PhD Position in Operations Research

In the context of the joint PhD program between IESEG School of Management and KU Leuven’s Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), we invite applications for a PhD Position in Operations Research – Optimization of Diagnostic Testing and Root Cause Detection.

Project

The successful candidate will work on optimization of diagnostic testing in domains such as healthcare (e.g., cancer diagnosis) and industrial maintenance (e.g., malfunction detection). The project aims to develop novel optimization models and algorithms that more accurately reflect real-world challenges while remaining computationally efficient. The research will combine mathematical modeling, combinatorial optimization, and potentially machine learning.
The PhD student will be supervised by Dr. Salim Rostami (IESEG School of Management) and Dr. Roel Leus (FEB, KU Leuven).

ABOUT IESEG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT

• IESEG is AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accredited.
• IESEG co-leads LEM which is a nationally accredited research center.
• IESEG’s faculty includes people from 45 different nationalities with PhD from leading universities around the world.

ABOUT FEB, KU LEUVEN

• FEB is a faculty at KU Leuven which is EQUIS accredited and is consistently ranked among the top ten European universities in terms of scholarly output and ranked 43th in the 2025 THE overall ranking.
• FEB is committed to excellence in research with 9 interdisciplinary research centers and research groups.
• FEB faculty publish regularly in top international refereed academic journals.

Profile

QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS

• Hold (or be close to completion of) a Master of Science degree in Operations Research, Operations Management, Applied Mathematics, Business Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• Knowledge of and strong interest in optimization, combinatorial algorithms, and decision-making under uncertainty.
• Experience with Markov decision processes, dynamic programming, and/or reinforcement learning is a plus.
• Strong programming skills are required, with working knowledge of C++ being considered an advantage.
• Demonstrated analytical thinking, research potential, and motivation for academic excellence.
• A high level of English proficiency. Knowledge of French and/or Dutch is not a requirement.
• Strong team-spirit and communicative skills.

Offer

The selected applicant is expected to begin in September 2025.
Gross salary will be competitive with other European research and academic institutions. The first year (coursework phase) will take place at at KU Leuven (Belgium).
The remaining three years will be based at IESEG’s Lille campus (France), with full access to research facilities, mentorship, and teaching experience.
The PhD student will receive all the means and support to engage in innovative business-relevant research projects with high potential to get published in top international peer-reviewed journals.
Limited teaching duties are expected between the second and fourth years.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Roel Leus ([email protected]) or Prof. dr. Salim Rostami ([email protected])

We evaluate applications on a rolling basis, so we recommend submitting as soon as possible.

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.