Vacancies

Interested in joining our team?

Find our latest vacancies at the Laboratory of Medical Microbiology:

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Department: Vaccine & infectious disease institute

Regime: Full-time

Let’s shape the future - University of Antwerp

The University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, conduct pioneering scientific research and play an important service-providing role in society. We are one of the largest, most international and most innovative employers in the region. With more than 6000 employees from 100 different countries, we are helping to build tomorrow's world every day. Through top scientific research, we push back boundaries and set a course for the future – a future that you can help to shape. 

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Science/Vaccine & Infectious Disease Institute at the University of Antwerp is seeking to fill a full-time (100%) vacancy in the Laboratory of Medical Microbiology for a Doctoral Grant in the area of Medical Microbiology under supervision of Prof. Sandra Van Puyvelde. This project is a collaboration with GSK.

We are seeking a candidate to study recent non-typhoidal Salmonella isolates from sub-Sahara Africa, which are responsible for causing invasive disease associated to a high mortality rate. This project will involve a comprehensive approach combining bacterial whole genome sequencing, genomics based bio-informatics, chemical analyses of bacterial compounds and immunological assays.

Position

• You will work actively on the preparation and defence of a PhD thesis in the field of medical microbiology.
• You will be based in Antwerp and subscribed to the University of Antwerp as a PhD student for. You will be expected to spend two research stays of 9 months at GSK in Siena, Italy during the full PhD of 4 years.
• You will publish scientific articles related to the research project.
• You will carry out a limited number of teaching and research support tasks for the department Medical Microbiology, Vaccine & Infectious diseases institute of the faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at University Antwerp.

​Profile​

• You hold a Master degree in Bio-engineering, Biomedical sciences, Pharmaceutical sciences, Biochemistry, Biology, Biotechnology or equivalent degrees or you will have obtained it by the time you start work.
• You can demonstrate excellent study results.
• You have a strong background, experience and/or interest to acquire those in microbiology, infectious diseases, molecular biology, biochemistry, genomics, bacterial genetics and bioinformatics.
• You can work both independently as well as in an international team.
• You can plan and perform laboratory experiments accurately.
• You have strong analytical thinking skills, an appropriate problem solving attitude, can systematically approach complex issues and is an excellent planner to meet milestone and deliverable deadlines.
• You are willing to travel abroad for short training periods or to international scientific meetings to present research results, and to travel twice for a longer time of 9 months to Siena in Italy during the full PhD of 4 years.
• Fluency in English is required.
• Foreign candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Your teaching competences are in line with the University of Antwerp’s educational vision.
• Your research qualities are in line with the faculty and university research policies.
• You act with attention to quality, integrity, creativity and cooperation.

​What we offer​

• We offer a doctoral scholarship for a period of two years. Following a positive evaluation, the scholarship can be renewed once for another two-year period.
• The planned start date is 1 July 2025 or as soon as possible after that date.
• Your monthly scholarship amount is calculated according to the scholarship amounts for doctoral scholarship holders.
• You will receive ecocheques, Internet-connectivity allowance, and a bicycle allowance or a full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting.
• You will do most of your work at Campus Drie Eiken in Antwerp, Belgium in a dynamic and stimulating working environment and at the GSK R&D Hub in Siena, Italy.
• Find out more about working at the University of Antwerp here.

​Want to apply?​

• You can apply for this vacancy through the University of Antwerp’s online job application platform up to and including 12 May 2025 (by midnight Brussels time). Click on the 'Apply' button and complete the online application form. Be sure to include the following attachments:
  • a motivation letter
  • your academic CV
• The selection committee reviews all applications as soon as possible after the application deadline. As soon as a decision is made, we will notify you. If you are still eligible after the pre-selection, you will be informed about the possible next step(s) in the selection procedure. Selection interviews will be planned from 19th of May onwards.
• If you have any questions about the online application form, please check the frequently asked questions or send an email to jobs@uantwerpen.be. If you have any questions about the job itself, please contact Prof. Van Puyvelde at Sandra.vanpuyvelde@uantwerpen.be.

HR Excellence in Research Award for its HR policy. We are a sustainable, family-friendly organisation which invests in its employees’ growth. We encourage diversity and attach great importance to an inclusive working environment and equal opportunities, regardless of gender identity, disability, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or age. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and with diverse characteristics to apply.

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