Scientific Programme Coordinator - Antibiotic Discovery (0,8 fte)

About C4D

The Scientific Community for Discovery of Future Medicines (C4D; c4d-global.org) is a global, non-profit initiative built around an ambitious idea: antibiotic discovery is too important to be left fragmented. Industry has largely stepped back from this field, academic groups still work mostly in isolation, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to rise. C4D wants to change this by connecting leading research hubs across Europe, Asia, North America, Africa and beyond into an open discovery community.

C4D operates as a virtual international institute. Sharing data, technologies and know-how, C4D aims to explore the vast untapped chemical space of microbial natural products to discover the antibiotics of the future. C4D will do so in a way that puts low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) at the centre. Therefore, the consortium works closely with LMIC laboratories and organisations such as GARDP, and contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals on health (SDG3) and reduced inequalities (SDG10).

C4D is now active, with two large funded international projects already running; this is the moment to further build the programme.

The role

The position combines strong scientific content with strategic responsibility, international collaboration and the chance to make a real difference on an important problem. You will work at the intersection of science, funding, global health and open collaboration - and you will be in a position to help shape how C4D grows. You will work closely with the C4D scientific leadership and partner hubs to help turn an ambitious and active international network into a well-organised, well-funded and effective global discovery platform. The day-to-day work will consist of programme coordination, funding strategy and scientific communication. Concretely, you will:

• Organise and support working groups, partner meetings, workshops and advisory processes
• coordinate ongoing activities across the network and translate strategic discussions into concrete plans, milestones and follow-up actions
• Identify funding opportunities and coordinate grant-development processes, including contacts with international funders and global health organisations
• Help onboard new strategic partners and support the development of C4D's governance and operating structures
• Turn complex scientific discussions into clear documents: reports, strategic notes, action points, funding narratives
• Represent C4D in external meetings and help build the community around the initiative

You will engage with the science — following discussions in antibiotic and natural-product research — and contribute to shaping how C4D evolves. At the same time, your core contribution is organisational and connective: making things happen across a diverse, international group of people who are all busy with their own research.

Where you will work

You will be based at Leiden University's Faculty of Science, located in the heart of the Leiden Bio Science Park — one of Europe's largest life science clusters. The Faculty of Science is a vibrant and internationally oriented environment where researchers and students collaborate across disciplines to expand the frontiers of knowledge. Research at the faculty spans a broad spectrum: mathematics, artificial intelligence, computer science, astronomy, physics, chemistry, bio-pharmaceutical sciences, biology, and environmental sciences. The faculty is home to over 1,300 staff and nearly 4,000 students across disciplines ranging from chemistry and biology to AI and environmental sciences, and has strong connections to academic, non-profit and industry partners. For more information, please visit: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/about-faculty-of-science.

The Institute for Biology

The research within the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) aims to work on the science base of biodiversity and health, which is reflected in our leading principle Harnessing Biodiversity for Health. We perform innovative curiosity-driven research to answer fundamental questions, and solutions-driven research to help solving major societal challenges. The latter include protecting nature’s biodiversity, creating sustainable biotechnology and agriculture and increasing good health. Our research focuses on four Research Themes: Bioactive Molecules, Host-Microbe Interactions, Development & Disease and Evolution & Biodiversity. Located in a thriving scientific environment with our Faculty of Sciences, Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, the Leiden University Medical Centre and the Leiden Bioscience Park, IBL offers an exciting, internationally oriented and inclusive place to work and study.   

What you bring

Required

• A PhD in the life sciences, medical sciences or a closely related field
• Genuine interest in drug discovery, AMR and/or global health
• Experience with coordinating large scientific activities, for example in multi-partner projects, international collaborations and research programmes or scientific networks.
• Strong written and spoken English, with the ability to turn scientific discussions into clear reports, summaries and strategic documents
• Excellent organisational skills: overview, follow-up, structure, and the ability to keep multiple things moving at once
• A proactive, independent and diplomatically skilled working style
• An open, collaborative mindset and strong motivation to contribute to a non-profit, open-science mission

Desirable

• Familiarity with national, European or international funding mechanisms (e.g. NWO, EU Horizon, Wellcome, Gates Foundation)
• Experience with or affinity for public-private partnerships or global health organisations
• Background in natural product chemistry, microbiology, genome mining or related research areas
• Experience working across different countries and institutional cultures

What we offer

• A salary between €3546 - €5538 gross per month, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours) (Scale 10);
• Starting date will be September-October 2026;
• A holiday allowance (8%), an end-of-year bonus (8,3%), and an attractive pension scheme at ABP;
• Full reimbursement of public transport commuting costs for home-to-work travel;
• Flexible working hours: as a standard, you are entitled to a minimum of 29 leave days on the basis of a full-time working week of 38 hours
• Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a temporary tax break.

What we value

Promoting an inclusive community is central to Leiden University’s values and vision. Leiden University aims to be an inclusive community in which all students and staff members feel valued and respected, and are able to develop to their full potential. Diversity in experiences and perspectives enriches our teaching and strengthens our research. High-quality education and research means inclusive education and research.

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