Deadline [contact details available in the full listing]. Posted [contact details available in the full listing].
Research fields: Agricultural sciences. Job type: Postdoc. Education level: Doctorate. Weekly hours: 38 hours per week. Salary indication: €3706—€5760 per month. Location: De Elst 1, 6708WD, Wageningen.
Job description
The goal of this research project is to unravel the genetic basis and molecular mechanisms involved in plant defence traits that kill insect eggs, preventing insect larvae from hatching or impeding their development, thereby reducing damage to the plant. Little is known about plant immune receptor genes involved in egg-killing, how insect-derived ligands are perceived, and which immune pathways are activated.
As a postdoctoral researcher, you will contribute to the characterisation of plant immune receptor genes, identify their intra- and interspecific diversity, and investigate downstream immune pathways.
This project is part of an NWP OTP project and executed in close collaboration with vegetable breeding and seed companies. Within the insect team at Biosystematics, you will lead both dry lab (Bioinformatics) as well as wet lab (plant transformation and receptor characterization) activities and co-supervise two PhD students.
Your duties and responsibilities include:
- NGS techniques;
- RNAseq;
- Plant transformation;
- Bioinformatic analysis;
- Crispr-cas9.
Your team
You will work with Dr. Fatouros and her team, including a postdoc, two PhD students, two technicians, close collaborators at Biosystematics Group, Dr. Klaas Bouwmeester and Dr. Robin van Velzen as well as collaborators of Plant Breeding, incl. Dr. Lotte Caarls.
You will work here
You will join the insect team led by Dr. Fatouros within the Biosystematics group at Wageningen University. Our research explores the evolutionary ecology of plant-insect interactions in close collaboration with plant physiologists, molecular biologists and plant pathologists. Research in the Biosystematics group focuses on plant and insect biodiversity and its evolutionary origins, both within and above the species level. The Biosystematics group is part of the Plant Sciences Group at Wageningen University.
Requirements
The successful candidate is an early-career postdoctoral researcher with a PhD degree in Biology/Plant sciences with a specialization in entomology, phytopathology, microbiology or similar, and experience with insect/plant-microbe interactions.
You also possess:
- A PhD in Biology/Plant Sciences;
- Work experience in dry and wet lab;
- Knowledge of statistical analysis of large data sets;
- Collaborative spirit;
- Experience in supervision MSc thesis students.
In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1.
Conditions of employment
Fixed-term contract: 1 year.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
- sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
- working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
- 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 year-end bonus of 8.3%;
- excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.706,- and € 5.760,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). We initially offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the organisation’s financial situation.
If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment.
Employer
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.
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
Additional information
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. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs 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.
Join us and come work at WUR
At Wageningen University & Research, you work at improving the quality of life. Together with your colleagues, you seek to answer the challenges within our domain 'healthy food and living environment.'
