Light Microscopy Facility Manager

Facility manager for the light microscopy facility LIMIF. https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/431139
Two-year full-time contract, renewable.
The LIMIF imaging platform provides training and access to various fluorescence, confocal, multiphoton and super-resolution microscopes. This imaging facility is used by more than 20 labs from the faculty of Medicine of ULB working on topics including developmental biology, neuroscience, cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. The models used include cell and organoids culture, C. elegans, Zebrafish, mouse and human samples. The scientific support of the LIMIF facility provides users with the expertise they need at every stage of the experiment, from microscope choice, sample preparation to data analysis and interpretation. It also manages, maintains and optimises its technological tools. The LIMIF staff will consist of 3 people: the core facility manager M. Martens and the academic supervisor J-M. Vanderwinden. You will carry out the various tasks described below as a team.
Tasks
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Daily use and maintenance of equipment:
Install and maintain and optimize technological tools and ensure documentation of their use. Carry out routine maintenance, alignments. Diagnose technical issues, carry out first-line repairs. Handle second-line repairs with companies (communicate with technical service, negotiating costs, verifying equipment functionality). Develop professional relationships with companies. Manage the operational budget of the platform. Manage the hardware, software and secure storage acquisition systems upgrades.
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Users’ training:
Provide basic users’ training. Provide personalised assistance focused on the research project. Develop and maintain users’ knowledge through regular training and when new equipment becomes accessible. Take part and organise workshops and seminars related to the activities of the platform.
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Users’ experiment support:
Ensure optimal use of image analysis tools and pipeline for analysis. Help users to define and manage the experiments’ program to ensure optimal efficiency. Monitor the execution and progress of experiments and scientific observations. Provide occasional support with sample preparation when advanced knowledge is required.
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Research activities:
Support in the preparation of research projects, especially for the technical aspects. Contribute to scientific publications in sections requiring expertise related to the activities of the platform. Promote the platform and activities to external partners. Organise tests and trials, analyse results and identify optimal working conditions.
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New equipment purchase support:
Monitor users’ needs and the technological advances. Advise users and the academic manager of the platform on new equipment. Define the technical requirements of new equipment, conduct market research for funding applications. Draft technical equipment specifications (collect quotations, negotiate with suppliers, etc.) and objectively analyse offers. Actively participate in negotiations and testing processes, supervise equipment installation, adequacy testing and final delivery of new equipment.
Requirements
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Diplomas
A PhD degree in Biological, Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Engineering or equivalent.
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Qualifications
Focused on the common interest of all facility users. Ability to communicate efficiently with your LIMIF team, all users and the group leaders. Teamplayer, honest objective and friendly personality. Ability to multitask, sense of priorities and organization, independence and team spirit. Pedagogy skills to train and introduce users to the most appropriate system for their use. Knowledge and experience of fixed and live cell imaging, with a large set of imaging systems. Knowledge of experimental models used in cell biology. Experience of image analysis and data visualization tools. Good knowledge of English (scientific): daily used language with LIMIF team will be English. Very Good knowledge in French.
Additional information
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Contract
You will be hired as a facility manager during a renewable two-year contract. The position may evolve into a permanent core facility manager position. Start date: 01/10/2026
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How to apply
The application should include a detailed CV, a cover letter and 2 references, to be sent to jean-marie.vanderwinden@ulb.be , by June 15th, 2026, at the latest. For more information, visit the LIMIF website http://limif.ulb.be/
For any questions regarding the content or context of the position, please contact jean-marie.vanderwinden@ulb.be .