Assistant Professor in Biophysics of Living Systems

Challenge: Understand how life emerges from molecular interactions.

Change: Combine physics and biology to decode cells at the nanoscale.

Impact: New insights into disease and the fundamentals of life.

Imagine watching the inner workings of a living cell, where the fundamental laws of physics meet the complexity of life at the nanoscale. Since 2010, the Department of Bionanoscience at Delft University of Technology has been on a pioneering quest to decode these principles. We are a multidisciplinary and international community of scientists driven by a singular mission: to understand how interactions at the smallest scales give rise to biological function or the onset of disease. From observing the dance of single molecules to the bottom‑up construction of synthetic cells, we bridge the gap between physics and the full complexity of living systems. Now, we invite you to join our group of 19 Principal Investigators at TU Delft to help us write the next chapter in our understanding of life.

The Department of Bionanoscience, part of the Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, is a world‑leading environment for fundamental research at the interface of biology and physics. We focus on biological processes from the level of single molecules to the full complexity of living cells. We seek an early‑career Principal Investigator who has demonstrated excellence in experimental research and thrives on conducting original research with impact, geared to understanding how life works, either at the molecular or cellular level. We encourage applications from researchers with a biophysics‑oriented perspective or approach. Harnessing your communication skills, you inspire and convince funding agencies and partners of your vision and research. You actively seek collaboration with relevant faculties, universities and external stakeholders. In addition, you enjoy mentoring, teaching and interacting with students, while continuously developing yourself and your academic career. Your research will benefit from our in‑house facilities, including a central optical microscopy, a cell culture system, a protein purification system, a cryo-EM, mass spectrometry, flow cytometry, and the Kavli Nanolab Delft cleanroom. Our laboratory space is located in a modern building with dedicated lab areas for building and operating sensitive physical instrumentation.

Responsibilities

• Establish an independent experimental research line that is complementary to our current strengths in single‑molecule biophysics, synthetic biology, and quantitative cell biology.
• Secure external funding through competitive grants (e.g., NWO Vidi, ERC StG) to build and lead a team of PhD students, Postdocs and Technicians.
• Provide excellent education by teaching and developing courses for our unique BSc and MSc programs in Nanobiology – a program at the interface of biology, physics and mathematics.
• Contribute to a collaborative culture, interacting synergistically with existing research groups and participating in the management of the department and our educational program(s).

Job requirements

• A PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Biophysics, Biochemistry, Cell biology, Bionanotechnology) and relevant post‑doctoral experience.
• An outstanding scientific track record, evidenced by high‑quality publications.
• A clear vision for a new, independent experimental research line that uses advanced methodology to probe, manipulate or engineer cellular life or its components.
• A passion for education and the ability to inspire students in an international environment.
• Obtain the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years.

Conditions of employment

This position is offered as an Academic Career Track position (0.8 – 1.0 FTE). During the Academic Career Track, we expect you to grow towards an Associate Professor position within a maximum of eight years. You will participate in the Academic Career Track Development programme, with ample opportunities to develop yourself in Education, Research, Societal Impact & Innovation, and Leadership & Organisation.

You will start with a temporary contract that will be converted to a permanent contract no later than 12–18 months after a positive evaluation. You are expected to obtain a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) within three years if you have less than five years of teaching experience.

Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. The TU Delft offers a customisable compensation package, discounts on health insurance, a monthly work‑cost contribution, flexible work schedules and the possibility to work partly from home.

TU Delft is committed to making relocation to the Netherlands as smooth as possible. The HR unit provides information and guidance for relocation, housing, childcare and partner job search. A Dual Career Programme supports your accompanying partner.

Contact

For further information about this vacancy or the selection procedure, please contact Martin Depken, Chair Department Bionanoscience, via email: [email protected].

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