Professor in Medicinal Chemistry and Radioligand Synthesis (BOF)
Ghent University is one of the top 100 universities in the Dutch language area, with more than 44,000 students and 15,000 staff members.
ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY
Ghent University is a world-class, open, pluralistic and socially engaged university. Our credo is 'Dare to Think' : we are a haven for courageous thinkers.
With one of the most progressive career models for academics in the world, Ghent University evaluates its scholars not only by the length of their publication list but also by the impact they pursue, what they achieve and how they collaborate.
Are you a good ‘fit’ with our university? Discover here our vision on education and research.
The position, funded by the Special Research Fund, is granted the privilege of focusing primarily on research for a period of 5 years. During that period the teaching load will be limited to no more than 8 ECTS credits per semester on average over a period of 3 years.
For the further development of the academic career, please see ‘Appointment information’ below.
You will be part of the Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (LMC) of the Department of Pharmaceutics of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The LMC conducts scientific research (and provides education and services) in the field of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and early drug discovery.
ACADEMIC RESEARCH
You conduct innovative and internationally recognized research in the field of Medicinal Chemistry. In addition, you will support research on the synthesis of precursors for radiotracers and theranostics.
Bringing in expertise complementary to that present in the LMC is recommended, e.g. on AI/ML in drug design, assay development, bioconjugate chemistry, fragment-based discovery, DNA‑Encoded Libraries (DEL), sustainability aspects, etc.
As a senior academic staff with mainly a research assignment, you will:
* set up your own line of research within the field described above;
* guide researchers in the synthesis of radiotracer precursors (collaboration with the Radiopharmacy Laboratory);
* acquire external research funding;
* promote the social relevance of your research..
ACADEMIC EDUCATION
You lecture various course units in the discipline of medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and drug discovery. You put your research expertise at the service of sound research‑based education in the bachelor's and/or master's programmes of the faculty, and contribute to the further development of these programmes. You make use of the range of Ghent University programmes on educational professionalization.
INSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIETAL ENGAGEMENT
Based on your expertise and experience, you will contribute to the university's operations and/or take on external assignments. You will contribute to the scientific services of the LMC and support the activities of the Department of Pharmaceutics, the faculty and the university. You put your expertise at the service of both internal (for other research groups with medchem, synthesis, preparative purification or characterisation needs) and to external parties (local pharmaceutical or biotech companies, etc.).
PROFILE
* You have a strong academic CV with international visibility in the requested field:
* Your achievements in the field of research and education contribute to the development of the scientific domain (e.g. publications, presentations, or other academic output);
* You are capable to initiate and supervise educational and research projects and to acquire the necessary funding for this;
* You are didactically skilled to teach university students to develop academic competences;
* Mobility is recommended (e.g. education, research, economic, or societal):
* International mobility, among other things thanks to research stays at institutions external to the one where you acquired your highest academic degree;
* Positively evaluated experience in provided or organised academic lecturing;
* You work in a collaborative way and integrate smoothly into the department/faculty. You look for opportunities inside and outside the university and actively use your network to do so.
* You show leadership potential/have leadership experience. More information about leadership at Ghent University.
* If you don't know Dutch, you are willing to learn it. This will be assessed during the selection interview. When taking up a teaching assignment, you must master the language of instruction of the course. More information about the language requirements and appropriate language guidance at Ghent University.
SKILLS / ATTITUDE
* You are able to initiate and supervise scientific research and collect the necessary research funding;
* You have proven experience in writing scientific publications as well as funding applications;
* You will have the necessary communication skills to manage collaborations and present the results at international conferences;
* You are quality‑oriented;
* You are honest, dedicated and have a sense of initiative;
* You have didactic skills and can translate your (research) experience to laypeople in the context of both education and science communication;
* You work in a team‑oriented way;
* You invest in the collective progress of the team, the department and the faculty.
APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
Taking into account the assessment of academic potential and merits of the selected candidate, the degree of assistant professor (tenure track) or associate professor is awarded. This will be decided by the University Board as proposed by the Faculty Board.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR TT
* We offer you a temporary appointment as an assistant professor in a tenure track system for a term of five years with a focus on research. If positively evaluated by the University Board, the term of office will be transferred into a permanent appointment as an associate professor. At that moment the time devoted to research, education and academic services may be altered.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
* We offer you a permanent appointment in the starting grade of associate professor, without prejudice to the possibility of a temporary appointment offered in article V.28 of the Codex of Higher Education. During the first period of 5 years, your focus is primarily on research. Subsequently the time devoted to research, education and academic services may be altered.
OUR OFFER
Ghent University has developed a new inspiring career model for professors. Academic freedom and academics' responsibility, talents and ambitions act as a natural drive to advance their careers, as part of teamwork.
Ghent University is specifically committed to guiding international professors in the process of coming to Ghent. At Ghent University, our view is as broad as possible, because internationalisation creates synergies within and outside the institution.
We offer you a wide range of employee benefits. The basic teacher training and courses in 'Dutch' and 'English' for foreign‑speaking lecturers are just a few of our wide range of courses and training.
Candidates who are newly appointed at Ghent University with an appointment of at least 50% receive a Starting Grant of € 240,000 to contribute towards the personnel, operating and/or equipment costs. Furthermore, professors who meet the conditions may be eligible for Basic Research Funding.
DIVERSITY
Ghent University pursues an equal opportunities policy and values everyone's talent, regardless of gender, age, philosophy of life, skin color, sexual orientation, migration background or disability. We encourage everyone to apply.
Ghent University strives for a gender balance, whereby a maximum of three-fifths of the doctoral members of the academic staff are of the same sex. As long as this target has not been met at the level of the scientific group, priority will be given to candidates of the under-represented sex for senior academic staff mandates with mainly research assignments in the event of equal qualifications. This precedence is not automatic and unconditional; the personal situation of each candidate is always taken into account when assessing the applications.
Interruptions in research careers and/or atypical career paths (e.g. relevant experience outside the academic sector) will be taken into account when assessing the application.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
The selection committee will carry out an initial, substantive screening of the admissible applications on the file. This assessment takes into consideration both the candidate's merits and potential.
Ghent University emphasizes the qualitative assessment of academic performance. Therefore, candidates are asked in the application form to mention their most important academic or non‑academic achievements with the most impact.
For shortlisted candidates, the following steps in the selection procedure shall consist of at least:
* a selection interview in which the vision and planning regarding education, research, and institutional and societal engagement as well as the embedding in the bigger picture are discussed;
* a trial lesson on a subject in the relevant field;
* a screening of leadership;
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
* You hold a thesis‑based doctorate in Pharmaceutical Sciences or Sciences or Bioengineering Sciences or a diploma or certificate that is recognised as equivalent (article V.20 Codex Higher Education). If you have a degree in Science or Bioscience Engineering, your doctoral research and/or the research carried out afterwards must have a clear pharmaceutical focus.
* Upon evaluation of a foreign (non‑EU) diploma, a certificate of equivalence may still have to be requested at NARIC. If this is the case, we advise you to initiate this recognition procedure as soon as possible. You are required to have the recognition no later than on the date of your appointment.
* You have at least two years of postdoctoral experience on 1 September 2026. This term of two years is determined by the date mentioned on the required diploma.
* Your application meets the formal requirements (submitted on time, complete: with a completed application form and a copy of the diploma, delivered via e‑recruitment).
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online through the e‑recruitment system before the application deadline. We do not accept late or incomplete applications, or applications that are not sent through the online system.
Your application must include the following documents:
* In the field ‘Application form’: the application form + a motivation letter (max. 1 page) +
* an mandatory appendix, comprising:
* a 5‑year research plan (min. 3 – max. 4 pages, references not included);
* your long‑term research vision on research, including the complementarity with the existing research lines (max. 2 pages, information about the existing research lines can be obtained by the contact person mentioned below);
* a vision text on academic education (max. 1.5 pages).
All this merged as one PDF file.
* In the field ‘Diploma’: a transcript of your doctoral degree. If you have a foreign diploma in a language other than our national languages (Dutch, French or German) or English, please add a translation in one of the mentioned languages.
* In the field ‘Certificate of equivalence’: only for diplomas awarded outside the European Union: certificate of equivalence (NARIC) (if already in you possession). For diplomas awarded in the UK before January 31st 2020, no certificate of equivalence is required.
Note that the maximum file size for each field is 10 MB.
MORE INFORMATION
For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Professor Serge Van Calenbergh ( serge.vancalenbergh@ugent.be, +32 09/264 81 24) at the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, department of Pharmaceutics.
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