Researcher in Biomedical Sciences

University of Antwerp

Department: Department of Biomedical Sciences
Regime: Part-time

Let’s shape the future – University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape.

The VIB CMN is one of nine research centers of the VIB. In VIB CMN, approximately 120 scientists work in the domain of complex neurological diseases of both the central and peripheral nervous system (https://uantwerpen.vib.be/). The VIB CMN has a Neuromics support facility focused on state-of-the-art high-throughput genomic analyses, bioinformatic support and histological analyses. The University also has supporting central facilities amongst others for biomedical imaging and proteomics.

The VIB Center for Molecular Neurology (VIB CMN) and the Department of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences have the following part-time (10%) vacancy:

senior academic staff in the area of Neurogenetics and bioinformatics

Position

As a member of the Senior Academic Staff (Dutch: Zelfstandig Academisch Personeel, ZAP), you will contribute to the University of Antwerp’s three core tasks: research, services and education. Your role may also include organizational and managerial aspects.

Research

  • You will expand high-quality scientific research with a focus on identifying genetic factors contributing to neurodegenerative brain disorders such as dementias and synucleinopathies
  • You will optimize and develop novel software to, amongst others, identify structural variation such as repeat expansions with a role in disease and investigate the role of epigenetic nucleotide modifications, specifically using sequencing data generated on long-read sequencing technology platforms
  • You will initiate new lines of research and coordinate the progress of scientific research projects. You will also participate in ongoing research programmes.
  • You will acquire and manage national and international research funding.
  • You will publish in international top-tier journals.
  • You will develop an international scientific network.
  • You will supervise bachelor, master and PhD students.

Services

  • You will play a role in the provision of both academic services and service to society, within the institution and externally. You will participate in student recruitment, boards and committees, popular science communication, among others.
  • You will play an active role in the bioinformatics community at VIB CMN, bridging research groups and managing the dissemination of dry-lab best practices.

Education

  • You will provide high-quality education in neurogenetics, courses related to sequencing technologies and bioinformatic practicals.
  • Your limited teaching role will evolve along with the Biomedical Sciences and/or Biochemistry and Biotechnology Study Programs.
  • You will play a role in developing activating, student-centred and competence-driven programme components and study programmes.
  • You will supervise students with their bachelor and master dissertations.

Organization and Leadership

  • You act as a key leader in multidisciplinary collaborations inside and outside the VIB and the university.
  • You will offer scientific services: among others you provide scientific advice and expertise in the field of long-read sequencing and tandem repeat analysis to other research groups in the VIB and at the university.
  • Your leadership style will be motivating and coaching. You will be attentive to your employees’ growth and development processes.

Profile

  • You hold a PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry or Bioinformatics
  • You have a minimum of 10 years of research experience in the discovery and analysis of genetic factors in neurodegenerative disorders and bioinformatics software development and a documented track record of high-impact publications in the field;
  • You have experience deploying and maintaining open-source software, developed in Python or R. Experience with a high-performance compiled language is a plus.
  • You have extensive background knowledge of wet-lab protocols for omics technologies at targeted and genome-wide scale, to enable the assessment, detection and characterization of challenging genomic variation
  • Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
  • Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision and you possess a C1 level of proficiency in Dutch.
  • You demonstrate leadership potential and organizational skills.
  • You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.

What We Offer

  • We offer a part-time appointment as a member of the Senior Academic Staff for a period of 3 years. Following a positive evaluation, the appointment can be renewed. The level of your appointment (lecturer, senior lecturer, professor or full professor) is determined on the basis of your professional experience and academic qualifications.
  • Your gross monthly salary is calculated according to the pay scales for Senior Academic Staff (ZAP) and calculated proportionally on the basis of your employment percentage.
  • The planned start date is September 1st 2026 or as soon as possible after that date.
  • You will do your work at Campus Drie Eiken in a dynamic and stimulating working environment. Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here and discover all the other benefits.

Want to Apply?

  • You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including May 25th 2026 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on 'apply', complete the online application form and don’t forget to include the following documents:

    The selection committee will review all the applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision has been made, we will inform you about the next steps in the selection procedure.
    • (1) your motivation letter
    • (2) the completed job application appendix for ZAP
    • (3) your academic CV

    Adding these attachments is mandatory. In the absence of one or more documents, your application will be declared inadmissible.

  • If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Rosa Rademakers, PhD, Scientific Director VIB CMN (rosa.rademakers@uantwerpen.be).

Equal Opportunities Statement

The University of Antwerp received the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.

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