JOB REFERENCE: PS250603
Permanent full-time scientific position
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Field: Ruminant surgery and intensive care
Start date: 01/09/2025
The University of Liège is the biggest French-speaking public university in Belgium. It employs more than 5,700 staff members across four campuses, including 3,600 active teachers and researchers in all fields of the human and social sciences, science and technology, and health sciences. It hosts nearly 27,000 students of 123 different nationalities in one of the most multicultural and dynamic cities in Europe, less than an hour from Brussels and Cologne, two hours from Paris, and three hours from London and Amsterdam.
Actively involved in the social and environmental transition, ULiège supports students to fulfil their roles as responsible citizens (training in sustainable development, Green Office, etc.) and promotes ethical, multidisciplinary and open research. ULiège is committed to the region in which it operates and contributes towards local socio-economic development. It has developed numerous partnerships, notably with the university hospital. International and united, it participates in the European University of Post-Industrial Cities, UNIC initiative and has one of the most extensive collaborative networks in the world.
ULiège offers attractive career prospects in a high-quality working environment, promoting well-being, diversity and equality of opportunity. Since 2011, ULiège has been proud to display the European Human resources strategy for researchers (HRS4R) label, which reflects its commitment to open, transparent and merit-based procedures. In addition, it recognises the quality and diversity of research in line with the recommendations of the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). ULiège encourages its academic staff to travel internationally and welcomes international researchers through its EURAXESS centre.
JOB DESCRIPTION
A full-time, indivisible post of first assistant in the field of ruminant surgery and intensive care, within the Clinical Department of Production Animals (DCP).
The Ruminant Clinic is an exceptional facility that ensures teaching that is tailored to students but also to the field. It is open throughout the year, 24 hours a day. The individual case clinic forms the basis of ruminant medicine and opens the door to other fields such as livestock medicine. It is also a reference centre for cases with a significant surgical angle, enabling students to acquire indispensable skills in resolving complex clinical cases. It contributes towards the reputation of the DCP and is one of the training pillars for residents of the European College of Bovine Health Management (ECBHM).
In collaboration with the other teaching staff, the post-holder will be responsible for organising and providing clinical services. Management of the clinic duty roster (duty with other clinicians) and supporting junior assistants are key elements of this post. The post-holder shall also strive to promote the reputation of the department within the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, the University of Liège, the veterinary profession, the student body, and the world of ruminant livestock farming.
TEACHING ACTIVITIES
By collaborating and sharing with the other DCP teaching staff, the post-holder shall teach Master and Master 3 students as well as clinical interns, through practical classes – clinics and duty – associated with the following courses:
The clinical activities form part of the services provided to rural practitioners as well as livestock farmers. The DCP clinics operate all year round, receiving cases referred from colleagues in the field. These clinical activities may be supplemented by practical work and/or seminars. The post mainly consists of clinical teaching activities.
In addition, the position consists of teaching students enrolled on the Specialised Master’s in Veterinary Sciences, as part of the following course:
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Research activities developed should feed into theoretical and clinical teaching of the discipline. The post-holder may either participate in research activities that are currently under way in the production animal department (ruminants) or develop their own themes. Current themes include surgical pathologies, internal medicine (intensive care, prognostic factors), the sustainability of agricultural farms, clinical nutrition and physiology of ruminants (clinical endocrinology), and animal welfare. Research may be established in collaboration with other expertise available both in-house and externally.
SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY
Services to the community are based on the clinical activity provided within the Ruminant Clinic, the ongoing training of veterinary practitioners, and involvement in various Faculty bodies. The post-holder must be involved in the professional sector on the regional, national, and international level and have recognised expertise, particularly in this clinical field. They should also participate actively in upholding the national and international reputation of the University of Liège. Services include:
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED / PROFILE
- Be a doctor of veterinary medicine registered with the Ordre des Médecins Vétérinaires and certified to practice in Belgium;
- Hold a research doctorate in veterinary sciences (or equivalent qualification);
- Speak fluent French, or commit to mastering French within two years;
- Applicants should preferably be members of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons (ECVS or ACVS – large animals), or internal medicine (ACVIM – large animals), or intensive care (European College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, ECVECC/ACVECC). In order to widen the pool of applicants, those who are eligible to sit the specialist examination and/or who have completed their residency period in one of the aforementioned colleges will be accepted. In this case, the permanent appointment will be conditional upon passing the exam within the probationary period;
- Be able to integrate into a team;
- Have clinical experience principally in the surgery and intensive care of ruminants, and then in the internal medicine of ruminants is essential. Ideally, the successful applicant will have practical experience enabling them to immediately manage the clinic and emergency shifts;
- Demonstrate an interest in and a real aptitude for teaching (teaching plan);
- Have strong leadership, teamworking, and communication skills;
- Have demonstrated the ability to lead research projects and write scientific publications;
- Having worked outside the Wallonia-Brussels community for more than six months, not necessarily in a continuous stretch, is a plus.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
Each application will be examined by a Faculty committee which will shortlist applicants for interview, providing reasons for their decisions with regard to the candidates’ applications, qualifications, and merits. The committee will interview the shortlisted applicants. The interview will focus on the applicant’s CV, their teaching and research plans, and integration within the University.
Our institutional policy is based on diversity and equal opportunity. We select candidates based on their qualities and regardless of their age, sexual orientation, origin, beliefs, disability or nationality.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made using the online form available on the following website: https://my.uliege.be/portail/go_xt.do?a=o%7C11004%7Ce%7C615236. To be eligible, applications must be submitted no later than 19/05/2025 (before midnight Belgian time).
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
- Cover letter.
- Curriculum Vitae.
- Copies of diplomas and certificates.
- Research appendix*: a report on any prior and ongoing research activities, as well as a research plan, including envisaged integration into the University of Liège (3 pages max).
- Teaching appendix*: a teaching report including information on any prior teaching activities, and a teaching plan (3 pages max).
- List of publications.
* Among other things, these documents should cover the applicant’s skills and experience related to the tasks which will be assigned to them.
These documents must be uploaded in PDF format to the online application platform (see link in the "APPLICATIONS" section).
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
- The appointment will be made for a two-year renewable term and may lead to a permanent appointment after an evaluation, or, in certain exceptional circumstances, immediately on a permanent basis.
- If necessary, the permanent appointment may be made conditional upon the applicant having obtained the title of European or American specialist in one of the fields.
INFORMATION
Information about the post may be obtained from the President of the Clinical Department of Production Animals (DCP): Mr Hugues Guyot – tel.: +32 (0)4 366 40 20 – [email protected]
Additional information may be obtained from: MsLudivine Counasse, Administrative Director of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine – tel.: +32 (0)4 366 41 54 – [email protected]
REMUNERATION
The salary grids and their rules of application are available from the Human Resources Department of the University: Ms Valérie Melotte – [email protected]
