Are you a hands-on, results-oriented research technician with experience in microbiology? Are you ready to participate in team work and contribute for research on the physiology of micro-organisms involved in sulfur cycle conversions? We, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), have a vacancy for a Research Technician in anaerobic microbiology! Will you join our team?

What will you do?
As a Research Technician in our team, you will provide technical support to the researchers in our microbiology laboratory. Among others you will be working on:

• The set-up of bioreactor systems;
• cultivation of anaerobic microorganisms;
• analysis of samples (GC, HPLC, IC, microscopy, spectrophotometry)
• DNA/RNA isolation, PCR, qPCR;

Also, you will be involved in the ordering process to maintain the stocks and resources of the project, providing training to new students, sharing common duties of sterilization, coordination of the physical space of the laboratory and assisting the practical courses together with PhD students and Postdocs.

Sulfur is one of the major elements on Earth and exhibits a complex chemistry due to its multiple oxidation states. While some of the sulfur biotransformations, such as sulfate reduction and sulfide oxidation, have been extensively studied, sulfur disproportionation has received less attention. As a result, there are major knowledge gaps in the understanding of the metabolic routes involved in sulfur disproportionation. We aim to describe those routes for different clusters of sulfur-disproportionating microbial species. To achieve this, we will perform anaerobic cultivation under different conditions in combination with multiomics, and isotopic fractionation studies. Finally, we will explore the biotechnological potential of sulfur disproportionation by operating bioreactors. We are, then, looking forward to having a research technician eager contribute to this research and to help elucidating the burning questions we have. This position is part of the NWO KLEIN 1 project "Elemental Sulfur Disproportionation: pathways and application" where the technician will work in close contact with a postdoc in the project.

We are looking for an experienced technician, with at least a BSc degree.

We require:

• Very good level of English (spoken and written);
• basic knowledge in molecular techniques (DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, qPCR, sequencing);
• chromatography techniques (HPLC, GC, IC).

We appreciate familiarity with:

• Microscopy (light, phase-contrast and fluorescence microscopy);
• cultivation of anaerobic microorganisms;
• chemical analysis to measure different sulfur species;
• set-up and operation of (anoxic) bioreactors.

We expect that you are able to work together in a dynamic and diverse group of people and that you are flexible and able to easily adapt.
Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate their experience with concrete examples from their work in and outside academia.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• Sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 2367,-. and € 3196,-. for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU)(scale 7).

We offer a temporary position of 0.8 fte (average working time of 30.4 hours per week) for the period of 12 months. An extension of 6 months is possible, if proven suitability.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the Best University in the Netherlands for the 16th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Research The mission of Wageningen University and Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.500 employees and 12.500 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen's unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.