I HAVE A JOB!! =)

Some of you might know that I went for a first job interview in Delft on Wednesday 8 June. I was quite pleased to be called back for a second interview on Tuesday this week (21 June). I thought the interview went well and was really glad when they phoned me back in the afternoon to offer me the job! *yay* I have a job! =)

So. Details. It is a research technician post in the Bionanoscience Department at the Technical University or TU Delft in Delft. At the moment it is only a temporary post for one of the technician’s maternity leave but it is a growing department and if this temp contract is satisfactory for both parties it may be extended to a full time post. The experiments performed in the department are single molecule measurements of DNA and proteins using magnetic tweezers and nanopores. It is more physics than molecular biology and I don't understand all of it, at least not yet ;~) My job will be to make the funky pieces of DNA and RNA that they (students and post docs) need for their experiments. So I won't have my own project as such but will be involved on a lot of projects but probably on a more surface level. I really enjoy DNA work and cloning and they use interesting ways to get the constructs that they want so I think it will still be a good place to learn new things. 

Initially I was not keen for a temporary post but since I am not entirely sure what I want to be doing right now, it’s not a bad option. Why didn’t someone tell me that after completing a PhD I wouldn’t have all the answers and not know what direction I want to go in?? At least I will be earning an income, have some experience other than my PhD project and be able to add Dutch references to my CV.

I have applied for a lot of post doc positions and also approached many labs even though no official post was advertised. I have met with some people from Erasmus MC (the medical centre of the Erasmus University here in Rotterdam) but none of the labs have funding for new projects at the moment. Although some of the projects sound interesting, there isn’t anything I feel very passionate about. Also, the labs I have met with did not feel very friendly and the environment just doesn’t feel right. From the first interview, TU Delft had a good feeling about it. The Bionanoscience Department is a young growing department and everyone I met with was friendly and made me feel welcome. It was very different to Erasmus MC and I think it will be a good place to work. Maybe if the right project comes along in the right lab, Erasmus MC will be different.

The start date has been set for 11 July, so I have two weeks of unemployment left. I am looking forward to starting and having some science brain stimulation again! But I am quite nervous as well. It has been a while since I have been on the bench and hope I haven’t forgotten everything!

So watch this space!

In other news, we are going to Bruges next weekend! We wanted to take some time off and go away in August but since I will be part of the working class by then and will have to take leave, we decided to make use of the next two weeks before I start working. So it was a last minute decision and we booked accommodation last night! Yay! We leave on Saturday morning and get back Tuesday evening. Belgian chocolate, beer and fritters here we come! =)

Also, Shell and Graham have booked flights to come stay with us in the first week of August! Super Yay! =) Shell will be here from 1-9 Aug and Graham from 6-9 Aug. Looking forward to seeing them again and doing some exploring together!!

It is Saturday today and we went to explore s’ Hertogenbosch or Den Bosch as it is affectionately known. In the next post we will tell you about our day out! Also keep an eye out for the pindakaasvloer and life in Holland so far, coming soon! =)

Hope you are having a good weekend!

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