Reference : 2025/A034
Application deadline: 28/03/2025
Start date: 01/10/2025
Job description
Context of the vacancy
This position is integrated within the Department of Organism Biology (DBO) which organizes the Bachelor of Sciences in Biology and the Master of Science in Organism Biology and Ecology. At the research level the DBO counts 9 research units located on 3 campuses (Solbosch, Plaine and Gosselies) https://sciences.ulb.be/departement-de-biologie-des-organismes/la-recherche-au-departement-de-biologie-des-organismes):
- Anthropology and Human Genetics (ANTROBIO), Solbosch Campus, 1 professor until 30/09/2025
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology (EBE), Solbosch Campus, 7 professors
- Herbarium of ULB (BRLU), co-managed by staff of EVB, EBE and SERM, La Plaine Campus
- Marine Biology (BIOMAR), Solbosch Campus, 2.5 professors
- Molecular Biology & Evolution (MBE), Solbosch Campus, 1 professor
- Plant Biotechnology (LBV), Gosselies Campus, 1 professor
- Plant Ecology and Biogeochemistry (EVB), La Plaine Campus, 3 professors
- Social Ecology (USE), La Plaine Campus, 2 professors
- Systems Ecology and Resource Management (SERM), La Plaine Campus, 1 professor
Within them, the professors enjoy the company of ca. 50 researchers and 9 laboratory technicians carrying out fundamental, specialised and applied research work that mainly concerns biology sensu lato, biogeography, conservation and evolutionary ecology. The tropical component is a historical stronghold of the DBO (tropical botany of P. Duvigneaud since 1948) and is in full expansion with research windows that are unique in the world (e.g. socio-ecological systems of mangroves, tropical botany in tropical rainforests and dry forests). In an era of biodiversity crisis and climate change, the functioning and conservation of tropical ecosystems and their ecosystem goods and services has become a key theme for the planet (e.g. IUCN Red Listing of species and ecosystems, Federal Council for Sustainable Development’s Biodiversity and Forests working group). This tropical research profile will also strengthen development cooperation and all activities towards the south at the ULB, a political priority for our university which gives access to considerable sources of funding (e.g. EC, Belspo, ARES, etc.).
Within the Faculty, the tropical field and sustainable biological conservation are also an area of interest for the Brussels Bioengineering School (EBB) and the Department of Geosciences, Environment and Society (DGES) with which the DBO wishes to consolidate its involvement e.g. in courses such as General Biology, Plant Physiology, Botany, Phytogeography and Ethnoecology in collaboration with academicians from the departments concerned.
This position was created to strengthen the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree in Tropical Biodiversity and Ecosystems – TROPIMUNDO program, one of the two EMJMDs coordinated by the ULB and the only one coordinated by the Faculty of Sciences. The successful applicant will strengthen one of the existing research units within the domain and will need to take educational, research and managerial responsibilities in the coordination office of TROPIMUNDO, liaising within and beyond the research team with TROPIMUNDO partners worldwide.
Area of Research
Tropical biology and ecology sensu lato and tropical conservation biology. Interdisciplinarity and experience in tropical developing countries is an asset.
Educational and scientific goals
The successful candidate is expected to integrate into the existing teaching activities in organism biology and ecology, to develop new, top-level, research activities within the host research unit, and to mobilise other research groups from both ULB and partner faculties around the TROPIMUNDO programme. A long-term planning over at least 10 years is expected.
Courses covered at the time of recruitment
Bachelor level:
• BIOL-F103: Bases de la biologie des organismes (10 ECTS; partim cours magistral / theoretical lectures: 30h). Time frame: as of academic year 2025-2026 (Oct.-Dec.).
• BIOL-F3703: Mécanismes et épistémologie de l'évolution (5 ECTS; cours magistral / theoretical lectures: 24h). Time frame: as of academic year 2025-2026 (Oct.-Dec.).
Master level:
• BIOL-F448: Bioéthique et droit de la conservation / Bioethics and Conservation Law (5 ECTS; partim cours magistral / theoretical lectures: 8h; supervision 24h). Time frame: as of academic year 2025-2026 or max. 2 years later (Oct.-Dec.).
• BIOL-F449: Biodiversity and Conservation – terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems / Biodiversité et conservation - écosystèmes terrestres et aquatiques (15 ECTS; partim excursions: 40h). Time frame: progressively within 3 years (Apr.-May).
• + New masters course in the domain of the applicant. Time frame: progressively within 3 years (Oct.-Dec.).
Qualifications required :
PhD Degree (with doctoral thesis) in Biological Sciences in the widest sense (such as Biology, Bio-engineering, Bioscience, Agronomy, and Earth & Life Sciences and Interdisciplinary Sciences with Biology, or equivalent).
Skills required
- Applicants should have at least 4 years of research experience at the time of their recruitment.
- Post-doctoral experience and an excellent scientific record are a plus.
- Exchange periods outside of the applicants’ home institution (during or after their PhD) will be taken into consideration when evaluating applications.
- Applicants who do not speak French (at least level B2) may be granted a period of adaptation, but they must be able to teach in French at the end of the third year following their appointment.
- Applicants are expected to have a sense of organisation and responsibility, adaptability and flexibility, ease of contact in a multicultural context, autonomy and ability to work in a team, and sense of initiative.
Interested ?
For more information, please contact Prof. Farid Dahdouh-Guebas (phone: +32 2 650.21.37 – E-mail: Farid.Dahdouh-Guebas@ulb.be) or Mrs. Catherine Buess (phone: +32 2 650.41.29 – E-mail: secrdbo@ulb.be).
Your application will consist of a Curriculum Vitae(if you wish, a standard CV can be downloaded from the website: https: //www.ulb.be/fr/documents-officiels/emplois-academiques-et-scientifiques-cv-type) and a document completed using the template available at this URL address
https://www.ulb.be/fr/documents-officiels/1e-applic-form-acad-tps-plein-docx. This template structures your application by including the following elements:
- an application letter
- a 7,000-character report (4 pages) presenting the applicant’s research activities and a research project, including how these will integrate into ULB’s research teams
- a teaching dossier including a 7,000-character report (4 pages) on the applicant's previous teaching activities and a teaching project for the first five years in this position; these must be relevant to the faculty and to the teaching profiles for the programmes to which the applicant is to contribute
- a note on the applicant's international achievements and projects (no more than 4 pages)
- the names and e-mail addresses of five referees (respecting the gender balance) who may be contacted by those in charge of evaluating applications. These referees should not have conflicts of interest because of family or emotional ties.
Incomplete applications or applications that do not use the template provided will not be examined by the selection committee.
The appointment to the academic staff of ULB is made at ”Chargé de Cours” level. As of their appointment, members of academic staff are authorised to use the honorary title of ”Professeur”.
Equal opportunities policy
ULB's personnel management policy is geared towards diversity and equal opportunities.
We recruit candidates on the basis of their skills, irrespective of age, gender, sexual orientation, origin, nationality, beliefs, disability, etc.
Would you like to be provided with reasonable accommodation in the selection procedure because of a disability, disorder, or illness? Please contact Marie Botty, the person in charge of diversity aspects for the academic and scientific staff (marie.botty@ulb.be). Be assured of the confidentiality of this information.
More details on the ULB gender and diversity policy are available at Diversity at ULB - ULB.
You will find all the regulations relating to academic careers on our site at http://www.ulb.ac.be/emploi/academique.html.
Apply now : https://www.ulb.be/fr/vacances-d-emplois-academiques-et-scientifiques/faculte-des-sciences
