Senior Technician in Functional Genomics and High Throughput Microscopy

The Faculty of Science and the Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research are looking for a

Senior Technician in Functional Genomics and High Throughput Microscopy (0.8-1.0 fte)
The Netherlands BioImaging Infrastructure (NL‐BI) is a nation-wide initiative that enables and supports scientific breakthroughs in bioimaging across experimental models and imaging modalities. NL-BI provides researchers with access to cutting-edge microscopy facilities and data management and image analysis (DMA) infrastructure. We are excited to announce a senior technician position in NL-BI focused on Functional Genomics and High Throughput Microscopy. The position will be embedded in the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research at the imaging core facility the Leiden Cell Observatory, working closely together with the Robotics & Screening facility of the NKI (Prof. Roderick Beijersbergen).

We offer an attractive teaching and research environment, a collaborative atmosphere and a personal career-development track, including mentoring and support.

What you will do
Leiden hosts the High-Throughput Microscopy (HTM) node within NL-BI, serving as the national hub for large-scale optical phenotypic screening. As part of this infrastructure, our mission is to provide Dutch scientists with access to advanced screening technologies, while actively contributing to the Euro-BioImaging network.

We are seeking a motivated technician to advance the development and implementation of next-generation HTM workflows. The candidate will contribute to scaling up automation for large-scale molecular and genetic libraries, and to advancing image acquisition and analysis pipelines for complex 3D cellular systems. A key focus will be on the design, optimization, and validation of optical screening assays, both in arrayed and pooled formats, integrating CRISPR-based genetic perturbations and diverse compound libraries.

The role includes applying advanced live-cell and functional imaging technologies, incorporating biosensors into 3D models, and leveraging AI-driven approaches for the automated recognition of complex phenotypes as well as the further optimization of the HTM workflow.

By working in close collaboration with national expert centers (UL Cell Observatory and NKI HTM group), the candidate will play a central role in establishing an open-access, state-of-the-art screening platform that empowers the Dutch life sciences community and positions the HTM node as a strong contributor to international infrastructures for phenotypic discovery and personalized therapeutics. Additionally, the candidate is expected to supervise bachelor and master internship students.

What you bring
We are seeking a highly motivated and expert candidate — a microscopist with strong bioinformatics expertise — who is dedicated to open science and adheres to FAIR data principles. The ideal candidate will possess:

• A PhD degree in a relevant discipline, such as cell biology, molecular biology, advanced cell models, quantitative bioimaging, or bioinformatics
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced microscopy techniques, including live-cell 2D/3D imaging, confocal microscopy, and high-content imaging, as well as in bioimage analysis and large-scale data mining
• Proven experience in the development and implementation of in vitro assays for high-throughput screening, with a particular emphasis on CRISPR-based methodologies
• Preferably, experience in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches for both image analysis and experimental design
• Strong competencies and demonstrated commitment to FAIR data management, organization, and reproducible research practices
• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken
• Affinity with teaching and a keen interest in educational innovation.

The candidate should feel comfortable working in a collaborative environment. Initiative, creativity and an independent working attitude are highly valued. Planned start date December 2025, or soon thereafter.

Where you will work
Curiosity and passion for science are what connect our people: the desire to know, understand, interpret, explain and create. Our mission is to provide excellent teaching and research across the full breadth of the sciences, contributing to solutions for major societal challenges. Our eight institutes, ranging from mathematics, computer science, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and biopharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences, along with the Lorentz Center and the Hortus botanicus, form the backbone of our faculty and have a strong mutual interconnectedness.

We work in a safe, stimulating and international environment where people work and study with pleasure and passion, and where building connections and collaboration, both within and beyond the faculty, are a clear choice. The faculty has over 2,700 staff members and more than 6,000 students enrolled in nine bachelor's and fifteen master's programmes. We are located in the heart of the Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s largest science parks, where academia and industry meet.

Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research
Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR) is a centre of excellence for multidisciplinary research on drug discovery and development. Leiden University ranks within the top-20 world-wide within the subject-based QS Ranking in Pharmacology and Pharmacy. At LACDR, we develop innovative scientific concepts in fundamental and translational research underlying the discovery and optimization of drugs, and personalised medicines. We aim to optimise the route to novel drugs that are both efficacious and safe, and therefore our research focuses on drug discovery and safety, bio-therapeutics, and systems biomedicine and pharmacology. State-of-the-art expertise and infrastructures ensure that we are strategically positioned in (inter)national collaborations, thus further strengthening the development of novel concepts and their application in a clinical and industry environment.

LACDR has close on-going collaborations with the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) and the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR). More information about the LACDR can be found at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/drug-research.

What we offer
We offer a research technician position for three years (on the basis of 0.8 or 1.0 FTE). Salary ranges from € 3.546,- to € 5.538,- gross per month based on a full-time employment, (pay scale 10 in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities). Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. Candidates from outside The Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

What we find important
Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

Want to apply or find out more?
Inquiries about the research area can be made to Dr. S.E. Le Dévédec, s.e.ledevedec@lacdr.leidenuniv.nl.

To apply for this vacancy, please submit your application online through the blue button below. Please ensure that you upload the following additional documents:

• Applications are written in English and include a Cover Letter addressing the selection criteria;
• An updated CV, including a list of publications;
• A copy of your PhD thesis;
• A copy of your PhD degree;
• Contact details of two references, including names, affiliations and email addresses.

Only applications received no later than 14 November 2025 can be considered. The selection procedure will take place in November 2025, and selected candidates will be invited for a (remote) interview in this period, during which you are kindly requested to be available.