Fully funded PhD position in biomedical ultrasound imaging and acoustic holograms We are looking for a highly motivated and curious researcher to join the Ultrasound Medical and Industrial Laboratory (UMIL) at the Institute of Instrumentation for Molecular Imaging (I3M), a joint research centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), in Valencia, Spain. The position is funded through the Santiago Grisolía 2026 Programme of the Generalitat Valenciana and provides a four-year, full-time predoctoral employment contract.

The PhD project: The project will develop new medical imaging approaches using ultrasound and mechanical waves. Medical images usually show the internal structure of the body. However, biological tissues also have mechanical properties—such as stiffness and elasticity—that can provide valuable information about their condition and help distinguish healthy from diseased tissue.

The PhD will combine novel acoustic holograms with ultrasound elastography, an imaging technique that estimates tissue stiffness by measuring how mechanical waves travel through it. We will investigate how acoustic holograms can be used to generate and control these waves, creating tailored wave patterns with the aim of improving image quality and obtaining more accurate information about tissue properties. The work will combine:

Wave physics and acoustics

Ultrasound and medical imaging

Numerical modelling

Signal and image processing

Scientific programming

Laboratory experiments

Tissue-mimicking phantoms and biological samples The candidate will receive multidisciplinary training at the intersection of physics, engineering and biomedical imaging and will work within an international research environment. The candidate will receive a PhD title from Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain)



Candidate profile We are looking for a highly motivated, proactive and collaborative candidate with a strong interest in medical imaging, ultrasound, wave physics and experimental research. Applicants should hold a Master’s degree—or an equivalent qualification granting access to doctoral studies—in a relevant field, including:

Mechanical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering

Telecommunications or Electronic Engineering

Acoustical Engineering

Physics or Applied Physics

Medical Physics

Applied Mathematics

Computer Science

Related scientific or engineering disciplines

Previous experience in ultrasound, acoustics, elastography, biomechanics, numerical modelling, finite-element methods, signal processing, image reconstruction, scientific programming or laboratory instrumentation will be valued, but it is not required. Good communication skills, independence, creativity and willingness to learn across disciplines are essential. Mandatory eligibility requirements Because this position is funded by the Santiago Grisolía Programme, applicants must meet several specific requirements:

The relevant university degree must have been awarded by a university or institution located outside the European Union. This requirement concerns the institution that issued the degree, not the applicant’s nationality.

The degree giving access to doctoral studies must normally have been completed after 1 January 2020.

Applicants must not already hold a PhD.





Applicants must not have previously benefited from a Santiago Grisolía fellowship or contract.

The selected candidate must meet the requirements for admission to a doctoral programme at a university in the Valencian Community.

A sufficient working level of English, Spanish or Valencian is required. Research activities and supervision can be conducted in English.

This is an on-site position. The selected candidate must relocate to Valencia, Spain, and carry out the research primarily at I3M.

Employment conditions

Contract: Full-time predoctoral employment contract

Duration: Four years

Expected starting date: 16 September 2026*

Expected end date: 15 September 2030

Location: I3M, CSIC–UPV, Valencia, Spain

Research group: UMIL — Ultrasound Medical and Industrial Laboratory

Funding programme: Santiago Grisolía 2026, Generalitat Valenciana

Principal investigator: Dr Noé Jiménez The position is an employment contract with full Spanish Social Security coverage. The grant finances both the researcher’s salary and the employer’s Social Security contributions, with funding increasing during the four-year period. The final gross salary will be established according to the applicable CSIC salary tables and Spanish regulations for predoctoral researchers and will be specified in the formal recruitment call. *The awarded contract runs from 16 September 2026 to 15 September 2030.

A justified postponement of incorporation of up to three months may be authorised when required for relocation to Spain, although the postponed period is not added to the end of the contract. #PhDposition #MedicalImaging #Ultrasound #Elastography #Acoustics #BiomedicalEngineering #Physics #SignalProcessing #ScientificComputing #CSIC #UPV #I3M #Valencia #PhDjobs

📌 PHD Student (España)
🏢 CSIC
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