Who are we?   

The Netherlands eScience Center is the national centre for innovative software solutions in academic research. We aim to bridge the gap in knowledge and expertise between digital technologies on the one hand and scientific and scholarly inquiry on the other. We create the tools and digital methodologies that enable researchers across all disciplines to answer research questions, harnessing our unique blend of academic expertise and software development skills. We attach great importance to software quality and sustainability, and academic recognition of research software.

We stand for a research-focused, professional, collaborative, open and resourceful approach to everything we do, and we require that our staff can identify with these eScience Center values. Our people have a diverse background in education, gender, nationality and ethnicity. Together, we form an inclusive group with a common drive.

What will you do?

Line management:

• Ensure the professional well-being of employees within the section, fostering positive team dynamics and creating a culture of inclusivity
• Stimulate cross-sectional and interdisciplinary collaborations
• Maintain group identity and cohesion within the section
• Provide structure, direction and purpose to the section: translate organizational strategy and objectives, providing employees context and direction, ensuring performance in line with organizational goals
• Stimulate and monitor the personal development of employees and advise on career possibilities, enabling them to develop to full potential
• Conduct job performance & development interviews
• Monitor, manage and report on section budgets
• All further line management related activities, including but not limited to: managing performance, on- and off-boarding, sickness and reintegration, leave registration, conflict resolution, training and development

Domain representation and outreach:

• Represent and promote the eScience Center in its national and international context
• Ensure and increase the visibility of the eScience Center within the research domain
• Raise awareness of the potential and importance of digital skills, and open science within the research domain
• Develop a community policy for the specific research domain
• Monitor and interpret developments in research within a specific domain and tie these developments to the section to ensure the viability and continued impact of the eScience Center as a whole
• Attend and speak at the relevant domain-related conferences, events and networks
• Facilitate contacts with research communities
• Stimulate the acquisition of externally funded projects

Activities related to core business:

• In order to maintain affinity with the primary process, it is expected that the section head will dedicate a percentage of their time to project-related activities, such as engineering, consulting or acquisition, to their own discretion.

Who are you?

You love to manage, coach and develop staff, through effective situational line management, ensuring appropriate opportunities for training and development. You have proven academic capabilities, including an excellent research portfolio and presentation skills, and an overview of the Life Sciences. You also have the ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders. In addition, you have:

• PhD in the life sciences domain, plus at least 6 years’ experience demonstrating independently generated research outcomes using digital methodologies
• Strategic insight into the possibilities of research software within or beyond the domain
• Ability to assess complex situations and maintain a helicopter view
• Demonstrable team leadership experience and supervisory skills, evidenced by coaching of researchers
• Strong communicative, social and organizational skills
• Openness towards interdisciplinary cooperation

What do we offer?   

• You will work at the forefront of cutting-edge international research
• You will be part of a team of intelligent, collaborative and ambitious people with a passion for academic research
• You will be given extensive opportunity to further develop your professional and personal capacities
• Salary scale 13, based on our Collective Labour Agreement (WVOI Cao-OI), depending on qualifications and expertise
• Excellent secondary benefits: the possibility to work part time, travel and communication allowance, holiday allowance (8%), 42 holidays on a fulltime basis, a year-end bonus (8,33%), personal development budget, fitness plan, bicycle plan and flexible work from home options and facilities.
• An informal and creative working environment
• The opportunity to creatively help shape the future of the eScience Center
• Room for initiative and ideas