Technician cell culture and molecular biology

The Toxicology chair group’s research focusses on the development of next generation risk assessment (NGRA) approaches to characterise hazards, exposures and risks of chemicals in food and the environment. We are looking for a highly motivated and skilled technician in cell or molecular (laboratory) life sciences (master of applied sciences ).

In this position you will support our innovative research on how chemicals can cause harm. You will help develop, teach and ensure the quality of our research with advanced in vitro models for toxicity studies, including organoid and stem cell cultures.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Overall lab management, which includes maintaining consumable stocks, cell banks and equipment like flow cabinets and spectrophotometers
• The optimisation and application of biomolecular assays including, but not restricted to cell viability assays, qPCR, ELISA, comet assay, immunostainings and western blot
• Providing technical support of PhD students and Post Doctoral Fellows
• Training MSc students in cell culture and molecular biology techniques
• Preparation and assisting in the supervision of practical courses

Your team
The position is embedded within the chair group Toxicology. You will be part of a team of five lab technicians, each with their own focus and responsibility. In addition, the chair group consists of five scientific staff members, two secretaries and about 30 PhD-students and Postdocs. Annually 30 MSc students are supervised during their research thesis.

For this position we are looking for a technician with a drive to work with different types of in vitro cell systems in an accurate and well organized way. You have the flexibility to work in a team in a diversity of projects and teaching activities.

You also possess:

• obtained a HBO in the Netherlands, or equivalent degree in applied life sciences
• have experience with culturing cells and tissues
• have experience with the common molecular biology techniques such as, but not restricted to qPCR, ELISA and immunostaining)
• have the ability and flexibility to develop and master new lab techniques
• have the aptitude to teach and train others
• work an independent structured and focused manner and you have an eye for detail
• have good oral and written communication skills in English and preferable also in Dutch.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between €3382 and €5057 for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 8 or 9) . As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. / We offer you a temporary contract for the duration of one year. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an “orientation year” in the Netherlands or a visa as a “knowledge migrant”.

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.