Electronic Engineer for THz-Skin project

Organisation/Company ELETTRA - SINCROTRONE TRIESTE S.C.P.A. Department HR Research Field Engineering » Electronic engineering Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 15 Apr 2026 - 23:00 (Europe/Rome) Country Italy Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 18 May 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The Instrumentation and Detectors Laboratory at Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste has been developing state-of-the-art scientific hardware and software, which include novel particle detectors, custom electronic boards, low-level programming based on FPGAs and microcontrollers, and high-level software for instrument control and data acquisition. The Laboratory is involved in different research and development projects. In particular, the THz-Skin project was recently funded by the European Innovation Council to develop a portable THz radiation detector for the early diagnosis of skin tumors. In the EU skin cancer causes 36,000 deaths per year and €9 billion in healthcare and indirect costs. Diagnosis relies on expensive tools and specialists, thus preventing mass screening to improve patient outcomes and costs. The THz-Skin project addresses this by developing a platform that merges advanced detection technology with unique spectroscopic data for effective, accessible diagnostics. We build on the well established fact that cancer biomarkers give rise to spectral fingerprints in the terahertz-far infrared range. By resolving these features from body thermal emission, we achieve real-time, zero-radiation, non-invasive, label-free cancer diagnostics – a real breakthrough in early skin cancer detection. Our platform blends high-performance, miniaturized sensors with a large, open-access spectral fingerprint library of skin conditions. Inspired by the RGB model for visible light, our Multifrequency Pixels (MFPs) decompose skin thermal emission into spectral bands in the 3-25 THz range, where biomolecular cancer signatures occur. Our MFPs consist of compact, low-cost micromechanical bolometers fitted with frequency-selective metasurfaces, achieving body thermal radiation analysis with high sensitivity and without cryogenic or bulky spectrometers. Diagnostic capabilities can be continuously improved by optimising MFP architecture and expanding our spectral library with simulated and experimental data. Our platform is designed for scalability, affordability and broad deployment in primary care settings. It is also designed to integrate with AI diagnostic tools, adding sub-cutaneous, cancer specific information to standard camera images. To ensure real-world readiness, our system will undergo in vivo validation using animal models, demonstrating its diagnostic performance in biologically relevant conditions and paving the way to a new era in advanced skin diagnostics.

The successful candidate will contribute to the development of the excitation and readout electronics for THz microbolometers, based entirely on FPGA systems capable of controlling more than one hundred DAC/ADC channels in parallel. A key feature of the platform will be its advanced real-time frequency-domain multiplexing and ultra-low-latency signal processing, allowing the system to support hundreds of parallel phase-locked loops (PLLs), potentially customizable on a per-pixel basis, and providing unprecedented levels of granularity and parallelism.

The specific role of the successful candidate will focus on the use of System-on-Chip (SoC) platforms from the Intel Altera family, interfacing a Linux-based operating system with HDL code that he/she will develop to implement the real-time processing tasks on the programmable lo

A master in Electronic Engineering or related field is required together with the following skills and knowledge:

• basic knowledge of the Verilog HDL language;
• knowledge of the main techniques for THz signal acquisition with particular emphasis on methods based on mechanical microbolometers;
• good knowledge of the Linux operating system;
• good knowledge of LabVIEW and Python programming languages;
• experience with the Altium CAD Designer environment for the development of electronic boards.

The following skills would be considered an asset:

• knowledge of automatic control systems theory;
• familiarity with the MATLAB software package and the C and C++ programming languages.

Good time management skills and ability to prioritize are expected, together with the ability to interact with staff and facility users at all levels and to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Good oral and written communication skills in English are essential.

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Research Field Engineering » Electronic engineering Years of Research Experience 1 - 4

Additional Information

Insurance covering accidents outside of the workplace;

The appointment envisioned is a fixed-term employment contract with a duration of 36 months, governed by the National Collective Labour Agreement (CCNL) for the Metalworking and Plant Installation Industry and by the Company Labour Agreement.

The salary will be commensurate with the previous experience and qualifications of the selected candidate.

The deadline for the submission of the application is April 15, 2026.