Analytical Research Assistant (technician)

As analytical research assistant located at Wageningen campus you will contribute to research projects by running samples and generating and pre-processing data.
You will contribute in projects e.g. to improving crop quality and resilience, food quality (e.g. taste and odor) as well as designing novel ingredient production strategies for both the food and pharmaceutical industries. We have strong collaborations with many other Wageningen Research and Wageningen University research groups who work with us to deliver metabolomics data for their specific biological systems. Our metabolomics platform comprises 5 GC instruments with 4 coupled to Mass Spectrometers and 2 LCMS instruments, all supported with dedicated software for data processing, analysis and statistics.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Maintaining and managing our suite of MS instruments
• Master and execute a range of sample preparation and extraction techniques and run multiple sample series for a range of different projects
• Help design and improve new analytical approaches
• An ability to support IT activities in the area of MS data (pre)processing and biochemical experimental capabilities would be a plus.
• Contribute to formulate the focus and scope our research strategy

In your role as an analytical research assistant you will be part of a dynamic team consisting of wet-lab researchers and technicians as well as Senior Researchers and sometimes PhD students and guest workers. Our group has many small to large scale research projects, focused both on fundamental as well as applied research questions. Many of our projects are performed for and/or together with (big) industry. In this multi-disciplinary field, team work is essential for success and thus forms the core of our activities.

You are a technician with a background in Mass Spectrometry/analytical chemistry and preferably broad biochemical expertise. You have a strong affinity for the technical aspects of both operating and maintaining such platform instruments. You are a team player with good communication skills and have experience in project-based research.
Many of the following profile details should apply to you:

• You have a solid technical background in analytical chemistry approaches and Mass Spectrometry in particular
• You have a strong affinity for instrumentation technology and problem solving
• Experience with plant and food composition would be a benefit
• Experience in biochemistry is a plus

You also possess the following qualifications:

• You thrive in being an active member of a multidisciplinary team where each has their own role to play
• You can work with a strong degree of independence and be able to multitask but know when to reach out for help
• As we have an international working environment you are proficient in expressing your ideas fluently and make presentations in the English language. 

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level B2. If you do not yet have this level, we will of course help you and you can go to our language center Wageningen in'to Language

You can see that there are plenty of challenges ahead of you. These challenges can also be seen as development opportunities. So if you do not yet have the track-record required in the vacancy, but do have solid work experience, we would also like to invite you to apply.

You will work here
You will work with the analytical (metabolomics) team within the Cluster Applied Metabolic Systems (AMS). AMS is part of the Business Unit Bioscience at Wageningen University and Research. The mission of the Business Unit is to understand genomic and metabolic processes in plants and to develop new tools to assist in the development of better crop plants or higher quality food products that meet the shifting needs of our society. Within AMS (plant and microbial metabolic engineering; metabolomics; proteomics; receptor studies) the metabolomics team of seven staff members develops and applies state of the art approaches for Mass Spectrometry data generation and analysis in order to define better the biochemical composition of plants and food. We are looking for a replacement for a departing staff member and wish to find a Research Assistant (Technician) to join the analytical (metabolomics) team propose/design new approaches to improve this across the entire production chain from plant breeding to the supermarket shelf.

Bioscience - WUR

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

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• 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 4%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between €2.574 and €4.317 for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 7 or 9 depending on background and qualifications). Additionally, a contract for 32 hours per week can be discussed. You will initially receive a one-year contract, which will be extended to an open-ended contract upon in mutual enthusiasm.                                                                                                    

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 18th 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.
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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling. For instance under the "30% rule", certain categories of international staff can receive tax exemption on approximately 30% of their gross salary.

For more information about this position, please contact Robert Hall, head of Metabolomics Facility and deputy BU manager, telephone +31 317480441 or by e-mail [email protected].

For more information about the procedure, please contact [email protected] .

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 April 3rd , 2023. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on April 14th , 2023.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page . A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment .

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, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 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 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.