We are offering a PhD position in design and development of therapeutic games at KU Leuven’s e-Media Research Lab and PRONTO Research Lab, in the frame of the recently granted research project “VIPPSTAR – Visually Impaired children and adolescents: bridging the gap with Personalized Prevention Strategies, Tools, Approaches, and Resources”, funded by the European Union (HORIZON). The PhD research will be carried out under the supervision of Prof. Luc Geurts (e-Media Research Lab) and Prof. Els Ortibus (PRONTO Research Lab). Throughout the PhD you will collaborate with clinicians of UZ Leuven and the Centre for Developmental Disabilities and with researchers from the project’s partner institutes in Europe. Initially a one-year position is offered, and in case of a positive evaluation by the assessment committee assigned by the doctoral school, the position will be extended to a total of four years, which is the standard duration of a PhD research project at KU Leuven.

The VIPPSTAR Project aims to offer the first holistic framework for a life-long enhancement of health, well-being, and autonomy of children and adolescents with Cerebral Visual Impairment (CVI) of different degrees of severity. From newborn to young adults, we propose a system of connected interventions and resources to establish the personalized prevention of the profound, sometimes irreversible impacts of CVI on individual health as well as on psychological, educational, motor, cognitive, and social competences.

One of KU Leuven’s roles is to (re-)design and develop therapeutic games for children with CVI (age 3-12 years). Game-based therapy has shown to be advantageous over pen and paper based therapies, due to their ability to increase motivation and adherence and the possibility to provide individual and immediate feedback. These games will be key components of the VIPPSTAR platform. A co-design process involving children with CVI, their parents, and caregivers will inform the creation of the new games. Key elements such as an overarching narrative, long-term rewards, and enhanced visual and auditory effect (“juiciness”) will be incorporated to improve the user experience and engagement. A central challenge will be creating juicy interactions that are appreciated by these children with CVI, while still offering an experience that caters to the needs of these children.

In this project, your target users are children with CVI in the age range of 3 to 12 years.

• You will adopt a user-centered design process from the start of the project to ensure that engaging games are designed.
• You will design, develop, and iteratively test the games with the target group.
• You will define research questions, and write about your research for publication in scientific journals and conference proceedings.
• You will monitor the work plan of your individual research project and make sure that milestones are achieved and deliverables are finalized in a timely manner.
• You will support initiatives to recruit participants for the studies, and organize interviews, co-design sessions and experiments.
• You will actively participate in research meetings with other researchers involved in the VIPPSTAR project.
• You will take part in research meetings, seminars, etc. at the e-Media Research Lab.
• You will enroll in a doctoral training program at the Arenberg Doctoral School, and adhere to the doctoral school’s coursework requirements for PhD researchers.
• You will assist in the supervision of Master thesis students.
• You will perform a limited amount of teaching activities (max. 3h per week).

Profile

• Master’s degree in Engineering Technology, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Health Technology (or equivalent)
• Strong computer programming skills, experience in working with game engines such as Unity is considered a strong asset
• A creative mind and a talent to create playful interactive systems, experience in designing,  implementing and user-testing such systems is a strong asset
• Ability to work as an independent and flexible researcher in interdisciplinary teams
• Strong writing and speaking skills in both Dutch and English

Offer

• A high-level and exciting international research environment.
• A strong involvement in a fundamental research project with potentially high international visibility.
• A PhD title from one of Europe’s leading universities (typically after 4 years of successful research).
• A thorough scientific education as part of a doctoral training program.
• A competitive salary or tax-free PhD grant.
• Opportunities to participate in local as well as international courses, workshops and conferences.
• The possibility to perform research visits to internationally renowned research labs in Europe.
• Initially a one-year position with an extension to four years after a positive evaluation of the assessment committee.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. Dr Luc Geurts ([email protected]) or Prof. Dr Els Ortibus ([email protected]).

Prospective candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, since interviews may already be organized before the application deadline. Please submit:

• a motivation letter with a statement of skills and research interests (max. 2 pages)
• a curriculum vitae, including your academic results
• the names and contact information of 1-2 references

You can apply for this job no later than October 30, 2024 via the online application tool.

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at [email protected]