As a research technician in the Molecular Virology group of the Medical Microbiology department you will spend most of your time on molecular virology research projects, which can be both basic and strategical. You independently perform these research tasks under supervision of staff members and in collaboration with your colleagues in the Molecular Virology group. With your colleague technicians you are also responsible for performing several general laboratory and management tasks such as the management and organization of the animal laboratory, cell culture, data management and equipment management.

In short

·         Within the Molecular Virology group you spend your time on molecular virology research projects

·         You are responsible for carrying out general laboratory and management tasks within the department

·         You are in possession of an HLO-diploma (or similar) and a FELASA animal experiment certificate.

We are looking for an enthusiastic research technician with an eye for detail, and organizational skills, who is used to working very accurately.  You possess an HLO-diploma (or similar), an animal experiment certificate (FELASA) and you should have at least two years of relevant work experience. Experience with working at BSL-3 level is recommended. In case you do not have BSL-3 experience, you should be willing to enter our internal BSL-3 training program very soon after your start. You should furthermore have ample experience with a broad package of molecular biological, biochemical and recombinant DNA techniques, including cell culture, sequencing, and PCR techniques. Although you are a genuine team player, you also like to work independently and are not afraid of taking initiative to organize or initiate things. Your communication skills, in English, are very good, as this is the main language among our international group of colleagues.

Fixed-term contract: 2 years.

You will be employed on the basis of 36 hours per week. You will be offered employment for the duration of two years, with a possible extension of two more years. Your salary is based on your education and experience and is a maximum of  € 3.280 gross per month for a full time position (scale 7 in the Collective Labour Agreement for University Hospitals).

LUMC

At the Leiden University Medical Center, we continuously work on improving patient care. We invest in groundbreaking, international research and work with the latest equipment. Together with our team of doctors, medical specialists, teachers, academic researchers and supporting staff, we aim for the best quality in health care, education and international research. And we need you to realize our goals!

Department of Medical Microbiology

The LUMC Department of Medical Microbiology has approximately 120 employees and is comprised of the laboratory for Clinical Microbiology and a research section which includes the Molecular Virology group. The department works closely together with the departments of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases within the LUMC Centre of Infectious Diseases (LU-CID), together forming a unique centre of expertise and infrastructure for the research on infectious diseases and for their treatment. You will work within the Molecular Virology section, employing around 38 people, which largely focuses on positive-strand RNA viruses, including the family of coronaviruses. Important research themes are the molecular biology of virus replication and virus-host interactions. A significant part of the work in the near future will focus on development of antiviral agents and vaccines, among which those against SARS-CoV-2. Within the research predominantly Molecular Biological, Cell Biological and Biochemical techniques are used. Part of the work in the department is being done in Bio Safety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories.