The MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine is seeking a post-doctoral scientist to join our team in bringing stem cell-based embryo models to the next level. This position is part of the ‘Synthetic Embryo’ project in which these models are harnessed to assist in revealing the hidden processes of newly forming life, to battle fertility and reproduction problems, and explore the embryonic origin of diseases.
We are looking for a creative thinker who is prepared to take on highly challenging aims. The project will be highly collaborative and interdisciplinary and will suit an ambitious candidate who likes a fast-paced environment.

We encourage applications from individuals with a strong background in cell/development and molecular biology and who are passionate to investigate processes involved in stem cell identity, differentiation and early lineage specification (epiblast/trophoblast).

Responsibilities

• Employing CRISPR-mediated gene editing and single-cell sequencing (in collaboration with a bio-informatician) to answer questions related to early embryonic development.
•  Design and rigorous execution of experimental work, data analysis and dissemination of results
• Using tailored cutting-edge microfabricated tools as culture platform for stem cell-based embryo models

• PhD or equivalent with experience in Molecular Cloning and/or Gene editing systems (e.g. CRISPR/Cas9
•  Strong background in Cell or Developmental Biology, preferably with experience in Pluripotent Stem Cell culture
• Creative thinker that can independently deepen a research question
• Excellent communicator (oral and written English) and team worker
• Solid experience in experimental design
• Article 9 of the Wet op de Dierproeven (WOD, Experiments on Animals Act) or similar is not required but is a plus
• Knowledge of Dutch is not required.

• Fixed-term contract of 1 + 2 years (evaluation after first year), full-time position. The salary will be set according post-doc salary scale 10 of the Collective Labor Agreement of the Dutch Universities (CAO-NU); between € 2.709, - gross per month and € 4.274, - gross per month. On top of this, there is an 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance.
• Candidates who would need to relocate may be eligible for compensation. Employees relocating from abroad may be eligible for the Dutch `30% ruling', a tax advantage which results 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.
•  A fully resourced and funded research environment, office space fostering interaction between multi-disciplinary researchers and engineers.

Maastricht University

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 18,000 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.

Maastricht, where we are located, is itself a warm and welcoming city. 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 or train trip 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 Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine

Research group and environment
Much about early mammalian development is still shrouded in the dark. For a great part due to the inaccessibility of embryos within the uterus. Stem cells, when incited, can unleash their remarkable self-organizing capacity to mimic embryonic development (pre- and post-implantation) in a dish. Along these lines, we recently showed the formation of blastoids, stem cell-based artificial blastocysts (Rivron et al. Nature 2018 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0051-0), that prove as a valuable model system enabling the identification of novel molecular and developmental processes occurring in natural mouse embryos. Expanding on this framework of knowledge, we seek to further orchestrate the development of blastoids and their derivatives.

This project is embedded within the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine. Working at MERLN means you will join an international network of researchers from ~25 nationalities spanning multiple disciplines. We are a collaborative and interdisciplinary group with diverse expertise, including biomaterials, chemistry, tissue engineering, microfabrication, and cell biology. We work in newly renovated laboratory facilities with state-of-the-art equipment. We have a long history as leaders in the field of tissue engineering and are particularly well-known for our orientation towards translational research: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/institute-technology-inspired-regenerative-medicine

Within the MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine you work in a multi-disciplined and highly collaborative environment that welcomes researchers and engineers from all backgrounds. MERLN activities operate at the interface of biology and engineering and aim to maximise outreach at the level of public involvement, development, and the commercialisation of research. MERLN’s vision is based on sharing knowledge, infrastructure, and ambition. Research at MERLN is focused on developing novel and challenging technologies to advance the field of tissue and organ repair and regeneration.