We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student to join our team as part of the prestigious ERC-Advanced Project ‘DIGDEEP’. The project aims to elucidate the hidden plant-fungal interactions that underlie relationships between plant diversity and disease within natural grassland ecosystems. Your research aims to reveal how plant traits steer interactions with pathogenic and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF).

Your duties and responsibilities:
Mycorrhizal fungi are known for their beneficial effects on nutrient uptake by plants. Recent evidence suggests that mycorrhizal fungi can also help protect plants against infections by soilborne, but the generality of this effect are to date unclear. The goal of your PhD project is to elucidate the effects of mycorrhizal protection against plant disease at both the plant species and community level through experimental research. You will design and perform several series of controlled mesocosms experiments to determine how plants reduce the risk of disease through their root traits and associated mycorrhizal fungi on a wide range of plant species, mycorrhizal fungi and soilborne pathogens. In the end, you are expected to deliver a PhD thesis with several research chapters.

Team and Collaboration:
You will be an integral part of the ‘root ecology’ team led by Prof. Dr. Liesje Mommer. In this team, which is embedded in the Forest Ecology and Forest Management group, senior and junior researchers and students collaborate in projects on plant-fungal interactions and root trait ecology.
Your work will be supported by the Molecular Ecology team of Prof. Raaijmakers at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO), which is also located on the Wageningen Campus. Your work is an integral part of the DIGDEEP project that ultimately aims to deliver fundamental knowledge on diversity-disease relationships in plants to facilitate diversification of cropping systems. Such innovation contributes to developing sustainable agricultural systems, and to goals related to producing healthier food and restoring biodiversity.

You will work here
The root ecology team is part of the Forest Ecology and Forest Management (FEM) group that studies forest ecosystems worldwide, and focuses on above- and belowground elements that make up (forest) ecosystems. The FEM group is a vibrant international group, with >10 nationalities among staff and PhD students and with research projects and collaborations across the globe. The work environment is inclusive, welcoming and informal, which promotes exchange of knowledge and experiences among researchers of all career stages.

We are looking for an outstanding PhD candidate with a deep passion for unravelling complex interactions among plants and fungi. The ideal candidate will have:

• a Master’s degree (MSc) in Biology, Ecology, or a closely related field;
• essential experience in conducting experimental studies with plants and/or fungi, accompanied by a strong enthusiasm for hands-on research and an organised attitude;
• excellent critical thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and contribute to hypothesis development;
• proficiency in experimental design, statistical analysis, and molecular techniques (e.g., qPCR, amplicon sequencing) is highly desirable;
• fluency in English, both written and spoken, with an effective approach to write in scientific contexts;
• a collaborative team player who is curious, proactive, and a creative approach to problem-solving.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.872,- per month rising to € 3.670,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 12 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.