Senior Technician in Functional Genomics and High Throughput Microscopy

Teaser Text

The Faculty of Science and the Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research are looking for a

 

Senior Technician in Functional Genomics and High Throughput Microscopy (0.8-1.0 fte)

 

The Netherlands BioImaging Infrastructure (NL‐BI) is a nation-wide initiative that enables and supports scientific breakthroughs in bioimaging across experimental models and imaging modalities. NL-BI provides researchers with access to cutting-edge microscopy facilities and data management and image analysis (DMA) infrastructure. We are excited to announce a senior technician position in NL-BI focused on Functional Genomics and High Throughput Microscopy. The position will be embedded in the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research at the imaging core facility the Leiden Cell Observatory, working closely together with the Robotics & Screening facility of the NKI (Prof. Roderick Beijersbergen).

We offer an attractive teaching and research environment, a collaborative atmosphere and a personal career-development track, including mentoring and support.

 

What you will do

Leiden hosts the High-Throughput Microscopy (HTM) node within NL-BI, serving as the national hub for large-scale optical phenotypic screening. As part of this infrastructure, our mission is to provide Dutch scientists with access to advanced screening technologies, while actively contributing to the Euro-BioImaging network.

 

We are seeking a motivated technician to advance the development and implementation of next-generation HTM workflows. The candidate will contribute to scaling up automation for large-scale molecular and genetic libraries, and to advancing image acquisition and analysis pipelines for complex 3D cellular systems. A key focus will be on the design, optimization, and validation of optical screening assays, both in arrayed and pooled formats, integrating CRISPR-based genetic perturbations and diverse compound libraries.

 

The role includes applying advanced live-cell and functional imaging technologies, incorporating biosensors into 3D models, and leveraging AI-driven approaches for the automated recognition of complex phenotypes as well as the further optimization of the HTM workflow.

 

By working in close collaboration with national expert centers (UL Cell Observatory and NKI HTM group), the candidate will play a central role in establishing an open-access, state-of-the-art screening platform that empowers the Dutch life sciences community and positions the HTM node as a strong contributor to international infrastructures for phenotypic discovery and personalized therapeutics. Additionally, the candidate is expected to supervise bachelor and master internship students.

What you bring

We are seeking a highly motivated and expert candidate — a microscopist with strong bioinformatics expertise — who is dedicated to open science and adheres to FAIR data principles. The ideal candidate will possess:

 

• A PhD degree in a relevant discipline, such as cell biology, molecular biology, advanced cell models, quantitative bioimaging, or bioinformatics

• Demonstrated expertise in advanced microscopy techniques, including live-cell 2D/3D imaging, confocal microscopy, and high-content imaging, as well as in bioimage analysis and large-scale data mining

• Proven experience in the development and implementation of in vitro assays for high-throughput screening, with a particular emphasis on CRISPR-based methodologies

• Preferably, experience in applying artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches for both image analysis and experimental design

• Strong competencies and demonstrated commitment to FAIR data management, organization, and reproducible research practices

• Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken

• Affinity with teaching and a keen interest in educational innovation.

 

The candidate should feel comfortable working in a collaborative environment. Initiative, creativity and an independent working attitude are highly valued. Planned start date December 2025, or soon thereafter.

Where you will work

Curiosity and passion for science are what connect our people: the desire to know, understand, interpret, explain and create. Our mission is to provide excellent teaching and research across the full breadth of the sciences, contributing to solutions for major societal challenges. Our eight institutes, ranging from mathematics, computer science, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and biopharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences, along with the Lorentz Center and the Hortus botanicus, form the backbone of our faculty and have a strong mutual interconnectedness.    We work in a safe, stimulating and international environment where