Your function
Diabetes mellitus affects ~600 million adults worldwide and, despite symptom management, no cure exists. Preventing or reversing the disease requires understanding how pancreatic β-cells regulate insulin secretion. Glycolytic oscillations, essential for insulin release, are traditionally measured by NAD⁺ autofluorescence in extracts or pooled cultures, but not in living single cells due to cytotoxic light exposure. In this project, we will develop robust, pH-stable NAD⁺ biosensors based on fluorescent proteins using an optimized high-throughput yeast screening pipeline, enabling detailed single-cell studies with broad biomedical relevance.
Your Duties
Generate large fluorescent biosensors library through molecular cloning
Develop, optimize and use screening methods to identify robust sensor variants from the libraries
Maintain a detailed digital lab journal to record experiments and results.
Your profile
A recent HLO graduate (or expected to graduate shortly after project commencement) or equivalent laboratory experience.
Strong experimental skills; experience with molecular cloning and yeast physiology is a plus
Proficiency in English, both written and spoken.
As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.
We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.
What do we offer?
A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:
- a salary of minimum € 3.382,00 (Scale 8) and maximum € 4.484,00 (Scale 8) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Education/Research Officer 3. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
- a position for at least 0.7 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year.
We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:
- A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
- 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
- group insured for partial disability with employer contribution of 50% of the premium
- contribution to commuting expenses
- a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
About us
Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means collaborating with students, lecturers and researchers who are focused on their field, yet have a broad view of the world. We are proud of a positive and inclusive workplace culture within the faculty, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy and just future.
From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from helium to the universe and from genetics to medicine: our education and research cover the full breadth of science, from molecules to mankind. Our academic education and research are highly experimental, technical and interdisciplinary in nature. That is why we collaborate extensively with leading scientific institutes and industry. The faculty has more than 8,000 students studying in one of the 39 programms and employs more than 1,400 staff across 10 scientific departments, making us one of the largest science faculties in the Netherlands.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct
We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.
Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.
We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.
Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.
Interested
Please respond before 31 August 2026 via the application button, uploading the following documents:
Note: Applications received by e-mail will not be processed.
Vacancy Questions
For questions about the vacancy, you may contact:
Dr. Dennis Botman
Technician, Systems Biology Lab
d.botman@vu.nl
