Medewerker centrale glas en sterilisatieafdeling

Medewerker centrale glas en sterilisatieafdeling

Ons doel: De centrale glas en sterilisatieafdeling (CGSA) verzorgt dagelijkse de reiniging, desinfectie en sterilisatie van onderzoeks- en onderwijsmaterialen binnen de faculteit Health Medicine and Lifesciences (FHML). Daarmee is de CGSA een essentiële dienst waarmee de kwaliteit van onderzoek en onderwijs binnen FHML wordt geborgd.

Jouw collega’s: CGSA is een klein team van 3 personen binnen een grotere afdeling Centrale onderzoeksvoorzieningen. Samen zorgen jullie voor een optimale service.

Wat jij doet
Je dag begint om 8 uur met het opstarten van de afdeling waarna je aan je ronde begint. Je rijdt met de kar langs laboratoria en practicumzalen. Daar verzamel je glaswerk en andere materialen die voor onderzoek of onderwijs zijn gebruikt. Je brengt de materialen naar de CGSA, waar ze stap voor stap worden gereinigd. Eerst maak je alles grondig schoon in spoelmachines en als het nodig is steriliseer je het. Elk item krijgt precies de behandeling die nodig is om weer opnieuw veilig en betrouwbaar gebruikt te kunnen worden.

Zodra alles schoon en gesteriliseerd is, laad je de karren opnieuw in. Je rijdt terug door het gebouw en brengt de materialen weer naar de afdelingen. Zo zorg jij er, vaak achter de schermen, voor dat ongeveer 70 laboratoria en practicumzalen dagelijks kunnen rekenen op schoon, veilig en klaar-voor-gebruik materiaal.

Ben jij klaar voor dit belangrijk werk waardoor onderzoekers en studenten ontzorgd worden? Dan ontmoeten we je graag.

Wat jij meebrengt
Het gaat ons om wie jij bent en wat jij meebrengt. Herken jij jezelf hierin?

• Werkervaring – Je hebt recente werkervaring in een service gerichte baan.
• Sociaal en Servicegericht – Je wil dat de service optimaal voor de onderzoekers verloopt.
• Goed in team verband kunnen werken – Je wil elkaar helpen en ondersteunen.
• Zelfstandig kunnen functioneren – Je werkzaamheden zelf en goed willen uitvoeren.
• Overzicht kunnen houden bij drukte – Bij drukte schiet je niet in de stress en pak je met je team de werkzaamheden systematisch aan.
• Nauwkeurig en veilig kunnen werken – Je wil je werk goed doen zodat er niks verkeerd gaat.
• Energiek – Je vindt het lopen bij het ophalen en brengen fijn en zit je liever niet te vaak stil.
• Per direct beschikbaar – je staat in de startblokken om aan de slag te gaan.

Research Technician Endometrial Biology and Gynaecological Cancer Research

Research Technician – Endometrial Biology and Gynecological Cancer Research

Our goal: You will join our translational research team, which investigates endometrial biology and Gynaecological diseases, with a particular focus on endometrial cancer. Our research focuses on the role of steroid hormones in gynaecological diseases, including the therapeutic potential of hormonal treatments, mechanisms of treatment resistance and the identification of new therapeutic targets and drug combinations. To address these questions, we combine advanced in vitro and in vivo models with analyses of patient-derived materials.

Your colleagues: a research team consisting of a principal investigator, senior scientists, research technicians, PhD candidates and undergraduate and master's students. We work closely with researchers from different disciplines and with clinical partners.

Our translational research environment brings together clinicians, molecular biologists, bioinformaticians, data scientists and bioengineers. You will also have the opportunity to interact with national and international research collaborators.

Our research environment provides access to a wide range of advanced facilities and technologies, including:

• animal facilities and in vivo imaging platforms, including CT, PET-CT and bioluminescence imaging;
• advanced organoid and cell culture facilities;
• facilities for working with transgenic materials;
• advanced microscopy, including confocal, electron and two-photon microscopy;
• genomic and transcriptomic technologies, including bulk, single-cell and spatial analyses;
• mass spectrometry and mass spectrometry imaging;
• flow cytometry.

This gives you the opportunity to work with a broad range of techniques and to further develop your technical and scientific skills.

What you do
As a Research Technician, you will contribute to several ongoing research projects. You will work closely with PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers, senior scientists and clinicians in a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment.

Your main responsibilities include:

• establishing, maintaining and characterising patient-derived organoid models of endometrial tissue and endometrial cancer;
• supporting research into steroid hormone metabolism in healthy and malignant endometrial tissues;
• assisting with the development, maintenance and experimental use of mouse models for endometrial cancer;
• performing molecular and cellular biology techniques, including RNA and DNA isolation, qPCR, protein analyses, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and tissue processing;
• collecting, processing and managing patient-derived samples and biobank materials;
• supporting the day-to-day organisation and operation of the laboratory.

Depending on your experience and interests, you may also have the opportunity to develop your expertise in new techniques and contribute to different projects within the research.

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

What you bring
We are looking for a motivated and curious colleague who is enthusiastic about biomedical research and enjoys working in a multidisciplinary team.

You have:

• a completed HBO or Bachelor's degree, or equivalent training, in Biomedical Sciences, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, or a related discipline;
• experience with cell culture and basic molecular biology techniques;
• good communication skills in English and teamwork skills;
• the ability to work independently and take responsibility for your work;
• a proactive and flexible attitude;
• an interest in contributing to translational cancer research.

It would be an advantage if you also have:

• experience with three-dimensional culture systems, such as organoids or spheroids;
• experience with animal experimentation and mouse handling;
• experience with histological or imaging techniques;
• an interest in endocrinology and gynaecological oncology.

You do not need to meet every preferred qualification. If you are motivated to learn and develop your skills, we encourage you to apply.

Senior Advisor EU Funding

Senior Advisor EU Funding

Our goal: The FHML-Grants Office supports researchers throughout the grant application process and offer hands-on support to substantially increasing the chances for successful research funding. As European funding opportunities become increasingly important for research collaborations, career development and innovation, we are strengthening our expertise and strategic approach in this area.
As Senior Advisor EU Funding, you will contribute to a grant strategy with a clear European focus, more specifically on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). You will connect researchers, funding opportunities and relevant internal and external stakeholders, assisting FHML in making the most of the opportunities available within the European research and funding landscape.

Your colleagues: You will join the FHML-Grants Office, a team of enthusiastic and knowledgeable professionals who support researchers in identifying funding opportunities, developing competitive proposals and navigating complex funding requirements.
The team works closely with researchers, research leaders, management and colleagues across Maastricht University. Together, you contribute to a strong and professional research support infrastructure that enables researchers to focus on developing innovative ideas and impactful research.

As Senior Advisor EU Funding, you are a trustworthy sparring partner for researchers and management on European research funding. You combine strategic thinking with practical advice and know how to connect research ideas with relevant funding opportunities. In addition, you will be the main contact person for general funding questions for one of the eight research institutes.

You actively follow developments in the funding landscape (mainly European) and use your knowledge and network to strengthen FHML’s position. You also identify opportunities for improvement, analyse relevant data and translate insights into concrete recommendations and policy initiatives.

With your experience and ability to build relationships, you act as an important link between researchers, funding bodies and other internal and external stakeholders.

What you do

• proactively identify, evaluate and communicate relevant European funding opportunities;
• advise researchers on the match between their research ideas and available funding opportunities and requirements.
• support researchers in developing competitive grant strategies and applications;
• advise on consortium building and facilitate relevant connections;
• build, maintain and strategically expand your network of internal and external stakeholders;
• collect and disseminate grant information relevant to FHML;
• analyse data and advise management on opportunities for improvement;
• develop policy documents and contribute to changes and improvements in grant support;
• provide training sessions and information meetings within FHML and, where relevant, university-wide;
• maintain contact with European funding bodies and other relevant organisations.

Are you ready to help strengthen FHML’s position in European research funding? Then we would love to meet you.

What you bring
It’s not about ticking boxes; it’s about your expertise, strategic insight and motivation to help researchers succeed. Do you recognise yourself in this profile?
You:

• have a relevant academic degree, preferably a PhD in life sciences or relevant discipline in natural sciences;
• have at least three years of relevant work experience in the academic sector or similarly complex organisation;
• have thorough knowledge of the European funding landscape, especially MSCA;
• are an experienced networker with a broad and professionally relevant network;
• have a strong affinity with the academic and research environment;
• communicate clearly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing, in English and preferably also in Dutch;
• are organised, proactive and result-oriented;
• can work independently while also enjoying collaboration with colleagues and stakeholders;
• remain effective when working under pressure and managing multiple priorities;
• can identify opportunities and translate complex information into clear and practical advice.

PhD Candidate in Explainable AI and Foundation Models for CT Imaging

PhD Candidate in Explainable AI and Foundation Models for CT Imaging

• Our goal: To develop novel AI methods for explainability in medical imaging, including diffusion-model-based approaches, and to advance foundation models for CT through model development, training, evaluation, and external validation.
• Your colleagues: You will join the Department of Precision Medicine at Maastricht University, embedded within GROW and the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences. You will work in an interdisciplinary environment connecting artificial intelligence, medical imaging, and clinical translation.

What you do
As a PhD candidate, you will undertake a four-year doctoral research project leading to a PhD thesis. You will develop and evaluate new methods for explainable AI in medical imaging, with particular attention to the use of diffusion models for explanation and interpretation. You will also contribute to the design, training, adaptation, and external validation of foundation models for CT images.

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 are an analytical and curious researcher with an interest in technically innovative research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, medical imaging and clinical translation. You enjoy tackling complex problems and working in an interdisciplinary and international environment, while taking ownership of your work and developing as an independent researcher. You approach research systematically and have experience developing well-structured, well-documented and reproducible research code and organising experiments in a way that enables results to be reproduced and your work to be understood and further developed by others. You are motivated to further develop as an independent researcher and successfully complete your PhD within the appointment period.

Furthermore, you bring:

• You hold, or will shortly obtain, a Master’s degree in Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Image Analysis, Applied Mathematics, Data Science, or a closely related field.
• You have a solid theoretical and practical background in machine learning and deep learning, including experience developing, training and evaluating models, preferably for image analysis tasks.
• You have strong programming skills in Python, including the ability to develop and adapt code for machine-learning experiments, train and evaluate deep-learning models, and process and analyse experimental results. You have hands-on experience using a deep-learning framework, preferably PyTorch to develop and adapt code, train deep-learning models, and evaluate their performance.
• You have knowledge of, or a strong interest in, the principles of generative modelling and an interest in applying and further developing generative approaches, including diffusion models, for medical imaging.
• You have a C1 level of proficiency in written and spoken English, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The following qualifications are considered advantageous:

• Experience with explainable AI, uncertainty estimation, trustworthy AI, or model interpretability.
• Experience with generative models, particularly diffusion models.
• Experience with foundation models, self-supervised learning, representation learning, or large-scale pretraining.
• Experience with medical imaging, particularly CT, and associated image formats or processing workflows.
• Familiarity with DICOM, NIfTI, image registration, segmentation, or radiological image-analysis pipelines.
• Experience with high-performance computing, distributed training, or working with large imaging datasets.
• Experience evaluating models on heterogeneous or multi-centre data.
• A master’s thesis, publication, research internship, or open-source project relevant to the position.

PhD Candidate in Supramolecular Hydrogels for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering

PhD Candidate in Supramolecular Hydrogels for Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering

• Our goal: To develop dynamic, molecularly designed biomaterials for applications including 3D cell culture and bioprinting. The project will combine molecular self-assembly with covalent reinforcement to create biomimetic hydrogels whose mechanics, dynamics, and functionality can be controlled in space and time.
• Your colleagues: You will join the “BioMatt” group of Dr. Matthew Baker (https://merlninstitute.com/discover-merln/departments-and-groups/research-groups/biomatt-polymeric-biomaterials). The BioMatt group is part of MERLN’s Department of Instructive Biomaterials Engineering (IBE), which develops biomaterials that actively interact with and guide biological systems. Within this environment, BioMatt combines molecular and polymer design with cell biology and tissue engineering to create dynamic materials for biomedical applications. 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.

What you do
This position focuses on the synthesis and characterization of novel supramolecular materials with tunable properties for biomedical applications. The successful candidate will:

• Develop new synthetic routes for supramolecular polymers.
• Characterize supramolecular polymer structure-property relationships using advanced analytical techniques.
• Engineer dynamic hydrogel systems with tailorable mechanical and chemical properties.
• Design hydrogels and formulations to create injectable, 3D printable, and patternable materials.
  The supramolecular materials developed will ultimately be applied to create controllable 3D environments for tissue engineering applications ranging from vascularization and osteochondral regeneration to living materials with microbial components.

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

Scientific Background
Supramolecular materials have incredible potential for recreating life-like materials to interface with living cells, yet their weak mechanical properties and difficulty in controlling dynamics and functionalization limit their use. Our research explores how to tune the dynamics and assembly of supramolecular hydrogels by combining dynamic-covalent bond formation with supramolecular chemistry principles. We have shown significant breakthroughs in reinforcing supramolecular polymers to create tough materials that allow for 3D fabrication of tissue constructs. Currently, the impact of molecular structure, processing conditions, and reaction mechanisms on natural and synthetic supramolecular scaffolds is poorly understood. We are looking to expand our fundamental understanding of these materials through polymer synthesis and characterization.

This work will be a close collaboration within the framework of an ERC Consolidator project (SupraValent), embedded within a multidisciplinary team (BioMatt Group). The fully funded 4-year PhD position provides an opportunity to develop expertise in advanced supramolecular/polymer chemistry while contributing to biomedical innovation.

Key references:

• Francis LC Morgan, Ivo AO Beeren, Jurica Bauer, Lorenzo Moroni, Matthew B Baker. JACS, 2024, 146, 27499–27516. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c08099
• Shahzad Hafeez, Monize Caiado Decarli, Agustina Aldana, Mahsa Ebrahimi, Floor AA Ruiter, Hans Duimel, Clemens van Blitterswijk, Louis M Pitet, Lorenzo Moroni, Matthew B Baker. Advanced Materials, 2023, 35, 2301242. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202301242
• Floor AA Ruiter, Francis LC Morgan, Nadia Roumans, Anika Schumacher, Gisela G Slaats, Lorenzo Moroni, Vanessa LS LaPointe, Matthew B Baker. Advanced Science, 2022, 9, 2200543. https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202200543

What you bring
We are interested in the combination of experience, motivation, and perspective you would bring.

The ideal candidate has a strong foundation in organic or polymer chemistry and is motivated to connect molecular design with material function. Prior experience in biomaterials is very welcome but not required; more important is confidence in experimental materials and synthesis, careful data interpretation, and an interest in collaborative work at the chemistry–bioengineering interface. You enjoy working in an open, collaborative, and interdisciplinary environment.

Furthermore, you bring:

• MSc (or equivalent) in Organic/Polymer Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or related field. Candidates with an equivalent research qualification from an educational system without a separate Master’s degree are also encouraged to apply; eligibility will be assessed individually.
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or hands-on experience in organic and/or polymer synthesis, acquired through an MSc thesis, extended research project, advanced coursework, or relevant internship. You should have experience with multi-step synthetic under supervision, standard purification techniques (e.g., column chromatography, precipitation, extraction), and maintaining structured laboratory records with clear reporting of experimental results.
• Demonstrated knowledge of or hands-on experience with polymer and small-molecule characterization methods, such as NMR, GPC, rheology, or mechanical testing. This experience may have been gained through an MSc thesis, extended research project, advanced coursework, or relevant internship. While not required, the ability to independently operate at least one of these techniques, interpret and report experimental data, and relate characterization results to polymer structure and material properties is highly desirable.
• Interest in applying supramolecular and polymer chemistry to bioengineering and soft matter applications, with demonstrated exposure to biomaterials, hydrogels, self-assembly systems, or structure–property relationships in polymeric materials.
• Experience with characterization of self-assembled or dynamic systems, such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, DLS, or (cryo-)electron microscopy, and/or analysis of reaction or binding kinetics, is considered an advantage.
• Excellent command of scientific English (minimum CEFR level C1), with strong proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, as English is the working language of the group.

Availability to start the position on short notice is highly desirable; however, the start date remains flexible for highly qualified applicants.