Principal Investigator Positions in Functional Neurobiology

Lead a lab at a top international institute

The VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology (Belgium) is searching for two Principal Investigators, one junior and one more senior, to join their faculty.

As part of our strategic investment in the area of functional genomics and individualized medicine, we are seeking the right candidates with a primary interest in neurodegenerative disorders with expertise in unraveling disease-associated cellular and molecular mechanisms.

Candidates at the junior to senior level and with a track record of important contributions to the field of neuroscience with a focus on in-vitro and in-vivo disease modelling are encouraged to apply. We look for candidates that have research plans and a scientific vision that complements those of the faculty at the Center, creating synergies and opportunities for collaboration.

Your profile

• For the junior PI position: a Ph.D. and experience as a postdoctoral researcher or faculty member
• For the senior PI position: track record leading an internationally competitive lab
• Innovative research goals with valorization potential in the field of functional biology
• Demonstrated scientific excellence and impactful discoveries in the area of neuroscience, demonstrating creativity and scientific quality
• Demonstrated success in obtaining competitive research funding
• A collaborative and interdisciplinary mindset
• Ambition to become a great coach and mentor of junior trainees
• Interest in outreach and broadly contributing to a top scientific environment
• Studied or worked in different regions/countries
• Experience in technology transfer is not required but would be considered a strength

We offer

• Full salary and core funding for five years (internationally competitive > 1 million EUR package depending on experience) that is renewable every 5 years.
• An attractive employment package including 100% of your salary and excellent health benefits
• Access to cutting-edge and staffed core facilities at our Center and at both of our hosting institutes: UAntwerp and at VIB
• A young and internationally recognized, vibrant, and collaborative research environment
• Broad administrative and accounting support, including help recruiting technicians, PhDs, and post-doc scientists for your group, and help setting up a new lab
• Professional leadership training for all PIs in the institute
• State-of-the-art research space
• A workplace that values diversity and promotes an inclusive environment
• Help with relocation and establishing a life in Belgium, including visa application (if necessary), housing, schooling, and daycare

About the VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology

Our Center currently hosts six PIs, each internationally recognized leader in the field of Neurogenetics or Neuroinflammation. Their groups address a broad set of questions related to neurodegenerative diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system, with an emphasis on understanding the genetic etiology and developing diagnostics and treatment methods for these diseases. Approaches range from human genetics and genomics to protein biochemistry and neuronal and glial cell biology, while models include yeast, fly, mouse, and pluripotent human cell systems. Research groups have access to state-of-the-art research and top-notch support core facilities and attract talented Ph.D. students and postdocs from across the world.

Prof. dr. Rosa Rademakers has recently been recruited as the new Scientific Director, and the vision of the Center is to grow substantially in the next 5 years and to invest in a collaborative research environment focused on team science. Together, we aim to use innovative clinical, genetic, computational, and functional biology approaches to define the molecular causes of neurodegenerative brain diseases and their key disease-modifying pathways, and to translate neuroscience discoveries into more precise diagnoses and treatment options for patients.

The VIB-UAntwerp Center for Molecular Neurology is part of VIB, a world-class Life Sciences institute with colleague-researchers in cancer, biotechnology, structural biology, immunology amongst others, and an extensive set of core facilities and opportunities for technology transfer. We are also embedded within the University of Antwerp, which hosts additional research groups focused on neuroimaging, electrophysiology, biomedical informatics (Biomina), proteomics and (epi-)genetics.

About the City of Antwerp and Flanders

Antwerp is a dynamic and attractive European university city with a rich history and a lively multicultural atmosphere. Antwerp and the greater region of Flanders is internationally-oriented and tech-minded with a strong biotechnology sector with spin-offs and start-ups, creating a natural home for researchers and their families. English is very widely spoken in the city and surrounding area.

Antwerp offers an affordable high standard of living and has an international school. The public education system and public health care system in Flanders are world-class, easily accessible, and low-cost to end-users. Public transport is also excellent and widely available. Antwerp is located at the heart of Europe: only 15 minutes away from Antwerp International Airport and 35 minutes by train from Brussels Airport, with over 180 international destinations including several direct flights to North America, Africa and Asia. There are also high-speed direct international rail connections to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Cologne.

Start date: Q3/Q4 2022 or in the course of 2023

How to apply?

Apply through our online system to upload:

• a cover letter
• your CV
• contact details of 3 referees
• a 2-5 page statement of your research interests and research goals

Application deadline: We begin reviewing candidates on April 1st, 2022; reviewing will continue until the two positions are filled. Shortlisted applicants will be invited in May - June 2022 for an interview.

For more information