Head of Biobanking Development (BBD) (f/m/d)

Job title: Head of Biobanking Development (BBD) (f/m/d)

Job location: The Central Executive Management Office of BBMRI-ERIC in Graz, Austria (or exceptionally remote work)

Job purpose: As Department Head of BBD, you play an important role in ensuring that BBMRI-ERIC, one of Europe's largest research infrastructures in the field of health and life sciences, continuously maintains and advances its contributions for its community and the European Research Area. You will support the BBMRI National Nodes and associated biobanks in implementing and maintaining sustainable biobanking practices and developments, enhance their visibility and foster collaboration with various stakeholders strategically, e.g. through common European funded scientific projects. In this capacity, you will collaborate closely with Biobanks and National Nodes in our Member States and other related key stakeholders (such as scientific experts from academia and industry and as well as leadership of universities and clinics). You will shape the future of our research infrastructure in Health and Life Sciences towards One Health, greening and global perspectives as overarching paradigms in line with BBMRI-ERIC’s 10-Year Roadmap 2025-2035 which is currently implemented through BBMRI-ERIC’s Work Programme 2025-2027.

Contract: Full-time contract (40 hours/week). As work-life balance is a high priority at BBMRI-ERIC less than a full-time contract can be agreed (e.g. ~85%); also in conjunction with co-affiliation at a University.

Who we are:

BBMRI-ERIC is the European Research Infrastructure for biobanking and biomolecular resources established in 2013 under EU legislation. BBMRI-ERIC enables the development of innovative technology and processes as a cross-domain network that facilitates responsible access to high quality samples, data and biomolecular resources. We achieve this through multidisciplinary expertise and service provision, scientific excellence, knowledge exchange and partnerships in health and life sciences. BBMRI-ERIC’s vision is simplified as: “Biobanking for a Healthier World”. Its headquarters are in Graz, Austria.

BBMRI‐ERIC is an inclusive, equal‐opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation. Further information on the vision, mission, governance, and statutes of BBMRI‐ERIC can be found at www.bbmri-eric.eu.

What makes the job special?

The Head develops and manages all biobanking development activities of the BBMRI-ERIC Headquarters in alignment with the BBMRI-ERIC National Nodes while engaging the BBMRI community through BBMRI core- and EC-funded services and developments. The aim of this position is to secure and maximise the long-term sustainability of BBMRI’s National Nodes and biobanks. This comprises integrating newly established National Nodes and networks into the overall BBMRI community through a status quo evaluation, gap analysis and expedited onboarding for all activities across BBMRI’s various service domains. Sustainability concepts will be developed together with the BBMRI community and depend on the surrounding ecosystem which necessitates exploring the biobanking market and scientific relationships with stakeholders including industry. Key priorities focus on accelerated sample and data exchange using BBMRI’s online tools (e.g., Directory, Federated Search & Analysis Platform, Negotiator). In addition, the Head will further foster BBMRI community engagement by leveraging innovative technology applications hereby generating novel service value chains to booster BBMRI’s overall impact as a Life Science Research Infrastructure.

Key responsibilities as Head of BBD:

• You will lead, develop and implement all biobanking development strategies


• With your profound project management knowledge and team leading skills, you will expand our Biobank Development team, take responsibility for the day-to-day management of your team, coordinate their participation in projects, monitor the output, and balance the effort with the available resources


• With your biobanking expertise and management skills you will provide operational support via consultation to new members in developing their National Node and national network as well as consulting the setup of new or reshaping of established biobanks


• You will coordinate the development of sustainability models for the National Nodes and biobanks together with the BBMRI community


• Based on your expertise you will provide trainings in the field of biobanking; primarily as Member State specific workshops or as part of our BBMRI Academy


• To increase the visibility and access to samples, data and biomolecular resources, you will facilitate the negotiation process for sample, data and biomolecular resources requests in and outside EU projects


• With a high degree of personal responsibility, you work on demanding challenges, engage and build relationship with the scientific community of renowned national and international consortium members


• You identify funding opportunities (e.g. within the EU Framework Programme Horizon Europe) and develop and implement international projects that support the implementation of BBMRI-ERIC’s 10-Year Roadmap (e.g. one health, datafication, greening, collaboration frameworks, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, global outreach)
  

In this role your required qualifications and skills are:

• In-depth biobanking experience with a minimum of 5 years practical experience, and a high motivation for the management of highly interdisciplinary, multi-cultural international projects around biobanking development


• Familiarity with the European Research Infrastructure ecosystem and with EU funding programmes is a plus


• Scientific background is a must (University studies with PhD or experience in biomedical research)


• Experience in leading and guiding international projects, including diplomatic skills when dealing with senior scientists and managers externally


• Your communication and organizational skills bring teamwork to life


• Professional fluency in English, as English is the official working language of BBMRI-ERIC


• Readiness for moderate travel


• You have sound knowledge of project management and are able to monitor financial obligations and tasks with ease
  

Employment terms and conditions

As we aim to provide a diverse work environment, the work will be performed at the headquarters in Graz with occasional home office options or exceptionally remotely.

The employment follows the Austrian employment law.

What we offer

The competitive salary will be dependent on terms of qualifications and experience.

Balance your free time and your working life independently according to your own ideas: With our flexible working hours, you decide when you work outside our core working hours and you can also take advantage of occasionally working from home.

A multifaceted, challenging range of tasks with responsibility in a co-operative working environment with flat hierarchies and short decision-making paths, characterise your day-to-day work. Being part of the BBMRI-ERIC opens up interdisciplinary and cross-professional opportunities for collaboration accross Europe and beyond.

In addition to the diversity of the various scientific disciplines, we offer a working culture in which diversity is lived and highly valued.

We secure your future: with our comprehensive fringe benefits like complementary health insurance (in addition to public insurance, ÖGK), and a private pension scheme for employments in Austria we take care of your well-being.

Our comfortable office in the heart of Graz’s biomedical community offers an English-speaking work environment with international projects and plenty of networking opportunities.

When you're not working from home, you'll find yourself on the 6th floor in a modern building on the Medical University campus, a bustling area of Graz with excellent public transportation (tram and bus connections). A number of restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores serve the hungry medical professionals, researchers and staff in the area.

To learn more about working at BBMRI-ERIC, visit www.bbmri-eric.eu/careers .

Equal opportunities  

BBMRI-ERIC is committed to providing equal opportunities to all qualified candidates, regardless of their personal characteristics.

Application procedure

For applications to be considered, candidates must submit for their application via our online portal BambooHR:

• A Curriculum Vitae (CV)


• A letter of motivation or a video link in which you introduce yourself and your application motivation


• Supporting documents (copies of High School and University degrees, references, list of publications and project involvements, etc.)

Application deadline is the 2nd of March 2026; anticipated start of work is as soon as possible.

In case of any questions, please contact: Ulrike Rohrer, HR Specialist ([email protected])