Research Technician

Job description
Do you want to help transform healthcare from its very beginning? “THE BEST START”

Join us in SHAPING THE FUTURE of reproductive & genomic medicine by developing cutting-edge genomic and AI technologies. Make your mark by contributing to life-changing science that improves healthcare from the very beginning of life.

The Laboratory of Cellular Genomic Medicine Lab (CGM, www.zamanilab.org), part of the Department of Clinical Genetics at Maastricht UMC+ (MUMC+), is recruiting a Research Technician to support its multidisciplinary research program. The laboratory also collaborates closely with other University Medical Centers across the Netherlands and leading international institutions, including the Karolinska Institute, providing a vibrant network of expertise and opportunities for collaboration.

Our lab develops and applies advanced single-cell and liquid biopsy genomic and AI-driven technologies to improve reproductive and early-life healthcare. The lab pioneers clinical-grade sequencing technologies for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). We integrate molecular biology, sequencing, and generative AI technologies to deliver innovative off-the-shelf solutions ready for diagnostic implementation. The Laboratory of Cellular Genomic Medicine forms a dynamic link between MUMC+ and the GROW Research Institute, offering you the opportunity to work in a vibrant environment at the crossroads of clinical care, pioneering research & innovation. See the PI’s vision and hope here.

Responsibilities
You should be able to perform laboratory experiments, including highly sensitive single-cell and liquid biopsy assays, long- and short-read NGS library preparation, sequencing, and cell-based assays. Further responsibilities include:

• Single-cell handling, including imaging and single-cell isolation workflows.
• Perform spatial omics assays.
• Maintain laboratory infrastructure, inventories, and quality control procedures.
• Contribute to data curation, documentation, and project reporting.
• Able to write highly precise protocols with clinical-grade reproducibility standards.
• Collaborate with PhD students, postdocs, and other clinicians withing the group/department/MUMC+ and with the large international collaborative environment.
• Train internship (bachelor and master) students.
• Willingness and ability to travel and exchange knowledge and expertise within the large collaborative network of CGM, specially Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (SE), Tartu, Athens.

Three key relevant publications

• Janssen, A.E.J. et al. Clinical-grade whole genome sequencing-based haplarithmisis enables all forms of preimplantation genetic testing. (2024) Nature Communications, doi:10.1038/s41467-024-51508-1

Essers, R. et al. The nature and prevalence of chromosomal alterations in first-trimester spontaneous pregnancy loss. (2023). Nature Medicine. doi: 10.1038/s41591-023-02645-5.

Zamani Esteki, M. et al. In vitro fertilization does not increase the incidence of de novo copy number alterations in fetal and placental lineages. (2019). Nature Medicine, 25(11):1699-1705. doi: 10.1038/s41591-019-0620-2.

Your working environment
Clinical Genetics is focused on the diagnosis of and counselling about hereditary and congenital disorders. In the field of medical genome diagnostics, the laboratory plays a leading role in the Netherlands in reproductive genetics, including preimplantation and prenatal testing. The department includes an outpatient clinic and a Clinical Genetics Laboratory.

The laboratory provides specialized clinical genetic diagnostics in close collaboration with the Department of Genetics of Radboudumc in Nijmegen, within the Academic Alliance, through the use of innovative and data-intensive genetic technologies.

At Clinical Genetics, patients can receive diagnostics and expertise in the following areas:

• Genetic counselling
• Pre- and postnatal chromosome analysis
• DNA testing
• NIPT screening
• Basic biochemical diagnostics and enzyme testing
• Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)

For more information, please visit our website: www.klinischegenetica.mumc.nl

Job requirements

• BSc/MSc degree in Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology, or a related discipline.
• Demonstrated practical experience in molecular biology; familiarity with sequencing and genomic technologies is an asset.
• Strong sense of responsibility, organizational skills, and precision in experimental work.
• Ability to work independently and in a team, with excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work in large collaborative network of the CGM group and travel for knowledge exchange, including Horizon Europe and Marie Curie grant schemes.
• Proficiency in English (Dutch is an advantage).
• Stress resilience.
• Understanding of Quality Management Systems, SOPs and health and safety (H&S) procedures.

Salary
Depending on your education and experience, the salary ranges from a minimum of € 3.503,- to a maximum of € 4.960,- gross per month for a full-time position. This salary is excluding vacation allowance and an end-of-year bonus of 8.3% of your gross annual salary.

Contract
A fixed-term contract of one year, followed by an extension of two years, and the possibility of a permanent contract in accordance with article 2.4.2 of the Cao umc.

Our offer

• A young and multiciliary environment.
• An inspiring academic environment at Maastricht UMC+ and Maastricht University.
• Opportunities to contribute to high-impact translational research at the interface of genetics, AI, and medicine.
• Professional development, training opportunities, and exposure to international collaborations.
• Competitive salary and employment conditions according to CAO-UMC standards.
• Opportunity to travel to other institutes across Europe within the awarded EU grants.

Questions?
For more information about the position or the training and career development opportunities, you can contact Masoud Zamani Esteki at masoud.zamaniesteki@mumc.nl. Would you like to shadow us for a day? That’s also possible!

For information about the application procedure, follow this link. General information about employment conditions and working at Maastricht UMC+ can be found here (Dutch only).

Can’t find the answer to your question? Then please contact the Recruitment team.

Applications for this position can be submitted until October 29.
We recruit our candidates directly and do not work with external agencies for this vacancy.