Postdoc in Hearing Aid Signal Processing

Excited to shape the future of hearing aids? Ready to combine your expertise in Signal Processing, Optimization and Machine learning with Perception and Intelligibility?  

Job description

Good hearing is essential for active participation in society. Hearing impairments can lead to various challenges, from frustration and social isolation—such as difficulties understanding speech in noisy environments—to serious safety risks, like the inability to localize sound sources in traffic.

Hearing aids help mitigate hearing loss by enhancing speech intelligibility, improving sound localization, and increasing environmental awareness. However, most existing hearing aid algorithms optimize for only one of these objectives at a time, often at the expense of the others. To enhance hearing aid performance across diverse scenarios, we aim to develop innovative algorithms that dynamically balance the improvement of speech intelligibility, sound localization, and environmental awareness, dependent on the context. 

To tackle this challenge, we are seeking a postdoctoral researcher with expertise in speech signal processing, optimization, machine learning, and models of hearing and perception.

This is a full-time, three-year position within the audio and speech processing team of the Signal Processing Systems (SPS) Section. In the SPS section, we conduct research in array signal processing, graph signal processing, convex optimization, distributed processing, machine learning, and tensor analysis. Our applications span various domains, including audio and acoustics, wireless communication, radio astronomy, biomedical signal processing, and distributed sensing from space.

Your Role

• Conduct innovative research on signal processing for hearing aids.
• Contribute to writing research proposals.
•  Assist with the supervision of students and teaching activities.​​​​​​​ 

Job requirements

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., electrical engineering, acoustics, or a related discipline).
• Strong background in speech signal processing, machine learning, and optimization.
• Experienced with models of hearing and perception.
• Experienced with C/C++ and/or Matlab/Python
• Good communication skills for interaction with the other members of the team are expected.
• Good English language skills in order to closely cooperate with colleagues and students as well as to write scientific papers.

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 of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS) brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined, they reinforce each other and are the driving force behind the technology we all use in our daily lives. Technology such as the electricity grid, which our faculty is helping to make completely sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future, whilst also setting the foundations for the software technologies to run on this new generation of equipment – which of course includes AI. Meanwhile we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example mapping out disease processes using single cell data, and using mathematics to simulate gigantic ash plumes after a volcanic eruption. In other words: there is plenty of room at the faculty for ground-breaking research. We educate innovative engineers and have excellent labs and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment.

Click here to go to the website of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science.​​​​​​​

Conditions of employment 

• Duration of contract is 3 years.

• A job of 36-40 hours per week. 

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. 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 Dr.ir. Richard Hendriks, via r.c.hendriks@tudelft.nl.

Application procedure
Are you interested in this vacancy? Please apply no later than 18 May 2025 via the application button and upload the following documents:

• CV
• Motivational letter

You can address your application to Dr.ir. Richard Hendriks.

Please note:

• You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post. 

• A pre-employment screening can be part of the selection procedure.
• For the final candidates, a knowledge security check will be part of the application procedure. For more information on this check, please consult Chapter 8 of the National Knowledge Security Guidelines. We carry out this check on the basis of legitimate interest.
• Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.