Communicatieadviseur Positionering & Visuele Identiteit

Communicatieadviseur Positionering & Visuele Identiteit

• Ons doel: Samen bouwen aan een sterke merkidentiteit die zichtbaar is in de organisatie én daarbuiten.
• Jouw collega’s: Je werkt in het team Positionering, onderdeel van Marketing & Communicatie binnen het Maastricht University Office (MUO). Het team bestaat uit de directeur Marketing & Communicatie, de programmamanager UM Positionering en de huisstijl coördinator.

Wij zijn volop bezig met het versterken van de positionering van de Universiteit Maastricht (UM). Een opgefrist merkverhaal met een vernieuwde visuele identiteit en een duidelijke ambitie: laten zien waar we als universiteit voor staan. Als Communicatieadviseur Positionering & Visuele Identiteit speel jij een belangrijke rol in de implementatie van de vernieuwde merkpositionering en visuele identiteit en ben je verantwoordelijk voor een brede, gedragen uitrol binnen UM.

Je bent de verbindende schakel tussen het team Positionering en de diverse faculteiten en afdelingen die met de visuele identiteit aan de slag gaan. Samen zorgen jullie ervoor dat de vernieuwde positionering en visuele identiteit écht tot leven komen. Je helpt de visuele identiteit goed te laten landen in de organisatie, met oog voor detail, draagvlak en kwaliteit.

Je beweegt je makkelijk tussen strategie en praktijk: je adviseert over de creatieve doorvertaling van de merkstrategie en de toepassing van de visuele identiteit. Ook begeleid je marketing- en communicatiecollega's in de faculteiten en op andere afdelingen bij de vertaling van de nieuwe merkidentiteit naar concrete communicatiemiddelen. Samen met de huisstijl coördinator en de programmamanager ben je regisseur en sparringpartner, bewaak je merkconsistentie en stimuleer je betrokkenheid en eigenaarschap in de organisatie. Waar nodig ontwerp je incidenteel zelf communicatiemiddelen of werk je nauw samen met externe ontwerpers en bureaus. Zo lever je een directe bijdrage aan een sterke, consistente uitstraling van ons merk.

Een rol met veel afwisseling, waarin je adviseert en meedenkt, coördineert en – waar nodig – zelf de creatieve vertaling maakt. Je schakelt met verschillende lagen in de organisatie en draagt zichtbaar bij aan de versterking van het UM-merk. Je krijgt de ruimte om initiatief te nemen, jezelf te ontwikkelen en samen met je collega’s echt impact te maken.

Kern van de functie:

• Coördineren van de organisatie brede implementatie van de opgefriste visuele identiteit, zoals het organiseren van informatiesessies en trainingen voor communicatiecollega's en ontwerpbureaus
• Liaison tussen Team Positionering en interne teams/faculteiten op het gebied van merkpositionering en visuele identiteit
• Strategisch/tactisch adviseren over de toepassing van de visuele identiteit, passend binnen de merkstrategie van UM
• Stakeholdermanagement: je bouwt relaties met collega’s binnen faculteiten en andere afdelingen en bent mede aanspreekpunt bij vragen over merk en visuele identiteit.
• Bewaken van merkconsistentie: je beoordeelt communicatie-uitingen en adviseert over verbeteringen
• Incidenteel zelfstandig ontwerpen van communicatiemiddelen binnen de merkuitgangspunten en daar waar nodig stuur je externe ontwerpers en bureaus aan

Wat jij meebrengt
We zijn benieuwd naar wie jij bent en wat jou enthousiast maakt. Herken jij jezelf hierin?

• Je hebt een creatieve blik én een scherp oog voor merkidentiteit en visuele communicatie.
• Je denkt conceptueel, maar schakelt ook moeiteloos naar concrete uitvoering.
• Je bent organisatiesensitief, communicatief sterk en weet anderen mee te nemen in veranderingen.
• Je communiceert makkelijk en helder, werkt nauwkeurig en houdt van afwisseling in je werk.
• Je vindt het belangrijk om samen te werken en bouwt graag bruggen tussen verschillende teams.
• Je hebt gevoel voor grafisch ontwerp en je kunt eenvoudige ontwerpen zelf maken op basis van templates en via tools als Canva, Cordeo en InDesign
• Je hebt minimaal 3 jaar werkervaring in een vergelijkbare rol, bij voorkeur in een complexe organisatie.
• Je hebt een hbo- of wo-diploma, bijvoorbeeld in Communicatie, Design, Branding of een verwante richting.
• Je hebt ervaring met het werken met of aansturen van externe ontwerpers of bureaus.
• Je spreekt en schrijft vloeiend Nederlands en Engels.

PhD Candidate: Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying human memory

PhD Candidate: Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying human memory

• Our goal: To uncover the neurophysiological mechanisms that underlie human memory formation, consolidation, and retrieval, and to contribute to a deeper understanding of how the brain stores experiences.
• Your colleagues: You will join the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University and work closely with clinical partners at Maastricht University Medical Center+ (MUMC+). The project is supervised by Dr. Joel Reithler and supported by an advisory team of experts in memory research, electrophysiology, and clinical neuroscience. You will be part of a collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment with direct access to unique patient data.

We are recruiting a motivated PhD candidate to join a collaborative project focusing on the role of hippocampal ripples in human memory. In particular, the project will use behavioral experiments and intracranial electrophysiological recordings as a window into the brain mechanisms which support the formation, consolidation and retrieval of memories for real life-like episodic events.

You will contribute to the development of experimental designs, run behavioral experiments and collect and analyze intracranial EEG data which provide a unique opportunity to get direct access to hippocampal mnemonic signals. In addition, you will spearhead the reporting on the obtained findings via scientific publications and other dissemination channels.

What you do

• designing, conducting and analyzing behavioral experiments probing memory performance
• collecting, curating and analyzing data from human intracranial electrophysiological recordings
• presenting your work and publishing in peer-reviewed journals
• contributing to teaching (~0.1 FTE)

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring
We’re not looking for checkboxes—we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this? You have:

• a proactive attitude and are intrinsically motivated, you have a collaborative and persevering mindset and a keen interest in memory research.
• a master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., cognitive neuroscience, biomedical engineering, biological psychology)
• experience with programming (e.g., MATLAB, Python)
• hands-on experience with neuroscientific research
• good organizational and communication skills to professionally interact with patients and collaborators
• excellent command of written and spoken English

Note that (a willingness to improve) understanding and speaking Dutch is seen as a pre to facilitate the interactions with patients during the planned iEEG recordings.

PhD Candidate: Towards Personalized Brain Stimulation for Epilepsy Treatment

PhD Candidate: Towards Personalized Brain Stimulation for Epilepsy Treatment

• Our goal: To improve the lives of people with epilepsy by developing personalized brain stimulation treatments.
• Your colleagues: You will be part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team working at the intersection of brain stimulation, neuroimaging, and epilepsy care and treatment. Therefore, this project will be carried out partly at Maastricht University and partly at Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe in Heeze. You will be working closely with Prof. Dr. Teresa Schuhmann, Dr. Debby Klooster and Dr. Ilse van Straaten. We value open-minded collaboration, scientific rigor, and strong mentorship to support you in your PhD journey.

Project Background
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting more than 50 million people worldwide. It is characterized by an increased excitability of neurons in the brain, which leads to various types of seizures. Approximately one-third of epilepsy patients are therapy-resistant, meaning they do not respond to anti-seizure medication.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that may offer a promising alternative treatment for these patients. However, the precise mechanisms through which TMS works and the optimal stimulation settings for epilepsy treatment remain unclear.

What you do
As a PhD candidate, you will explore how individual differences in brain responses to TMS can inform personalized epilepsy treatments. Specifically, your work will involve:

• Simultaneous TMS and functional MRI experiments using a unique setup in Maastricht to investigate brain response.
• Simultaneous TMS-EEG experiments with epilepsy patients at Kempenhaeghe to monitor brain activity before and after stimulation.
• Analyzing MRI and EEG data to identify patterns that could lead to personalized TMS protocols.
• Writing scientific papers and your PhD thesis, contributing to the advancement of personalized brain stimulation in clinical settings.
• Presenting research findings at national and international conferences.

What you bring
You are a motivated and curious researcher with a strong analytical mindset, excellent communication skills, and a passion for scientific discovery. You thrive in a multidisciplinary environment and are eager to contribute to innovative research that will have real-world impact.

• You hold a completed Master’s degree in Technical Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, (Cognitive) Neurosciences, or a related field.
• You have strong interest in brain stimulation, EEG and fMRI techniques, and data analysis.
• You are fluent in English (both written and spoken). Dutch proficiency is desirable (or willingness to learn) as you will interact with patients.
• You have experience with programming and data analysis (e.g., Matlab, Python, R) is a plus.
• Previous experience with EEG and fMRI data analysis is an advantage.

Your Team
You will join the Brain Stimulation & Cognition Lab at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University. The lab is embedded within the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, where we work on cutting-edge research combining non-invasive brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS, tACS), EEG, and fMRI techniques.

You will be working closely with Prof. Dr. Teresa Schuhmann, Dr. Debby Klooster and Dr. Ilse van Straaten. We value open-minded collaboration, scientific rigor, and strong mentorship to support you in your PhD journey.

Academisch Centrum voor Epilepsie Kempenhaeghe & MUMC+ (ACE)
As part of the project, you will also work at the Academisch Centrum voor Epilepsie Kempenhaeghe & MUMC+ (ACE), the leading epilepsy expertise centre in South Netherlands. ACE combines top-clinical diagnostics, multidisciplinary treatment, and scientific research. It also plays a central role in training and innovation, with extensive facilities for EEG, MRI, and pre-surgical evaluation, in close collaboration with Maastricht UMC+ and partners such as Eindhoven University of Technology.

PhD Candidate on Social Engagement in HIV Cure

PhD Candidate on Social Engagement in HIV Cure

• Our goal: HIV remains one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Although biomedical research on HIV cure is advancing rapidly, ethical and equitable implementation across the globe requires an equally strong social scientific foundation. With this PhD project, we aim to close critical knowledge gaps and ensure that communities most affected by HIV are meaningfully involved in shaping the future of HIV cure research.
• Your colleagues: You will join an international and interdisciplinary consortium that brings together social scientists, biomedical researchers, clinicians, health economists, communication specialists, and members of the HIV community. The project involves close collaboration between Maastricht University, University Medical Centre Utrecht, and partner institutions in sub-Saharan Africa (Zambia, South Africa, Uganda). Together, you will work toward socially engaged and ethically responsible HIV cure strategies.

The HIV epidemic has tremendous impact on global health and there is an urgent need to develop globally accessible curative strategies for HIV. This PhD project is part of an international, interdisciplinary consortium that brings together social scientists, biomedical researchers, clinicians, health economists, communication specialists, HIV community members, and other global stakeholders in a concerted effort to close knowledge gaps and inform the design of ethical and equitable cure interventions. In this project, the candidate will work with social scientists based in various institutions in the Netherlands and sub-Saharan Africa (Zambia, South Africa, Uganda) to generate actionable insights for social engagement in HIV cure efforts through mixed methods social scientific research. The project includes comprehensive stakeholder analyses, followed by qualitative and quantitative research on 1) the awareness, importance, and meaning assigned to HIV cure by global stakeholders (e.g. governmental bodies, people with HIV, pharmaceutical companies, researchers); 2) the degree to which affected populations can and should be meaningfully engaged in HIV cure efforts; 3) the risk and benefit balance in HIV cure trials. The PhD candidate will be employed at Maastricht University and will also spend time at University Medical Centre Utrecht under the supervision of Dr. Kim Romijnders.

What you do

• Conducting a comprehensive analysis of international stakeholders in HIV cure efforts, their interests, and their relations.
• Conducting qualitative research with stakeholders via onsite and online interviews and focus group discussions, using thematic analyses.
• Conducting a Delphi study on criteria for an acceptable HIV cure.
• Collaborating with academic and non-academic stakeholders from various fields of work, both nationally and internationally.
• Presenting research output at national and international conferences, in academic articles, and, ultimately, in a dissertation.
• Engaging in science communication practices whereby research findings are actively conveyed to non-academic audiences.
• Providing input for the consortium’s internal monitoring and evaluation, and for periodic reports to funders.

Are you ready to set the course for the years ahead? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring
We’re not looking for checkboxes—we’re interested in who you are and what you bring. Do you recognize yourself in this?

For this position, we are looking for someone who is keen to work in an interdisciplinary and international context. The candidate should feel comfortable working collaboratively in diverse teams. They should espouse a curious and open attitude that is marked by a willingness to learn and grow, and (sub-)cultural humility. Adaptability and resilience are clear assets in this project, as is conscientiousness and project management skills. Overall, we are looking for the following skills and qualifications:

• An MSc in the social sciences (e.g., global health, public health, health psychology, social psychology, health promotion, anthropology, international development).
• An interest in or affinity with the topic of HIV, which may include previously working or volunteering in the field of HIV or sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• The ability to network and build rapport with national and international stakeholders, and to liaise with researchers at other institutes.
• Analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Qualitative and quantitative research skills, and a willingness to further develop these skills.
• Resilience and the ability to embrace challenges and pivot as needed.
• Conscientiousness and organizational skills, including time and project management skills.
• Willingness to travel between Maastricht University and University Medical Centre Utrecht, and to partner institutes in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Proficiency in English and, preferably, also Dutch.

2 Postdoctoral Researchers in Cell Delivery-Based Beta Cell Replacement Therapy for Type 1 Diabete

Two Postdoctoral research positions on the development of cell delivery-based beta cell replacement therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes

The positions
The MERLN Institute for Technology-Inspired Regenerative Medicine at Maastricht University is looking for two enthusiastic postdoctoral researchers to strengthen the Islets Research Group, led by Dr. van Apeldoorn. Both positions are part of major collaborative projects – the Breakthrough T1D project and the RegMed XB program – aimed at developing innovative beta cell delivery strategies to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).

Your focus will be on designing and testing islet delivery devices (implants) for future clinical application. These implants aim to improve the transplantation efficiency of donor islets and stem-cell derived islets, offering patients better control of their blood glucose without insulin injections.

• In the Breakthrough T1D project, you will explore how smart drug delivery strategies can enhance cell survival by reducing host tissue responses to the implant.
• In the RegMed XB project, you will focus on clinical translation, combining stem-cell derived islets with the next generation of large-scale implant designs.

Both roles are highly interdisciplinary and invite candidates with expertise in biomedical engineering, bioengineering, biomaterials science, or regenerative medicine.

Are you excited to contribute to research with the potential to change the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes? Then we would love to meet you.

What you bring
We are not looking for a checklist, but for passionate researchers who can make a difference. Do you recognise yourself in the following?

• You hold, or are close to obtaining, a PhD in biomedical engineering, biomaterials, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, or a related field.
• You have experience in biomedical and/or regenerative medicine research, preferably demonstrated by a strong publication record.
• You are curious, critical, and creative, with a drive to push boundaries in your research.
• You enjoy working in a team, give and receive feedback openly, and value collaboration in a multidisciplinary setting.
• You are fluent in English, both written and spoken, and confident presenting your work internationally.
• Above all, you are motivated to contribute to the development of a cure for type 1 diabetes.