We are seeking someone who can add knowledge on (stem) cell biology to the institute. The candidate does not necessarily have to be a biologist by training and will be expected to collaborate with colleagues from diverse disciplines, including (bio)engineers and materials scientists. It is important to be comfortable with other disciplines and to be open to collaboration in new fields. Importantly, the candidate should complement our current knowledge and research activities in order to benefit our aims. Research with a clinical orientation is considered a plus.

The successful candidate will chair their own department within the MERLN Institute. For those unfamiliar with Dutch academic norms, a Chair leads an independent research group of their own (comprising PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers) and is also responsible for the activities of a small number of junior academics (typically at the Assistant and Associate Professor level) who are responsible for their own research groups within the same department. MERLN currently has two chairs and is seeking a third. It is an independent position suited for someone with 10–20 years of experience post-PhD. Excellent knowledge of scientific English is required as it is our working language. Knowledge of Dutch is not required at this stage, but candidates should be willing to learn for their administrative tasks. We encourage candidates who reflect diversity in the broadest sense.

Candidates must:

• Have a track record of high-quality publications
• Have demonstrated an ability to fund their research
• Have supervision experience
• Possess an international network
• Be recognized as scientific leaders in their field
• Have a demonstrated talent for leadership and management
• Be passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration
• Be an experienced educator, willing to teach Bachelors and Masters students

Contract information
The contract terms will be finalized upon selecting a candidate, but the expectation is for a permanent contract as a Full Professor following a probationary period and acquisition of any necessary certificates/qualifications. Salaries in the Netherlands are set by the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO-NU), in which full professors earn approximately €5.582–€9.812 gross (before tax) per month. Employees also receive an 8% holiday and 8.3% year-end bonus given annually and those who need to relocate may be eligible for compensation. Employees relocating from abroad may be eligible for the Dutch ‘30% ruling’, which can result in a significantly higher net salary. The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) and local UM provisions also apply. For more information: www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > Support > UM employees

We offer a competitive start-up package. Because the position is at the level of department chair, the candidate will be positioned to lead a team of existing junior staff (Assistant and/or Associate Professors with their own research groups) and we expect 1–2 vacancies for additional junior staff (i.e., tenure trackers) can be filled in the coming years. Laboratory and office facilities (with support staff) are shared by the entire institute, but funding for specialized equipment is available. As most candidates will currently be leading a research group, we are also open to discussing relocation for group members.

Maastricht University is renowned for its unique, innovative, problem-based learning system, which is characterized by a small-scale and student-oriented approach. Research at UM is characterized by a multidisciplinary and thematic approach, and is concentrated in research institutes and schools. Maastricht University has around 16,300 students and 4,300 employees. Reflecting the university's strong international profile, a fair amount of both students and staff are from abroad. The university hosts 6 faculties: Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Faculty of Law, School of Business and Economics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience.

http://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/

We are a team of 14 faculty members (principal investigators from the Assistant to Full Professor level) and >100 PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers with diverse expertise and research interests, including biomaterials, cell biology, tissue engineering, biofabrication, microfabrication and -fluidics, nanofabrication, computational modeling, and bioinformatics. We share newly renovated laboratory facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. Our staff members are leaders in the field of biomaterials, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, for which we have a focus on engineering approaches, and we are particularly well-known for our orientation towards translational research.

Maastricht, where we are located, is itself a warm and welcoming city. The city is known for its fine cuisine, excellent shops and multicultural atmosphere. The founding city of the EU is an international hub with inhabitants from around the world. English is widely spoken, which has helped create a unique and vibrant international community. Thanks to Maastricht’s central position in Europe, it is only a short drive away from Belgium, Germany, France and the rest of the Netherlands. The city is family-friendly and possesses an international school and several excellent primary schools.

MERLN houses researchers from across the globe who have successfully navigated the transition of moving to the Netherlands.