Research technician/Field technician

Within our interdisciplinary peat team at the Free University Amsterdam, we are looking for a technician for 3 years to help us with ecological and biochemical soil research. You will work within the framework of the National Research Program Greenhouse Gas in Peatlands. This program has already established a national measurement network to evaluate emission control measures using flux chamber measurements and Eddy Covariance techniques. You will work on our research team to understand the soil processes that lead to greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide).

In addition to your own analytical work, we also expect you to participate in supervising students and PhD students, and your responsibilities will include the organization of fieldwork and maintenance and control of various lab equipment. Your work package will consist of a combination of working in the lab and in the field.

Your duties

• Performing chemical analyses with ICP, Respirometer, Continuous Flow Analyser, Elements Analyser (EA) serving nutrient analyses, gas analyses.
• Implementing and testing new analytical methods;
• Chemicals management and order tracking;
• Involvement in field work and processing of samples;
• Involvement in data cleaning and data analysis
• Supervising and instructing MSc and PhD students;

Your profile

Our ideal candidate is independent, creative, enthusiastic, and energetic and has the following qualifications:

• Completed HBO/college education or MSc
• Experience in chemical analyses of water, soil, and plant samples with CF, ICP, and EA and gas analyses with GC
• Knowledge of biochemical techniques (PFLA, enzymatic assays, etc.) is a plus
• Experience with statistical data analysis and use of R
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Literate in English and Dutch
• Driving license

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognizing that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research, and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realize that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise, and mindset. Therefore, we are happy to invite anyone who recognizes themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organization. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research, and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• A salary of minimum € 3.378,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 4.227,00 (Scale 10) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Education/Research Assistant 1. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• A position for at least 0.8 FTE. Your employment contract will initially last 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a duration of 2 years,

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• Contribution to commuting expenses
• Solid pension scheme (ABP)
• Discounts on collective insurances (healthcare and car insurance);

About us

About the institute

The sub-department A-LIFE / Systems Ecology offers a stimulating international research environment with world-class academic reputation, and excellent state-of-the-art facilities. Research in the department covers a wide range of fundamental and applied research topics, including stress ecology, species interactions, evolutionary adaptation, symbiotic interactions, climate change, and ecosystem functioning. Our strength lies in the ability to integrate studies of adaptive changes across the entire range of biological organizational levels.

Faculty of Science
Researchers and students at VU Amsterdam’s Faculty of Science tackle fundamental and complex scientific problems to help pave the way for a sustainable and healthy future. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, and from molecules to the moon: we cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. Our teaching and research have a strong experimentally technical, computational, and interdisciplinary nature.

We work on new solutions guided by value-driven, interdisciplinary methodologies. We are committed to research, valorization, and training socially engaged citizens of the world who will make valuable contributions to a sustainable, healthy future.

Are you interested in joining the Faculty of Science? You will join undergraduate students, PhD candidates, and researchers at the biggest sciences faculty in the Netherlands. You will combine a professional focus with a broad view of the world. We are proud of our collegial working climate, characterized by committed staff, a pragmatic attitude, and engagement in the larger whole. The faculty is home to over 11,000 students enrolled in 40 study programs. It employs over 1,600 professionals spread across 10 academic departments.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance, and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 6,150 staff work at the VU and over 31,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of VU Amsterdam. VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences, and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest, and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalization contribute to the quality of education, research, and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.