Are you passionate about science and eager to make a significant impact in the world of high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence (AI)? At imec, we're at the forefront of developing cutting-edge nanofabrication technologies, and we're looking for motivated candidates to join our dynamic research team.
Why Liquid Cooling? Liquid cooling is revolutionizing HPC and AI data centers [1, 2], offering enhanced computational performance and significant reductions in operational expenses (due to reduced energy consumption compared to traditional air-cooled data centers). One of the more common techniques on the market is immersion cooling, where servers are immersed in non-conductive liquids, enabling higher power densities and improved heat transfer compared to air-cooled solutions.
Your Role: As a PhD candidate, you'll delve into the fascinating world of nucleate boiling heat transfer. Surface characteristics play a crucial role in this process [3-5], and recent advances in micro/nanofabrication offer exciting opportunities to enhance heat transfer beyond existing techniques. Your research will focus on designing and producing novel surface enhancements using imec's state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities [6]. Through experimental characterization and modeling, you'll explore the link between surface micro/nanostructure and nucleate boiling characteristics, ultimately leading to improved thermal solutions for AI and HPC data centers.
What We Offer:
Who We're Looking For:
If you're ready to take on this exciting challenge and be part of a team that's shaping the future of AI and HPC, we want to hear from you!
References
Required background: Engineering, Science, Physics
Type of work: 60% experimental, 30% modeling, 10% literature
Supervisor: Philippe Vereecken (KU Leuven)
Co-supervisor: Philippe Vereecken (KU Leuven)
Daily advisor: Rico Rupp
The reference code for this position is 2026-192.
Why Liquid Cooling? Liquid cooling is revolutionizing HPC and AI data centers [1, 2], offering enhanced computational performance and significant reductions in operational expenses (due to reduced energy consumption compared to traditional air-cooled data centers). One of the more common techniques on the market is immersion cooling, where servers are immersed in non-conductive liquids, enabling higher power densities and improved heat transfer compared to air-cooled solutions.
Your Role: As a PhD candidate, you'll delve into the fascinating world of nucleate boiling heat transfer. Surface characteristics play a crucial role in this process [3-5], and recent advances in micro/nanofabrication offer exciting opportunities to enhance heat transfer beyond existing techniques. Your research will focus on designing and producing novel surface enhancements using imec's state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities [6]. Through experimental characterization and modeling, you'll explore the link between surface micro/nanostructure and nucleate boiling characteristics, ultimately leading to improved thermal solutions for AI and HPC data centers.
What We Offer:
- Hands-On Experience: Develop practical skills in nanofabrication, surface characterization, and heat transfer measurements.
- Collaborative Environment: Join a diverse, high-energy research team at a world-leading semiconductor research hub.
- Cutting-Edge Research: Work at the intersection of nanofabrication, materials science, and heat transfer processes.
- Career Growth: Build a career with the potential to support next-generation AI/HPC hardware advances.
Who We're Looking For:
- Strong analytical skills and a curiosity to understand complex physical systems.
- Passion for science and desire to innovate using cutting-edge technologies.
- Eagerness to join a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team and contribute to groundbreaking research.
If you're ready to take on this exciting challenge and be part of a team that's shaping the future of AI and HPC, we want to hear from you!
References
- "Imec demonstrates efficient cost-effective cooling solution for high performance chips". imec. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
- "How to efficiently cool power electronics and optoelectronic sensors?". imec. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
- Webb, Ralph L. "The evolution of enhanced surface geometries for nucleate boiling." Heat Transfer Engineering (1981). https://doi.org/10.1080/01457638108962760.
- Jones, Benjamin J., John P. McHale, and Suresh V. Garimella. "The Influence of Surface Roughness on Nucleate Pool Boiling Heat Transfer." Journal of Heat Transfer (2009). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3220144.
- Jones, Benjamin J., and Suresh V. Garimella. "Surface Roughness Effects on Flow Boiling in Microchannels." Journal of Thermal Science and Engineering Applications (2010). https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4001804.
- "Infrastructure: semiconductor cleanrooms and state-of-the-art lab", imec, Retrieved September 15, 2025.
Required background: Engineering, Science, Physics
Type of work: 60% experimental, 30% modeling, 10% literature
Supervisor: Philippe Vereecken (KU Leuven)
Co-supervisor: Philippe Vereecken (KU Leuven)
Daily advisor: Rico Rupp
The reference code for this position is 2026-192.
