VIB Project Officer – European Health Cancer

Ready to apply your passion for networking  and your broad oncology knowledge to two European Health projects?  We look forward to meeting you!

VIB is seeking a Project Officer to support and oversee the implementation of two critical EU4Health projects in the context of VIB’s alliance with the Belgian Cancer Research Alliance (BECRA): JANE2 and EUnetCCC. The launch of Europe's Beating Cancer Plan marks the beginning of a new era in addressing unmet needs in cancer care, ensuring that patients have access to high-quality screening, advanced treatments, and cutting-edge technologies. This initiative necessitates a multidisciplinary approach, with basic research into the molecular mechanisms of cancer forming an essential component of the ecosystem.

The projects will establish European cancer networks and comprehensive cancer centers to enhance and expedite the translation of cancer research into practical services and applications for end-users, including patients. The networks will also drive collaborations between the different actors in the field and thereby promote research, integrating the latest findings into clinical care, and ensuring that patients benefit from the most effective treatments available. This role therefore presents a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking initiatives aimed at improving cancer care across Europe.

The successful candidate will work mostly from VIB Headquarters (Ghent) and the VIB – KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology (Leuven) and will travel frequently to other VIB research centers hosting cancer research groups. The project officer will report to the Head of VIB Science policy and the directors of the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology.

Job description

• Participate in EU4Health and BECRA consortium meetings,
• Take initiatives to achieve the EU4Health project objectives, including reviewing technical reports, guidelines and recommendation papers,
• Engage with VIB cancer researchers and represent their needs in the EU4Health project,
• Communicate to VIB cancer researchers on progress made and provide updates from the EU4Health consortia,
• Identify new opportunities for cancer research funding in the network and co-develop project applications.
• Contribute to drafting and reviewing technical reports, guidelines and recommendation papers,
• Support the communication and dissemination efforts of the EU4Health projects.

Your profile

• An MD or Ph.D. or equivalent through experience in biology/biomedicine, pharmacy, or related fields, with a background in cancer research and/or cancer immunology,
• Familiar with the latest trends in cancer research and technologies,
• Comfortable working with research group leaders and with professionals in the network,
• Excellent organizational skills, you can work in a team as well as independently,
• Strong networking and communication skills in spoken and written English,
• Willing to travel abroad twice a year.

We offer

• A 4-year contract for a part time (60-80%) with the possibility of expanding to a full-time (100%) appointment if the successful candidate’s skills can be applied more broadly within VIB or the research center.
• A salary package commensurate expertise and experience,
• An extensive network of (inter)national contacts,
• Opportunities to broaden your expertise and develop your career.

How to apply?

Interested candidates should submit their candidacy through the VIB online application tool.

VIB is an entrepreneurial non-profit research institute, with a clear focus on ground-breaking strategic basic research in life sciences and operates in close partnership with the five universities in Flanders. Our researchers study the principles of life, from molecules to single cells and whole organisms, ranging from microbes to plants, animals and humans.

About 20 research groups throughout VIB study the molecular mechanisms behind cancer. They are mostly located in the VIB – KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology and also in the VIB-UGent Center Inflammation Research and the VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology. The research focus is both on the tumor initiation, growth and metastatic spread and the interaction with the microenvironment. The ultimate aim is to develop diagnostics for early detection and more effective and specific anti-cancer therapies.

VIB – KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology is committed to achieving excellence in basic cancer research and education, and explicitly seeks to translate its research findings into products and solutions that are of benefit for society. CCB’s aspiration is to explore its innovation and valorization opportunities into technology transfer activities or collaborations/partnerships with the pharmaceutical or biotech industry. CCB promotes translational research and has the ultimate ambition to improve quality of life and patient survival. Its research benefits of the close proximity and collaborative environment within the Leuven University (KU Leuven), its academic hospital (UZ Leuven) and other institutions worldwide.

BECRA represents a consortium of Belgian cancer research institutes, university hospitals and public funders. Its main goal is to position Belgian cancer researchers at EU level to ensure long term investment and excellence; plan cancer research (and allocate resources) in a most effective way; organize and rationalize Belgian cancer care (including access).