Associate professor / professor Molecular Translational Research

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Research is carried out in the Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED) that conducts excellent multidisciplinary research to drive advances in human life sciences. Using high-end technology, insights are gained in three areas of expertise: immunology, neurosciences and cardiometabolic sciences. BIOMED aims to translate new scientific discoveries into applications that contribute to a healthy society, in line with UHasselt's civic ambition.

Education task

The teaching assignment is situated in the undergraduate and graduate programs of our faculty and supervising research internships at our faculty. Delivering academic teaching with high teaching quality is an important selection requirement given the embedding in the regular ZAP framework after 10 years of research professor (ZAP BOF).

Research mission

In the context of recently acquired Flemish government impulse funding, we are looking for an Associate Research Professor/Professor that will establish an internationally oriented research program in molecular translational research. The program focuses on translating molecular and cellular discoveries into clinically relevant applications and sits at the interface between fundamental molecular science and patient-oriented research. To achieve this, you will emphasize multidisciplinary research by closely collaborating with biomedical researchers, data scientists, and clinicians. The new research program will complement and strengthen the existing translational research at Hasselt University (aging, birth cohort, autoimmune disease, dementia and cardiovascular disease). Substantial earmarked start-up funding is available to set up the program, your research team and infrastructure.

Profile

• You obtained a PhD in (bio)medical sciences, medicine, biology, epidemiology, bioengineering or pharmacy (or equivalent).
• You have at least 5 years of relevant postdoctoral research experience in molecular translational research. Experience with academic teaching is an asset.
• You have an excellent academic track record with first and/or last author publications in international high-quality scientific journals and presented at international conferences
• You have an extensive international research network in the respective field.
• You have a good view on the latest trends and developments in the specific research domain.
• You have proven experience in applying for external (international) research funding.
• You have experience in supervising doctoral students, technicians and/or master students.
• A proven track record in good academic leadership is a requirement.
• You have proven experience with participating in interdisciplinary research projects.
• Complementarity with the existing research expertise in the faculty of medicine and life sciences is an added value
• Dutch is the administrative language of Hasselt University. This implies that at the time of your appointment or within 5 years after your appointment as a member of the tenured academic staff, you must be able to demonstrate that your knowledge of Dutch is at least at CEFR level B2. If this is not yet the case at the time of your appointment, we offer you language lessons as support. You have a maximum of 5 years to achieve the required level. When taking up a teaching assignment as coordinating lecturer or co-lecturer, you must always be able to demonstrate mastery of the language of instruction of the program component at CEFR level C1. Prior to this, Hasselt University can also support you in acquiring the required language skills.

Offer

You will be appointed as a research professor within the "ZAP BOF" framework, where excellent researchers are given the opportunity to build their own research team with limited teaching responsibilities during the first 10 years. While the initial appointment as a research professor (BOF-ZAP) focuses primarily on research, after 10 years the position transitions into a standard role (regular ZAP), with an equal balance between teaching and research responsibilities.

We offer a permanent full-time appointment after a favorable evaluation following a 3 year internship period.

BIOMED provides easy access to shared lab facilities and technology platforms and support by research and valorisation managers. Substantial earmarked start-up funding is provided for the development of the research program.

Selection procedure

You can only apply online up to and including 10 November 2026. The selection procedure consists of a preselection based on application file, an interview and a test lesson / presentation. An assessment for the selected candidates is part of the selection procedure.

Further information

Prof. dr. Niels HELLINGS, +32-11-269268, niels.hellings@uhasselt.be
Prof. dr. Veerle SOMERS, +32-11-269202, veerle.somers@uhasselt.be

For questions about the selection procedure, please email jobs@uhasselt.be.