Register/log in to the official KU Leuven job tool; upload a PDF motivation letter and PDF CV; submit before the displayed vacancy deadline.
Open step linkThe KU Leuven supervisor starts the doctoral application; use the unique personal link emailed to you; complete the form and upload the applicable doctoral documents. Do not start a self-initiated admissions application in place of the job application.
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KU Leuven is recruiting one full-time PhD researcher in Leuven to adapt and evaluate pathology foundation models for invasive lobular breast cancer. The project is part of M4GIC-ILC, a 36-month EIC Pathfinder project. The researcher will work with whole-slide images and collaborate with computational and clinical researchers. Vacancy reference: BAP-2026-564.
Applicants need a master's degree in computer science, artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, biomedical engineering, computational biology, statistics or a closely related field; strong programming skills, preferably Python; experience in machine learning or deep learning; clear spoken and written English; and eligibility for KU Leuven doctoral admission by the starting date. KU Leuven's general doctoral rules provide an equivalent-degree or predoctoral-exam route, subject to assessment. Experience in computer vision, digital pathology, whole-slide images, self-supervised learning, foundation models, multiple-instance learning or high-performance computing is an advantage. Prior pathology or breast cancer knowledge is welcome but not required. The vacancy does not state a nationality restriction.
A full-time three-year PhD appointment, initially subject to a one-year probationary period, doctoral training, supervision, access to multi-site datasets and computing infrastructure, and remuneration under KU Leuven regulations. The vacancy gives no salary or scholarship amount and does not specify the staff category. Do not assume travel, relocation, housing, visa fees or registration fees are covered.
For the vacancy application: upload a PDF motivation letter and PDF CV through the KU Leuven job portal. A publication list and other attachments may be uploaded, but the general PhD job instructions do not make them mandatory. If selected, the separate doctoral admission process requests higher-education diplomas/transcripts, translations where required, English-language evidence, passport identity page (and a residence permit for applicable non-EEA residents of an EEA country), motivation letter, CV and a short description of the selected vacancy in place of a full thesis proposal, subject to any applicable programme requirements.
Apply to the vacancy by , the time and timezone printed on the KU Leuven page. KU Leuven says the supervisor preselects from CVs and motivation letters and interviews eligible candidates. Selected candidates then complete further personnel and doctoral-admission steps. The preferred start is 1 October 2026, but the vacancy expressly permits adjustment for visa procedures or other practical constraints. No interview date or selection-result date is stated.
Doctoral admission is separate from selection for the job; the supervisor initiates that later application and sends the candidate a personal link. KU Leuven lists an exemption from the admissions application fee for (pre)doctoral programmes, but its published 2026–27 doctoral fee schedule lists €591 for first registration and €591 in the defence year. The vacancy does not state who pays those registration costs. Check the exact remuneration, appointment status and costs with KU Leuven before accepting.
The vacancy says its preferred start date can be adjusted to accommodate visa procedures. KU Leuven has immigration guidance for international recruits, but the vacancy does not promise sponsorship, pay visa costs or guarantee immigration approval. The required procedure depends on the selected candidate's nationality and appointment status.
This is a paid, financed PhD position, but a specific salary and full coverage of expenses are unconfirmed. The publicly accessible vacancy confirms the application deadline; use the official KU Leuven application button, and do not wait until the final minutes because the page labels the deadline CET. TripDoc checked the vacancy on 27 September 2026.
