The successful candidate has a Master degree in Engineering, Physics, Medicine, Neuroscience, Biology or a related field with experience in light microscopy and a strong interest in light sheet microscopy. We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative team player with excellent communication skills, who is willing and able to work productively in an interdisciplinary research team. Beyond experience with light microscopy and histology techniques, a clear pre is additional experience in: optical clearing techniques, light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) techniques or modern microscopy data analysis. The candidate should have an excellent command of English (both written and oral) and proven academic writing skills.

The successful candidate will be embedded in the Multiscale Imaging of Brain Connectivity section within the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience (Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University), headed by prof. Alard Roebroeck, and in the Neuroinflammation & Autoimmunity lab, headed by prof. Pilar Martinez, in the division for Translational Neuroscience in the School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences). The successful candidate will play a central role in the joint initiative of these two partners to advance light sheet imaging for neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases research.

Current research topics within the Multiscale Imaging of Brain Connectivity section are focused on human cortical architecture, cortical microcircuits, and the application of human brain connectomics techniques to vision, learning and brain disorders. In the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, research questions about the structure and function of the brain are addressed through EEG, NIRS, TMS, as well as 3, 7 and 9.4 T MRI. The school for Mental Health and Neuroscience aims to improve the understanding of disorders of the nervous system, and the care for patients afflicted by these disorders. Advanced techniques of neuroscience, genetics, psychology and epidemiology are used to obtain an integrated understanding of the mechanisms, course and treatments for diseases of the nervous system. Such advanced techniques include novel imaging, monitoring and neuromodulation developments. The successful candidate will operate at the interface of these two research cultures.

The ideal candidate has:

• A Master degree (MSc) in a relevant discipline (Engineering, Physics, Medicine, Neuroscience, Biology or a related field);
• Excellent research skills demonstrated by written research assignments or co-authorship on conference abstracts, and a high quality Master thesis on relevant topics;
• Experience with light microscopy and histology techniques,
• Experience in optical clearing techniques, light sheet fluorescence microscopy techniques are a clear pre;
• Experience with modern microscopy data analysis and statistics is highly desirable;
• A personality characterized by creative ambition in exploring new techniques, team spirit, and furthermore excellent interpersonal, social, communicative, collaborative and organizational skills;
• Strong motivation and drive paired with the ability to work independently;
• Strong motivation and drive to acquire new background and skills;
• Ability and desire to work cooperatively in the research teams and the departments at large;
• The candidate should have an excellent command of English (both written and oral) and proven academic writing skills.

Fixed-term contract: 1+3 year contract.

The full-time position is offered for four years (1+3), with a yearly evaluation.

Your salary will be € 2,541 gross per month in the first year up to € 3,247 gross per month in the fourth year according to the PhD-candidate salary scale. On top of this, there is an 8% holiday and an 8.3% year-end allowance. 
In addition to good primary employment conditions, UM also offers an attractive package of secondary employment conditions.

The terms of employment of Maastricht University are set out in the Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities (CAO). Furthermore, local UM provisions also apply. For more information look at the website www.maastrichtuniversity.nl > About UM > Working at UM.

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 22,000 students and about 5,000 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. 
For more information, visit www.maastrichtuniversity.nl.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The successful candidate will be an embedded member of the Multiscale Imaging of Brain Connectivity section within the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience (Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University), under the supervision of Dr Alard Roebroeck. Research at the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience is embedded into the Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, consisting of 9 research lines/groups https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/m-bic/m-bic-research. The research within the Department combines the study of human perception and cognition with the development of advanced methods in neuroscience. Various brain-imaging methods are employed to understand, predict, and change human behaviour. M-BIC tests and develops new theories of normal and abnormal neural information processing, with special attention to brain plasticity, perception and cognition.
Department of Cognitive Neuroscience

School for Mental Health and Neuroscience
The successful candidate will also be a member of the division for Translational Neuroscience in School for Mental Health and Neuroscience at the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences and will be important in the joint initiative of the two departments on optical clearing and light sheet techniques for neuroscience. The School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs) is one of the Research Institutes of FHML, with more than 270 PhD students and around 100 faculty members (https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/research/school-mental-health-and-neuroscience).