Vacancy
PhD position: Inter- and intra-specific crop flower variation for pollinator-friendly farming systems
Your job
Are you interested in how plants attract pollinators? Are passionate about pollinators and the crop pollination services they provide? Do you want to contribute to the breeding of crops for more pollinator-friendly farming systems? Then we invite you to apply for a PhD position in the Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation group!
Intensive agriculture is one of the main pressures on biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, even though much of the agricultural production depends on this biodiversity for yield. For example, many agricultural crops depend on insects for crop pollination, and with a transition to more plant-based diets this is expected to increase in the future. We therefore need to develop more pollinator-friendly farming systems. At present, intensive agricultural crop fields generally consist of a single cultivar of a crop species, which are bred for the highest response to agricultural inputs such as fertilizer or pesticide resistance, while the contribution of insect pollination is usually undervalued. We need a better understanding on how we can breed for cultivars that are more attractive to pollinators, so that yields can be sustainably enhanced. In this PhD project we will unravel the relative importance of crop flower traits for pollinator attraction and identify the underlying genetic patterns. We will also evaluate the relative importance is of inter- and intraspecific variation in crop flower traits for crop pollination under different environments and management.
The main focus of the successful PhD candidate will be on genetic mapping of flowering traits, and fieldwork for three seasons in France and the Netherlands. Other activities include fieldwork preparation, flower trait characterisation, estimation of pollinator visitation rates and seed set of plants, genetic mapping analysis, advanced statistical data analyses, and writing. The PhD candidate is responsible for data collection in France, data generation in the Netherlands, and will also be in the lead for an overall analysis of the relative importance of inter- and intraspecific flower trait variation for crop pollination services and crop yield performed in Italy, France and the Netherlands.
You will work here
You will be embedded within the Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation group Daily supervision will be done by prof. dr. David Kleijn, dr.Thijs Fijen, prof.dr.Luisa Trindade, and dr.Andries Temme You will be part of a 18 partner HorizonEurope project in which coordinated empirical work will take place on plant breeding, crop pollination, pollinator biodiversity, value chains and policy.
Your qualities
You are a person who is highly motivated to do genetic studies, ecological (field) studies, and likes to analyze complicated data sets and to reflect critically on results. You are happy to constructively interact and collaborate with international partners, local collaborators and the Wageningen research teams. You look forward to publishing your findings in leading international academic journals and to communicating them to audiences that may be able to use your results. You enjoy supervising the MSc students that will be doing thesis research within the framework of your own studies. You also possess:
- An MSc in biology, plant breeding, ecology, conservation or related field;
- Experience with (molecular) genetic studies;
- Affinity (and ideally experience) with ecological field studies;
- Affinity (and ideally experience) with analysis of large datasets;
- Team-player skills;
- Good organizational and communication skills;
- Experience in collaborating with partners from a variety of backgrounds is a plus;
- A valid driving license is a plus.
We offer you
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.
The gross salary for the first year is € 2.770 - per month rising to € 3.539,- 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 18 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.
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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, 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.
Do you want more information?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.
This vacancy will be listed up to and including Monday 9th September 2024. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on 25th September 2024. The intended starting date of this position will be from January 2025.
Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.
We are
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.