Instructor Living Station Lab - Willem de Kooning Academy (0,4 fte)

Are you a recently graduated art or design student (BA or MA) who is passionate, curious, and eager to explore the broad field of bio-art and bio-design practices? Is your practice situated at the intersection of art, design, and biology, with a particular interest in biodesign and biomaterials? Join the Living Station Lab and help us shape and develop the lab for the future.

WdK Willem de Kooning Academie

Wat ga je doen?

As an Instructor within the Living Station Lab, you will play an important role in supporting education and experimentation in a learning environment focused on ‘living’ and biological systems. Working as part of a small and dedicated technical team, you will help create an inspiring, safe and well-equipped environment where students, researchers and staff can explore new ideas and bring projects to life. With your technical expertise and hands-on mindset, you will support both educational activities and individual research by students working in the lab. You will work closely with students at all levels, helping them develop skills, experiment with biomaterials and realise their creative and research ambitions.

In addition, you will work on:

• Maintain the Living Station Lab, ensuring that facilities, tools, equipment and materials are safe, accessible and ready for educational activities;
• Support students, tutors, instructors and external experts in the development, production and execution of projects, experiments and research activities;
• Assist and support making practices for novel approaches to biomaterials experimentation and related processes, and contribute to the realisation of practical manuals that enable independent learning and research;
• Prepare and support workshops, demonstrations and skills-based lessons, working closely with tutors and instructors to align activities with the curriculum;
• Develop and maintain clear documentation, user instructions and guidance materials for equipment, facilities and laboratory processes;
• Support the operational organisation of the lab, administrative tasks and the creation of content for the Living Station website.

About the Living Station Lab

The Living Station Lab is a research and learning environment focused on ‘living’ and biological systems. It supports bio-art and bio-design practices by providing facilities and technologies for investigation, creation, and collaboration. Sitting at the intersection of art, design, and biology, the lab offers space for creative exploration and critical reflection on the relationship between ecology and technology.

We have microscopes, a sterile bio cabinet, incubators, an autoclave and all the materials to work safely in the lab. Students can conduct research and explore diverse living materials and ecosystems, such as plants, mycelium, soil, and waste streams.

The Living Station Lab serves two purposes. It is a place to experiment with techniques and create biomaterials, including bioplastics, fabrics from waste streams, and other innovative materials. It also aims to be a learning environment in which research and collaboration are encouraged with living (eco)systems in and outside the school. We organize projects on the Rooftop Garden and collaborate with external organisations that provide a different environment and context than the lab.

Ben jij wie we zoeken?

You are an enthusiastic and curious maker or designer who is eager to contribute to the future of bio-art and design. You have an organised, result-oriented and proactive way of working. You enjoy collaborating with others and think beyond boundaries: boundaries between disciplines, and between materials. At the same time, you are reliable, take ownership of your work and contribute to a supportive and inclusive environment where students, colleagues and partners feel welcome, respected and encouraged to learn from one another.

You also bring:

• A completed Bachelor’s or Masters Design/Arts degree in a relevant field, combined with a strong interest in biodesign, biomaterials and material innovation;
• Some practical experience that demonstrates your ability to quickly find your way around a lab environment, with basic knowledge of at least one of the following areas: working with biomaterials such as bioplastics, mycelium-based materials, bacterial dyes, or bacterial cellulose, or working with other living organisms;
• Experience working in a laboratory environment, including the use of techniques such as microscopy, equipment such as heat presses, fiber-processing techniques, and other relevant tools and production methods, or a strong willingness to develop these skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to work effectively with students, colleagues and external partners;
• An affinity with education, with the ability to explain concepts and transfer knowledge in an accessible way and to create a stimulating learning environment;
• Strong communication skills in both Dutch and English;
• Knowledge of biology and knowledge of sterile working practices / safety protocols are a pré.

Willem de Kooning Academie

The Willem de Kooning Academy (WdKA) is a leading international academy for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in media, art, design, leisure and arts education. WdKA pays attention to ecology in the broadest sense: social, cultural, technological and economical. Students are being prepared to find their way as creative professionals within the arts and the cultural field and to contribute to social challenges such as climate change, migration and inequality. Within WdKA we work from a culture in which ingenuity is central and where learning takes place through making. We encourage an environment in which there is room for experimentation and new ideas. We work from mutual trust and confidence in one another’s expertise and actively seek collaboration with respect for diverse perspectives.

The Stations

The stations are centres of knowledge and expertise. They are both physical and non-physical locations that cover traditional as well as innovative technologies. The stations are at the vanguard of the developments within the professional field and the processes of production that are relevant for the art and design practice. Stations are not only a space of execution and production, but also a space in which tutors, instructors and students question why we make, how we make and for whom we make.

Please note: Being able to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct (Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (VOG)) is a condition of employment, as well as a valid EU work permit if you are from outside the EU.