Professor in Development (formulation / production) of Biopharmaca (28260)
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 one of the most important education and research institutions in the Low Countries. On a daily basis, 15,000 staff members and 50,000 students implement its motto "Dare to Think". Ghent University's mission statement is characterised by qualitative education, internationally renowned research and a pluralistic social responsibility.
To strengthen its scientific research on biopharmaca and following recent appointments of two professors in respectively ‘Biopharmaceuticals in the Lung / Gut’ (faculty of Sciences) and ‘Computational Biopharmaceutical Design’ (faculty of Engineering and Architecture), UGent plans the recruitment of a professor (either associate professor, full professor or senior full professor) in ‘Development (Formulation / Production) of Biopharmaca’.
These positions are part of the university's strategic plan to group and strengthen its biopharmaceutical research into an R&D hub as a European integrated center of excellence for biopharmaceutical R&D and training. It is the intention that the new research professor will intensely interact with the professors appointed for ‘Biopharmaceuticals in the Lung / Gut’ (faculty of Sciences) and ‘Computational Biopharmaceutical Design’ and with other UGent research groups (molecular life sciences and pharmacy).
Ghent University has a long and successful history in molecular biotechnology that underpins the biopharmaceutical sector. The university has built substantial research capacity in biopharmaceutical basic research, which has enabled the design of improved cellular systems for producing biopharmaceutical proteins as well as advanced formulations for the administration of proteins and nucleic acids. Regularly, new biotechnological drug candidates arise from this research.
Ghent University wants to further strengthen its biopharmaceutical discovery/development capabilities. Looking forward, we furthermore have the ambition to be able to develop such novel technologies and drug candidates to the standards that can then be smoothly transferred to industry for advanced preclinical and clinical studies.
The new professor will be embedded in existing facilities and research organizations within Ghent University, including the Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy of the Department of Pharmaceutics (www.drugdelivery.be), the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology (http://mbc.vib-ugent.be/) and the Center for Molecular Modeling (https://molmod.ugent.be/).
Apart from a dynamic multi-disciplinary biopharmaceutical and disease research environment, Ghent hosts the most vibrant cluster of biopharmaceutical biotechnology companies in the wide region (Sanofi-Ablynx, ArGenX, Complix, Oxyrane, Orionis Biosciences, MyCartis, Inbiose, Amatsi-Q-Biologicals, Etherna,…). Moreover, several very large biopharmaceutical corporations have key global R&D and manufacturing sites in Flanders / Brussels (UCB, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Genzyme-Sanofi, Glaxo Smithkline Biologicals etc.) This environment provides for unique opportunities also for professors to collaborate and to make their discoveries and inventions have a real impact. It also provides for excellent professional opportunities for the graduates from the UGent biopharmaceutical R&D programmes.
ASSIGNMENT
This position is part of a unique strategic investment by Ghent University: 21 new professorships are embedded in interdisciplinary consortia, designed to generate a significant societal impact with their research. For more information, see: www.ugent.be/21zap
Academic education
These cross-faculty professorships will involve teaching responsibilities to support UGent’s programmes in life sciences, pharmaceutical sciences and/or engineering. We will expect you to show leadership in designing new advanced educational programs in biopharmaceutical science. The teaching and lecturing will be evaluated on actuality, connection with the educational program and interaction with the students.
Academic research
You engage in research at an internationally competitive level. You seek funding to realize projects and to hire PhD students, and you act as their supervisor.
Academic services
You take part in the internal and external service provision of the academic centers to which you will be affiliated. In particular, scientific-technological service and consulting to the local and international biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industry is intended. During your career you are willing to engage in your share of administrative duties or leadership positions.
PROFILE
Experience
You have already conducted excellent academic research on the development (formulation / production) of biopharmaca (proteins / nucleic acids), which is clearly reflected in outstanding publications in national and international peer-reviewed books and/or journals.
A well-documented portfolio of achievements in the biotechnological /biopharmaceutical industry will be evaluated on an equivalent basis as academic output, as we wish to encourage applicants who are presently in a senior research position in industry.
Besides having a deep scientific expertise, you have a strong academic and industrial network. You have a track record in innovative R&D in the discipline of the vacancy. You have worked, or are still working, in a senior research position in a university, a biopharmaceutical industry or a technological research institution.
We aim at appointing a candidate who could be successful in attracting funding for biopharmaca-R&D, like finances for installing biopharmaceutical production or finances for the production of protein- or nucleic acid formulations for phase 1 clinical testing.
You have experience in leading scientific research and/or coaching PhD students and in collecting the necessary funds for this purpose.
You are didactically skilled to teach university students to develop academic competences.
Preferably you have a leading position in a university of industry.
Recommended are:
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 organized academic lecturing.
Professionalization of education.
You must master the language of instruction in which you will teach a course at CEFR- level C1. You can demonstrate this by means of a language certificate or a diploma obtained from an institution in which that language is the language of instruction. In addition, Article II.270, §1 of the Codex of Higher Education requires that: (i) you must master the Dutch language at least at CEFR-level A2 within two years after the start of the appointment. (ii) you must be able to master the Dutch language at least at CEFR-level of B2 within five years after the start of the appointment. More info: Language requirements at Ghent University for professorial staff — Ghent University (ugent.be)
You are quality-oriented.
You take initiative.
You have strong interpersonal skills, making you a team player and an effective communicator with colleagues, employees, students and other stakeholders.
Admission requirements
You hold a thesis-based doctorate or a diploma or certificate that is recognised as equivalent (article V.20 Codex Higher Education). 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 by 1 September 2025. This term of two years is determined by the date written on the above-mentioned required diploma.
APPOINTMENT INFORMATION
Depending on the specific profile of the selected candidate, the degree of assistant professor tenure track, associate professor, full professor or senior full professor is awarded. This will be decided by the University Board as proposed by the Faculty Board.
We offer you a temporary appointment in a tenure-track system for a term of five years. If positively evaluated by the University Board, the term of office will be transferred into a permanent appointment as an associate professor.
Should you already be a member of the professorial staff or hold an equal post at a university or research institution, you can immediately be appointed as an assistant professor, without prejudice to the possibility of a temporary appointment offered in article V.28 of the Codex of Higher Education.
Associate professor, full professor or senior full professor
We offer you a permanent appointment in the grade of associate professor, full professor or senior full professor, without prejudice to the possibility of a temporary appointment offered in article V.28 of the Codex of Higher Education.
The recruitment is from 1 September 2025.
OUR OFFER
The career and evaluation policy for Professorial Staff is based on talent development and growth, prioritizing vision development and strategy - at the personal as well as the group level. At UGent we focus on career support and coaching of the Professorial Staff in the different phases of the career. More information can be found on www.ugent.be/en/work/mobility-career/career-aspects/professorial-staff.
Ghent University is committed to properly welcoming new professorial staff members and offering them appropriate guidance. The basic teacher training and courses of 'Dutch' and 'English' for foreign-speaking lecturers are only a few examples of our wide range of training and education opportunities. Furthermore, each Ghent University staff member can count on a number of benefits such as a bike allowance, reimbursement of public transport commuting costs, daycare, a wide range of sports facilities and EcoCheques. A complete overview of all our employee benefits (in Dutch).
Ghent University also invests in welcoming international professorial staff. It offers various housing options, a relocation bonus, the International School for school-aged children (with a discount on the tuition fee), support when registering at the City of Ghent, support with the procedure of family reunification and other administrative matters in connection with moving to Ghent. More information can be found on www.ugent.be/en/work/talent.
Candidates who are newly appointed at Ghent University with an appointment as autonomous academic staff of at least 50% or candidates whose appointment as autonomous academic staff at Ghent University is increased to a minimum of 50% receive a Starting Grant of €230.000 to contribute towards the personnel, operating and/or equipment costs of establishing a research team.
GENDER AND DIVERSITY
Ghent University conducts an equal opportunities policy and encourages everyone to apply. Ghent University also strives for a gender balance. Female applications are thus especially welcomed.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
After the final application date, all received applications will be sent to the faculty selection committee assembled for this vacancy. After a pre-selection on the basis of the submitted and assessed as admissible application files, the selection committee may hear the candidates about their vision and planning regarding education, research and services. It is also possible to organize a trial lesson or a presentation on a subject in the relevant field. Afterwards, the committee will rank the suitable candidates and present this ranking to the Faculty Board. The advice of the Faculty Board will then be presented to the University Board for approval.
Candidates are asked to further discuss their 5 most impactful academic achievements. Next to academic publications, the candidate is thus also able to show merit of knowledge transfer by academic dissemination, social valorisation, public awareness, seminars or conference presentations. These competences are also taken into account when evaluating the candidates.
The evaluation of the required international mobility is broad and partly takes the gender perspective into account, thus not only considering longer stays abroad but also other forms of internationalisation.
Pregnancy leave, prolonged sick leave, parental leave, filial leave or other forms of absence are taken into account when evaluating the available time for the realisation of academic output.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply online through the e-recruitment system before the application deadline (see above). 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:
1. In the field ‘Application form’: the professorial staff application form + all annexes mentioned in the form (a.o. 5-year research plan and long-term research vision), merged into one file of maximum 10 MB.
2. 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.
3. In the field ‘Certificate of equivalence’: only for diplomas awarded outside the European Union: certificate of equivalence (NARIC) (if already in your possession). For diplomas awarded in the UK before January 31st of 2020, a certificate of equivalence is not required.
MORE INFORMATION
For further information regarding this vacancy, please contact Professor Stefaan De Smedt (stefaan.desmedt@Ugent.be +32 09/264 80 76) at the faculty Pharmaceutical Sciences, department Pharmaceutics.
Do you have a question regarding the online application process? Please read the FAQ or contact us via selecties@ugent.be or +32 9 264 34 36.
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