Project Leader Neuroscience Valorisation

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday leave 232h

8% holiday allowance

8.3% end-of-year bonus

ABP pension scheme

Commuting contribution

Hybrid working enables work-life bal.

Job summary

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam's CNCR invites a proactive project leader to strengthen valorisation of neuroscience research. You will map expertise, technologies and opportunities across the CNCR and collaborate with researchers to create external partnerships, contract research, entrepreneurship or follow-on funding.

In a one-year IBVU project, you will coordinate workshops, maintain external relations and translate scientific ideas into clear propositions for stakeholders, reporting progress

Qualifications

• You hold a higher professional education or university degree, preferably in innovation sciences, innovation management, science and innovation management, entrepreneurship or a related field.
• Strong affinity with life sciences; an affinity with neuroscience is an advantage.
• Knowledge of IP, knowledge valorisation, business development, market exploration and/or public-private collaboration.
• Excellent organizational and project-management skills; proactive with initiative.

Responsibilities

• Translate the project objectives into a concrete plan and monitor progress, quality and results.
• Map expertise, technologies and valorisation opportunities across the CNCR.
• Engage with researchers and help translate scientific expertise into clear propositions for external stakeholders.
• Coordinate the development of an accessible valorisation portfolio and an online presentation of CNCR expertise.
• Organise workshops and meetings on topics including intellectual property, entrepreneurship, market needs and collaboration models.
• Maintain internal and external relationships, identify opportunities and document methods and lessons in a practical toolkit.
• Prepare progress reports and contribute to the transfer and sustainable embedding of the approach.

Skills

Project leadership

Collaboration

Communication (Dutch/English)

Business development

Education

Higher education degree

Innovation sciences/entrepreneurship

Job description

Your function

The Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research (CNCR) is looking for a project leader to help strengthen the valorisation of neuroscience research. You will map expertise, technologies and promising research areas across the CNCR and work with researchers to develop opportunities for societal application, collaboration, contract research, entrepreneurship or follow-on funding.

You will work within a one-year IBVU project and build on Neurospector’s experience in external positioning and collaboration with public and private partners. You will work closely with researchers at the CNCR, Neurospector, Innovation Exchange Amsterdam and relevant external organisations.

Your duties

• Translate the project objectives into a concrete plan and monitor progress, quality and results.
• Map expertise, technologies and valorisation opportunities across the CNCR.
• Engage with researchers and help translate scientific expertise into clear propositions for external stakeholders.
• Coordinate the development of an accessible valorisation portfolio and an online presentation of CNCR expertise.
• Organise workshops and meetings on topics including intellectual property, entrepreneurship, market needs and collaboration models.
• Maintain internal and external relationships, identify opportunities and document methods and lessons in a practical toolkit.
• Prepare progress reports and contribute to the transfer and sustainable embedding of the approach.

Your profile

• You are a collaborative and results-oriented project leader. You communicate easily with researchers and external partners and can translate complex scientific ideas into a clear and relevant story.
• You hold a higher professional education or university degree, preferably in innovation sciences, innovation management, science and innovation management, entrepreneurship or a related field.
• You have a strong affinity with the life sciences; an affinity with neuroscience is an advantage.
• You have knowledge of intellectual property, knowledge valorisation, business development, market exploration and/or public-private collaboration.
• You work in a structured manner, take initiative and have strong organisational and project-management skills.
• You have a good command of Dutch and English, both spoken and written.

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising 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 realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A varied position at the interface of science, innovation and collaboration, in which you will directly contribute to the impact of neuroscience research. This is a full-time appointment for one year. Salary and appointment will be in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities and the Project Leader 3 job profile.A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. 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 € 3.537,00 (Scale 8) and maximum€ 4.673,00 (Scale 8) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Project Leader 3. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• a position for 1 FTE. Your employment contract will be for 1 year, the duration of the project.

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
• solid pension scheme (ABP)
• contribution to commuting expenses
• hybrid working enables a good work-life balance

About us

About the CNCR
The CNCR is an interdisciplinary research institute at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Researchers from different disciplines work on fundamental and translational questions concerning brain function, neurogenomics and cognition. In this project, the CNCR will serve as a pilot environment for a practical, bottom-up approach to valorisation.

Faculty of Science
Working at the Faculty of Science means collaborating with students, lecturers and researchers who are focused on their field, yet have a broad view of the world. We are proud of a positive and inclusive workplace culture within the faculty, where we work together with great energy and a pragmatic attitude to tackle social challenges. At the Faculty of Science, scientists and students work on fundamental and complex societal issues for a sustainable, healthy and just future.

From forest fires to big data, from obesity to malnutrition, from helium to the universe and from genetics to medicine: our education and research cover the full breadth of science, from molecules to mankind. Our academic education and research are highly experimental, technical and interdisciplinary in nature. That is why we collaborate extensively with leading scientific institutes and industry. The faculty has more than 8,000 students studying in one of the 39 programms and employs more than 1,400 staff across 10 scientific departments, making us one of the largest science faculties in the Netherlands.

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. Learn more about our codes of conduct

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 internationalisation 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.

Interested

Apply by 02.12.2026.

Submitting a diploma is part of the application process.