Are you passionate about innovative nanotechnologies and their application in immunomodulation and therapy? Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is seeking a highly motivated researcher to contribute to a cutting-edge European project, focused on developing targeted nanotheranostic tools for immunomodulation in the heart.

This is an exciting 3-year project, with plentiful opportunities for collaboration within the consortium. Your primary responsibilities will involve the functionalisation of PLGA nanoparticles for targeting and drug delivery. This will require expertise in covalently binding proteins, ligands, or other functional moieties to the particle surface. The production process utilises a high-pressure microfluidic system, and the nanoparticles will incorporate fluorescent dyes as well as therapeutic agents.

You will work here
You will join the Immune Dynamics section of the Cell Biology & Immunology (CBI), led by Prof. Srinivas and a small, collaborative team within CBI. This project offers numerous opportunities for both local and international collaboration, providing a dynamic and stimulating research environment.

As a postdoc, we expect you to work independently, supervise MSc students, and potentially guide PhD candidates in the future. You should be a team player, contributing to the positive, collaborative atmosphere within the group. Strong communication skills (in English) are essential, as you will be working within a multidisciplinary environment.

You also possess:

• A PhD in Chemistry, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field;
• Experience with polymer functionalisation (essential);
• Proficiency in particle characterisation techniques such as NMR and DLS (essential);
• Excellent writing and communication skills (essential);
• Prior experience with nanoparticles, liposomes, or vesicles (strongly preferred);
• Familiarity with microfluidic systems (strongly preferred);
• Experience with MRI (preferred);
• Background in mammalian cell culture and biological assays (preferred).

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1 .

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.345,- and € 5.278,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

For more information about this position, please contact Prof. Mangala Srinivas, by e-mail mangala.srinivas@wur.nl .

For more information about the procedure, please contact Ine van’t Land, corporate recruiter by e-mail: ine.vantland@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 30 December 2024. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on in January / February 2025. The start date will be 1th of April 2025.

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.