Laboratory Coordinator Education & Research

Welcome to Maastricht University!

For our new Bachelor's and Master's programs, we are looking for a creative lab coordinator with a broad interest in our biological education at the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo. Do you want to help train the next generation of life scientists? Then respond to this vacancy now! 

Laboratory Coordinator Education & Research

• Our goal: To create a world where planetary health and human well-being are connected through sustainable, transparent and circular socio-ecological systems.

• Your colleagues: The team in Venlo consists of an enthusiastic team of researchers, lecturers and support staff who together are building a sustainable and healthy world and the educational programs that go with it. Your direct colleagues are the other education and research staff who work in the various domains in Venlo.

In recent years, Maastricht University's Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) has grown considerably. The faculty is now active on four campuses in the province of Limburg in the field of circularity, artificial intelligence, robotics, sensor engineering, biotechnology and biodiversity. At the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, Maastricht University is launching the new Bachelor's program in Sustainable Bioscience and the Master's program in Crop Biotechnology and Engineering. These programs focus on education in the field of planetary health, plant biotechnology, healthy food and sustainable high-tech greenhouse production. In other words, within these programs, students are trained to contribute to the transition to a more sustainable food system.

As a lab coordinator, you are responsible for ensuring that education in our laboratories runs smoothly. The educational facilities consist of wet biochemical and molecular educational laboratories, dry ecological and sensor laboratories, a greenhouse, and a robotics facility. Since the bachelor's and master's programmes are new, you will also help shape practical education. In addition, you will also support in ecological field research.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, curious and creative person who thinks and works at higher professional education level and who pioneers with us in the construction of the educational programs. If you want to be part of this and you meet the requirements and profile below, we would like to hear from you. 

What you do

As a Laboratory Coordinator, you will support teaching and research within a dynamic academic environment. You ensure that laboratories function optimally and are an important sparring partner for lecturers, students and researchers.

Your work will include:

• Managing laboratory supplies, materials and chemicals and ensuring a safe and well-organized working environment.
• Supporting the preparation, implementation and planning of practicals and educational activities.
• Facilitating education and research activities in the field of DNA/RNA isolation, gel electrophoresis, microbiology, light microscopy and biochemical analyses, among others.
• Support in data processing and the use of bioinformatics tools.
• Installing, maintaining and calibrating sensors and data recording systems.
• Integrating research data from different sources and contributing to reproducible data workflows in R.
• Participate in the weekend breakdown service together with your colleagues.

In this way, you make a direct contribution to high-quality education and innovative research.

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

What you bring

For us, it's not about ticking boxes, but about who you are and what you bring to the table. Do you recognize yourself in this?

• You have completed higher professional education (or international equivalent) in a relevant field.
• You can coordinate a wide range of laboratory activities (biochemical, molecular, ecological) and are willing to work in the field as well.
• You work in a friendly and helpful way in your contact with suppliers and contract companies regarding equipment, checks and maintenance.
• You work thoroughly and carefully in training students and staff on the applicable safety rules, in close cooperation with the faculty safety officer.
• You take responsibility for safety during education in the lab and the field, emphasize its importance for staff and students, and ensure that the established rules are always adhered to, in collaboration with teachers.
• You have excellent oral and written communication skills in Dutch and English due to the international (student) working environment.

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

• A 12-month contract (1.0 FTE) with the prospect of a permanent contract based on mutual satisfaction. 
• A gross monthly salary between €3385.00 and €4484.00 (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 Science and Engineering (FSE)

At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development.  FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention.  The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).  At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3700 students gather to explore exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work! 

FSE at the Brightlands campuses 

Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, the home of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to the largest chemical site in the Euregion, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.

Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo

Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, located in Venlo and active since 2017, focuses on the future of the agri-food sector: how we grow, process and understand food. The research that takes place here makes the connection between nutrition and health, explores innovative farming and breeding techniques, and aims to improve the nutritional value, safety and sustainability of food production. The campus connects business, science and government in what is known as the "triple helix" of innovation.

There are two departments of FSE on campus. The System Earth Science department is built on a central idea: everything on earth is connected. No part of the planet functions in isolation. To truly understand our world, we need to explore how natural systems influence each other, from microscopic organisms to global climate patterns. The Brightlands Future Farming Institute is committed to technological innovations that address the major challenges in the agri-food sector. The core mission is to develop sustainable vegetable cultivation systems, which should ultimately lead to vegetables with improved consumer characteristics, such as better taste and health benefits.

Interested?

Want to know more about this position or what it’s like to work at our university? Reach out to the Director Campus Development Venlo; Cyriel Mentink, cyriel.mentink@maastrichtuniversity.

Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis and the vacancy remains open until a suitable candidate is found. We therefore ask you to apply as soon as possible

Apply 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.