You will play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of brain health and epilepsy, focusing on neuroplasticity, brain resilience, and the mechanisms of aging. Your research will explore the biological, genetic, and environmental factors influencing healthy aging, aiming to improve the quality of life of elderly people and reduce the burden of epilepsy for patients, caregivers, and healthcare systems. 

Tasks and responsibilities: 

• conducting independent research in Neuroscience focussing on healthy longevity and epilepsy, resulting in academic publications in peer-reviewed international journals and/or books;
• actively applying for external research funding, including national and European Research Councils and private foundations such as EpilepsieNL and Alzheimer Nederland;
• actively contributing to and developing national and international research networks and other forms of cooperation;
• developing, coordinating and teaching courses, mainly in the bachelor Psychobiology and master Biomedical Sciences-track Physiology of Synapses and Networks;
• supervising bachelor and master theses and tutoring students; co-supervising PhD theses;
• actively contributing to the development and improvement of the broader teaching programmes in the department;
• taking part in committees and working groups and carrying out departmental administrative tasks.

Your experience and profile :

• a PhD in Neuroscience or a related field, and preferably several years of post-doc experience.
• experience in surgical procedures for rodents, electrophysiology in vitro and/or in vivo, plus behaviour, molecular biology or histology;
• committed scientist, demonstrated by publications in international peer-reviewed academic journals;
• ideally experience with acquisition of funding for research projects through government agencies or the private sector;
• ideally a proven track record in teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels and in developing and organising education;
• experience with supervising students for internship/thesis research;
• willingness to take the responsibility for administrative tasks, such as organisation and coordination of university education and research;
• fluency and excellent communication in English, both written and spoken. Non-native Dutch speakers must be willing to obtain A2 level proficiency in the Dutch language within three years of the start of the employment contract.
• possession of the University Teaching Qualification (BKO), or the willingness to obtain this within two years after the start of the employment.

We offer an employment contract for 38 hours a week, for 18 months during which you should show your competence in research and teaching. The preferred starting date is February 1st 2026. You will be offered a permanent position after positive assessment and evaluation.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between €4,728 to €6,433 (scale 11) and you get an additional 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Assistant Professor 2 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Curious about our extensive secondary benefits package? You can read more about it here.