As a Senior Researcher at MNEXT you work on new alternative material and energy production by using microbial cell factories.
Great job
MNEXT, formerly Center of Expertise Biobased Economy, forms the bridge between innovation and society together with SMEs. More than 80 employees work at MNEXT (including teacher-researchers from various Avans and HZ courses). In addition, 7 research groups are part of MNEXT: Biobased Construction (both at HZ and Avans), Biobased Resources & Energy, Biobased Building Blocks & Products , Smart Energy, New energy carriers, Biobased Transitions and Marine Biobased Chemistry.
Precision fermentation is one of the key technologies in material transition. To reinforce the development of fermentation research, a new position has been created within MNEXT, namely a senior researcher in precision fermentation.
As a Senior Researcher you work on research in the field of fermentation and molecular life sciences. Within the research, you will work together with teacher researchers, junior researchers and interns. One of the activities is focused on the FermiChem project: “empower the green chemistry workforce by fermentation” where fermentation and green chemistry will be developed and implemented side by side of education and research. Especially, within this project, a new co-creation lab will be constructed to serve as the physical infrastructure for knowledge building and exchange in Breda.
As a Senior Researcher, we envision you to:
- Lead the setting up process of the new biolab, make sure the lab is of high quality according to fields’ standards.
- Translate your theoretical and technical expertise into practical protocols for broader users, this includes junior technicians and commercial partners.
- Guide junior researchers and internship students with existing/new research projects.
- Participate in existing research projects, conduct research and/or project management tasks.
- Organize meetings with professors and associate professors, researchers, project leaders about possible new projects and lead in funding applications.
- Build and maintain partnerships with other organizations, institutions and companies to strengthen the fermentation research line.
- Interact with other MNEXT research lines/groups to form steady research stream.
- Interact with Avans bachelor and master programs by providing work fields advices, guest lectures and student project ideas.
Your place as a Senior Researcher within Avans
The research group is situated within the Center of Expertise MNEXT, a joint undertaking of Avans University of Applied Science and HZ University of Applied Sciences. By conducting practice-oriented research with students, teachers, researchers and outside stakeholders, we set the materials and energy transition in motion towards a more sustainable future. The research group is new which means there is ample scope to show initiative and explore new ideas.
You fit right in
As an experienced researcher, you take the lead in research projects and show others the value of your ideas. You have a great affinity with the interaction between research, education and the professional field and you are enthusiastic about student participation in research. Avans’ vision on practice-oriented research appeals to you. You can put things into perspective, are stress-resistant and ‘fit’ in with the informal and professional atmosphere of Avans University of Applied Sciences. Affinity to or interests in data driven methods such as oxford nanopore sequencing, bioinformatics experience and knowledge of CRISPR-Cas system would be a plus. Furthermore you have:
- An academic education, current research experience and experience in the professional field and/or science, including experience of setting up (molecular) biolabs and lab management. Having a PhD/PD’s diploma is a plus but not a must.
- Experience as a fermentation researcher in the role of project or program manager on a topic that fits in with fermentation and molecular life sciences. In addition to acquiring and conducting research, you are able to manage the research before, during and after the research process.
- A large (inter)national network within your research area, which you also dare to actively use to ensure new projects that bring (relevant) innovation to education and the professional field.
- Experience in guiding internship students and interest in research-education integration.
- Excellent writing and communication skills in English, preferably also Dutch.
We offer you
An environment where you have the freedom to discover and improve things; This is how we get the best out of you. We facilitate you in your continuous development, with which you then contribute to our further professional and technical professionalization. We also offer you:
- A monthly salary of a minimum of € 4.234 to a maximum of € 5.936 gross for a full-time appointment (scale 11 collective labor agreement for higher professional education).
- An end-of-year bonus, which is approximately equal to a thirteenth month.
- An appointment for 1 year. If the position functions well and there is sufficient training space, an extension is a possibility.
- A good work-life balance and pleasant workplaces.
- A lot of freedom in your job with the option to work from home.
Innovative Avans
Large, but small-scale. Concerned. Personal. That’s Avans. Here you can be yourself. We will give you all the space you need with your unique ideas and insights. That suits our learning and enterprising character. We offer optimally flexible education and research in co-creation with the professional field. And we continuously change with the world around us. We want to offer more and more tailor-made solutions, where students partly determine their own learning path. That is our Ambition for 2025. Discover Avans as an employer through these stories.
Contribute to our research
Do you see a great role for yourself in further professionalizing our education and research and in contributing to the further development of Avans into a knowledge institution? Please apply no later than 1st December 2023 via the application button. If you have any questions about the content of the position, please contact Miaomiao Zhou, Associate Professor Smart fermentation, via m.zhou1@avans.nl / 088-5256361. Within 2 weeks after closing the vacancy we update you on your application.