Do you want to be part of the development of resilient crops that require no inputs that negatively impact our planet, and contribute to healthy life? Then you could be the ideal candidate to join our new, interdisciplinary research institute CropXR!

With a national programme that spans the next decade, CropXR focuses on creating eXtra Resilient (XR), sustainable, and climate-adaptive crops. By combining plant biology, simulation modelling, and artificial intelligence we aim to develop ‘smart breeding and cultivation’ methods to speed up breeding for complex resilience traits in different growing systems for several crops. This collaborative effort involves four universities, numerous companies, and encompasses scientific research, data collection and sharing, education, and practical applications in agriculture and plant breeding. Learn more about CropXR at cropx.org.

This research technician position is part two projects within the CropXR’s core research programme, one part focusing on physiological experiments, the other on performing metabolomics. The overall aim is to understand how Arabidopsis and tomato respond to changes in the environment: i.e. the physiological response at the level of gene regulation and biosynthesis of specialised metabolites. You will be involved in the creation of mathematical models of metabolic pathways providing the experimental input.

The location where you will ordinarily carry out your work is at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, one of the 8 research institutes of the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam.

What are you going to do?
You are expected to:

• work meticulously and independently, yet in close collaboration with the PhD students in the workpackage,

as well as collaborations with research technicians of other universities;

• assist in sampling and processing of samples for targeted and untargeted metabolomics;
• help design experiments and execute a variety of measurements and analyses on tomato seedlings;
• be active and eager in research and constructive in collaborations;
• take part in scientific and social activities within the CropXR consortium, the research departments and the institute.

What do we require?
You have/are

• a bachelor (HBO) or MSc degree in biology or biochemistry with affinity for hands-on activities that can include molecular biology,

biochemistry (mass spectrometry) and various types of plant analyses;

• trained and interested in (plant) biology;
• a proactive, energetic and curious work attitude and you are willing to learn and participate in a larger scientific team;
• a team player who is motivated to work towards common goals;
• excellent command of written and spoken English;
• willing to travel to Utrecht University on a regular basis.

Our offer
We offer a temporary contract for 34,2 (0.9 fte) hours a week, preferably starting on 1 September 2024, for the duration of 12 months.

An extension for 36 months subsequently follows if we assess your performance positive.

The salary, depending on relevant experience before the beginning of the employment contract, will be € 2,471 to € 3,336 (scale 7) gross per month, based on a fulltime contract (38 hours a week). This is exclusive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

Are you curious about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits like our excellent opportunities for study and development? Take a look here.

Questions?
Do you have questions about this vacancy? Or do you want to know more about our organisation?

Please contact: dr. Petra Bleeker, tel. + 31 (0)20 525 7790 and email: p.m.bleeker@uva.nl

About us
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 7,000, as well as 1,600 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

SILS research focusses on understanding the functioning of living organisms, from the most basic aspects up to complex physiological functions. Biological processes are studied at the level of molecules, cells, cellular networks and organisms, and the interactions between and in all those levels. We integrate research on gene expression, the structure of DNA molecules and chromatin, protein-protein interactions, protein structure-function relations and signal transduction processes, as they take place in man, animal, plant and micro-organism.

The research in the GLS departments aims at understanding, at a molecular level, of how plants deal with biotic and abiotic constraints, how they interact with insects, microbes and other organisms and how plants diversified in evolution. We create omics data including transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics to identify metabolites, genes and proteins in plants that play a role in growth and development under changing conditions and interactions with their environment.

Application
Do you recognize yourself in the job profile? Then we look forward to receiving your application by 30-06-2024 can apply online by using the link below. Due to Dutch legislation, the UvA is for non-scientific positions obliged to recruit within the EU. If you are not a EU-citizen (including Norway and Switzerland) please do not apply for this vacancy.

Applications in .pdf should include:

• a motivation letter and CV, including a list of courses and BSc MSc projects/theses.
• contact details for two references

Please mention the months (not just years) in your CV when referring to your education and work experience.

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritise diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please.