrication, working primarily with partners within the project's System and Digitalisation WorkStreams. The aim is to improve the design potential and usability of TFW processes in future textile-form microfactory contexts.

The research builds on earlier work to define TFW system requirements and constraints, and explores how sustainability-relevant data and digital tools can support the TFW design process. The candidate will contribute to the development and formalisation of TFW design processes, with particular attention to how the material and process temporality of TFW - the temporal unfolding of decisions across design, weaving, and finishing - can be understood and navigated by designers.

This temporality dimension is a novel and distinctive contribution of the PhD. The candidate will provide the design knowledge and process understanding that enables computational partners and robotic fabrication partners to develop technically robust systems that are also designerly and meaningful. The candidate does not build computational or robotic systems, but generates the design knowledge that makes those systems useful.

Your Role:

You will work independently and collaboratively on research tasks including (but not limited to):

• Develop design methodologies and processes for Textile-Form Woven garments and products, with particular attention to the temporal structure of TFW design decision-making
• Develop a digital library of flattened garment archetypes with structured metadata for consortium-wide use.
• Investigate workflows that translate 3D garment design into 2D Jacquard weaving designs, identifying critical decision points where designer input is required
• Contribute design process knowledge to the development of manufacturing modules and digital tools within the project
• Provide design knowledge and process frameworks to support computational design formalisation and robotic moulding and finishing research.
• Conduct user studies with designers to evaluate design methods, processes, and co-developed digital design workflows and tools
• Develop TFW prototypes and samples to support material exploration and user and material experience research
• Collaborate with academic and industry partners within the INTERWeuVEN consortium across Europe
• Disseminate research through four peer-reviewed publications over the course of the PhD, co-authored with supervisors and consortium partners

Job requirements

The candidate must have:

• A Master's degree in fashion design, textile design, industrial design engineering, or a closely related field
• Experience with garment design and pattern cutting, or form design and patterning for soft materials
• Familiarity with relevant digital design tools — such as CLO3D, industrial Jacquard design software (NedGraphics, Scotweave, or equivalent), Rhino/Grasshopper, Blender, or SolidWorks
• Interest in digital design workflows for textile production and an understanding of the relationship between design and fabrication processes
• Strong written and spoken communication skills in English
• The ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and international research environment across academic and industry partners

The following experience is considered advantageous:

• Familiarity with zero-waste fashion design methods
• Experience working in the fashion or textile industry
• Knowledge of sustainable or circular design strategies, such as life cycle assessment (LCA) or digital product passports
• Knowledge of weave structure and Jacquard design principles
• Experience conducting user studies or familiarity with related evaluation methods
• Experience with physical prototyping and material exploration in woven or soft material contexts

TU Delft (Delft University of Technology)

Delft University of Technology is built on strong foundations. As creators of the world-famous Dutch waterworks and pioneers in biotech, TU Delft is a top international university combining science, engineering and design. It delivers world class results in education, research and innovation to address challenges in the areas of energy, climate, mobility, health and digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem-solvers, both in business and in a social context.

At TU Delft we embrace diversity as one of our core values and we actively engage to be a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together, we imagine, invent and create solutions using technology to have a positive impact on a global scale. That is why we invite you to apply. Your application will receive fair consideration.

Challenge. Change. Impact!

Faculty Industrial Design Engineering

Matching the evolution of people with the speed of the revolution of technology. This is the focus of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Delft designers act as a bridge between advances in technology and the needs of people, organisations and society to create products, services and systems with purpose.IDE is a leader in design research across the application areas of mobility, sustainability and health, as well as its development of design tools and methods. A 350-strong research team and over 2,000 students work together in our inspiring hall, labs and studios.In close cooperation with industry, the public sector and NGOs we rehearse possible futures in research and education to design for a complex future.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering.

Conditions of employment 
Doctoral candidates will be offered a 4-year period of employment in principle, but in the form of 2 employment contracts. An initial 1,5 year contract with an official go/no go progress assessment within 15 months. Followed by an additional contract for the remaining 2,5 years assuming everything goes well and performance requirements are met. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, increasing from €3059 - €3881 gross per month, from the first year to the fourth year based on a fulltime contract (38 hours), plus 8% holiday allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3%.  

As a PhD candidate you will be enrolled in the TU Delft Graduate School. The TU Delft Graduate School provides an inspiring research environment with an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and a mentor. The Doctoral Education Programme is aimed at developing your transferable, discipline-related and research skills. 

The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, and a monthly work costs contribution. Flexible work schedules can be arranged.  

Will you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? TU Delft is committed to make your move as smooth as possible! The HR unit, Coming to Delft Service, offers information on their website to help you prepare your relocation. In addition, Coming to Delft Service organises events to help you settle in the Netherlands, and expand your (social) network in Delft. A Dual Career Programme is available, to support your accompanying partner with their job search in the Netherlands.  

Additional information
If you would like more information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Holly McQuillan, via H.L.McQuillan@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 29 June 2026 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter

You can address your application to Holly McQuillan.

Doing a PhD at TU Delft requires English proficiency at a certain level to ensure that the candidate is able to communicate and interact well, participate in English-taught Doctoral Education courses, and write scientific articles and a final thesis. For more details please check the Graduate Schools Admission Requirements. 

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 
• As part of knowledge security, TU Delft conducts a risk assessment during the recruitment of personnel. We do this, among other things, to prevent the unwanted transfer of sensitive knowledge and technology. The assessment is based on information provided by the candidates themselves, such as their motivation letter and CV, and takes place at the final stages of the selection process. When the outcome of the assessment is negative, the candidate will be informed. The processing of personal data in the context of the risk assessment is carried out on the legal basis of the GDPR: performing a public task in the public interest. You can find more information about this assessment on our website about knowledge security.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.