Scientific Director Donders Institute

We seek to appoint a new Scientific Director to lead the internationally oriented and interdisciplinary organized Donders Institute.

We are looking for a proven research leader in a field represented in or relevant to the Donders Institute with a strong academic track record and demonstrable leadership skills. As a key figure in our institute, you will help shape the future of collaborative interdisciplinary research, foster innovation, and create an environment in which people and ideas can thrive.

The Donders Institute is a vibrant network organization that unites six partner institutes engaged in cutting‑edge brain and behavior research. As Scientific Director, you will chair its Executive Board and guide the institute’s overall scientific and strategic direction. You will do so in close collaboration with the Managing Director and the experienced teams at the Donders Institute and her partners. Your responsibilities include overseeing the institute’s scientific program and shaping a diverse portfolio that encompasses talent development, expanding societal impact, building external partnerships, advancing public outreach, driving diversity, and promoting sustainable science. A key part of the role will be to strengthen the institute’s capacity to attract external research funding and to position Donders competitively in national and European funding landscapes.

Researchers affiliated with the Donders Institute (approximately 300 faculty, 300 postdocs, and 600 PhD candidates) are based within its partner organizations — including the Faculties of Science, Social Sciences, and Arts, the Radboud University Medical Center, the Donders Center for Cognitive Neuroimaging, and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics. Your leadership will therefore be highly collaborative and integrative, bringing together colleagues from different institutional backgrounds and fostering shared purpose, trust, and collective ambition across the Donders community. In addition, you will maintain constructive links with education within the partner faculties.

You will nurture a strong, forward‑looking academic environment and represent the Donders Institute with visibility and credibility in national and international arenas – from international research collaborations to Dutch science policy and broader public dialogue. In the coming years, a key focus will be to strengthen the institute’s strategic engagement and visibility at both national and European levels, and beyond, leveraging strategic networks and partnerships to advance the institute’s mission.