Professor in 'Experimental Toxicology and Hepatology'

1 - Working at the VUB

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike. 

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves. With some 4,000 employees, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located. 

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short: the VUB all over again. 

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

2 - Position description

The Faculteit Geneeskunde en Farmacie, Department Farmaceutische en Farmacologische Wetenschappen, is looking for a part-time professor. 

More concretely your work package contains: 

Education and Research domain:

Experimental Toxicology and Hepatology

Education tasks:

• You will supervise master theses in pharmaceutical sciences;
• You will supervise doctoral students in the relevant field;

Research tasks:

• You conduct state-of-the-art scientific research in the field of hepatotoxicology, including the establishment of an individual research trajectory aimed at identifying mechanisms of liver disease and liver toxicology;
• You will participate in the organization of research in the research group, including cell culture experiments and molecular biological analyses;
• You will introduce relevant research methods in the research group;
• You engage in continuous scientific activity in the field, with considerable research output in leading international peer-reviewed journals and presentations in international conferences;

Other tasks:

• You will write grant proposals to apply for funding at national and international level;
• You will assist in the day-to-day management of a team of (post)doctoral researchers and technicians;
• You will assist with various administrative tasks related to research;
• You will be a member of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, and you are expected to contribute to its operations, community service, outreach, and recruitment activities. This may involve participation in (multiple) faculty councils and/or program committees. Collaboration with student advisors and educational experts at the University is important to support the vision of the University and Faculty on promoting student success and overall student well-being.

For this function, our Brussels Health Campus (Jette) will serve as your home base. 

3 - Profile

What do we expect from you?

• You hold a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, (bio)medical sciences, veterinary medicine, bioengineering sciences or equivalent;
• You hold a master degree in pharmaceutical sciences, (bio)medical sciences, veterinary medicine, bioscience engineering or equivalent.

• You have a minimum of 3 years of experience as a postdoctoral researcher;
• You have considerable research output, such as publications in the top 10% of journals within the relevant research area;
• You have significant international visibility and mobility, and you have experience in setting up events to promote the international reputation within a scientific unit;
• You have demonstrable experience in assisting in the coordination of European projects;
• You have demonstrable experience in setting up cell culture models of (liver) toxicity and disease;
• You have experience with supervising doctoral and/or master students;
• You have experience with assisting in educational tasks;
• You have experience with successfully applying for research funding;
• You are a dynamic and flexible person;
• You are able to work independently, but also in a team, and accurately;
• You have excellent presentation and communication skills, both written and oral;
• You have excellent knowledge of English at an academic level, both orally and in writing.

• You subscribe to the university’s vision of education. The full text in relation to this is available on the university website.

• Every first appointment is dependent upon the successful delivery of a teaching session.  

• Language regulations:

A member of the academic staff who is entrusted with a teaching assignment must also be able to demonstrate that the language of instruction is known at ERK level C1 through a qualification certificate or through an adequate diploma. The VUB also provides courses in, for example, academic English.

The administrative language of the VUB is Dutch. In case of insufficient knowledge of Dutch, the VUB will provide an integration course. After a maximum of five years, a member of the academic staff must demonstrate adequate knowledge of the administrative language (ERK level B2).

For a complete overview, please consult the complete language regulations on https://jobs.vub.be/content/Regulations-concerning-language-proficiency/. 

Certificates demonstrating knowledge of the language can already be added to the application. 

The VUB wants to be a reflection of the society where everyone's talent is valued, regardless of gender, age, religion, skin color, migration background, disability and neurodiversity.

4 - Offer

Are you going to be our new colleague?

You’ll be offered an appointment as professor, for an assignment of 0.1 FTE, for 3 years (renewable, on condition of the positive evaluation of the activities), with planned starting date 01/10/2025. 

This 10% ZAP mandate is linked to a 90% mandate as a postdoctoral researcher, after a favorable selection for the ZAP mandate.

You’ll receive a salary linked to one of the scales set by the government.

At the VUB, you’re guaranteed an open, involved and diverse workplace where you are offered opportunities to (further) build on your career.

As well as this, you will also enjoy various other benefits:

• Extensive homeworking options, a telework allowance of 50 euros per month OR an internet fee of 20 euros per month;
• An open and informal working environment where attention is paid to work-life balance, and exceptional holiday arrangements with 35 days of leave (based on a fulltime contract), closure between Christmas and New Year and 3 extra leave days;
• Cost-free hospitalisation insurance;
• Full reimbursement of your home-to-work commute with public transport according to VUB-policy, and/or compensation if you come by bike; 
• A wide selection of meals in our campus restaurants at attractive prices;
• Excellent and affordable facilities for sport and exercise, a range of discounts via Benefits@Work (in  all kinds of shops, on flights, in petrol stations, amusement parks...) and Ecocheques; 
• Nursery near campus, discount on holiday camps; 
• The space to form your job content and to continuously learn through our VUB learning platforms and training courses;
• And finally: great colleagues with a healthy drive.

5 - Interested?

Is this the job you’ve been dreaming of?

Then apply, at the latest on 17/03/2025, via jobs.vub.be, and upload the following documents:

• your motivation letter, including your vision on education and research, and an explanation about the development of your future research lines and a list of your five most important publications and five most significant academic achievements over the past five years;
• your curriculum vitae, including you academic dossier containing all relevant elements; 
• your diploma (copies of all Master's and PhD diplomas) (not applicable for VUB alumni) and language certificates;
• if applicable, a qualification certificate demontrating proficiency in the teaching language or the requiered level of Dutch language proficiency;
• additional information may be added to the dossier if desired.

Do you have questions about the job content? Contact Mathieu Vinken at mathieu.vinken@vub.be.

Would you like to know what it’s like to work at the VUB? Go to jobs.vub.be, and find all there is to know about our campuses, benefits, strategic goals and your future colleagues.

Would you like more information about EUTOPIA? Go to eutopia-university.eu, and read more about the role of the VUB in the development of the EUTOPIA alliance.