MD/PhD position for clinical research in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Welcome to Maastricht University!
MD, PhD position being involved in investigator driven clinical trial focusing on GLP1 agonist intervention in obese dilated cardiomyopathy patients. Also extension to studying risk prediction, disease progression and validation of new therapeutic targets combining clinical, ECG, imaging and (gen)omics results in a large (>1300) prospective cohort of dilated cardiomyopathy.

MD/PhD position for clinical research in dilated cardiomyopathy (young heart failure patients) at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM). 

The Heart Failure Research team of Prof. Dr. Stephane Heymans within CARIM and the University Hospital of Maastricht (www.hfresearch.eu) is seeking a PhD candidate with a (para)medical background. 

Our goal: The candidate will set-up and perform a small clinical trial within a Dutch network. The candidate will also analyze imaging, clinical data, biomarkers and genetics to optimize outcome prediction and identify new therapeutic targets for genetic, inflammatory, and idiopathic cardiomyopathies within our local and international DCM registry (DCM Share, DCM Next, totaling over 11,000 DCM patients).

Your team: You will collaborate with European and Dutch partners, as well as industry professionals, to advance new therapy development. You will join an enthusiastic and supportive research team engaged in preclinical, translational, and clinical research on non-ischemic cardiomyopathies.

If you have expertise or interest in performing a clinical trial, and in studies combining clinical, imaging, and data science for omics analysis, and are passionate about making a clinical impact through the development of new therapies, you are the ideal candidate. 

What you bring

• Clinical background in medicine with an interest or experience in cardiology.
• Knowledge or interest in echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging.
• Interest or experience in analyzing and integrating clinical, genetic, and omics data.
• Interest or experience in deep phenotyping, phenoclustering, and risk prediction.
• You master the Dutch language on C1 level. 

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

What we offer 
At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• A 12-month contract (1,0 fte) with the prospect of a 3 year extension.
• A gross monthly salary between €3059,00 and €3881,00 (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week). 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day), and the possibility to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours, a home office allowance, and the option to work from home.
• Freedom and space to shape your work independently and develop your ideas.
• A close-knit community of colleagues to collaborate and grow with.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness schemes, and access to various university sports facilities.
• An inspiring work environment in the heart of Europe.

About the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML)
FHML is committed to health in the broadest sense: from molecule to human, and from healthcare to prevention. We train healthcare professionals and researchers through innovative educational programmes and conduct groundbreaking research in health and well-being. As part of Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), our international and interdisciplinary community forms a unique collaboration between university and academic hospital, where education, research, and care come together.

Department
CARIM (www.carimmaastricht.nl) is one of the eight research institutes of the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML) of Maastricht University. It is embedded in the Maastricht University Medical Center+ (Maastricht UMC+). Located in the heart of Europe, UM holds the distinction of being the most internationally diverse university in the Netherlands with more than half of our students and academic staff coming from abroad.  

Interested?

Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Feel free to contact Stephane Heymans s.heymans@maastrichtuniversity.nl  for more information. Do you have any questions regarding the procedure, please contact Lilian Skiba at l.skiba@maastrichtuniversity.nl

The end date for application is 5 July 2026.

The first interviews preferably take place in week 29 (13 – 17 July).

Please upload your CV and motivation letter, including grade list, contact information of 2 referees, research experience and publication list.

Apply now via the button below. We look forward to getting to know you!

About Maastricht University
At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,300 students and 5,400 employees across 5 regional locations, 6 faculties, and more than 70 research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities for yourself and the world around you. Together, we can find the answers for tomorrow.

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

At Maastricht University, we prefer to contact potential candidates directly. We therefore kindly ask that no agencies or intermediaries submit offers or approaches.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.