PhD in Genetic Basis of Yield Stability in Barley Under Drought Wageningen University & Research in Netherlands

Wageningen University & Research is advertising a fully funded PhD position in genetic basis of yield stability in barley under drought, within the NWO-OTP Allrounder project. The research focuses on how wild barley maintains stable yield under optimal and water-limited conditions, with emphasis on root architecture, shoot growth, plant genetics, GWAS, and candidate gene analysis. The project aims to identify traits and alleles that support climate-resilient barley breeding.

The advertised position is embedded in the Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology at Wageningen University & Research, with collaboration from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). The PhD candidate will work on controlled-environment experiments, root phenotyping, molecular and cellular analyses, histology, microscopy, transcriptomics, mutant analysis, CRISPR/Cas validation, and bioinformatics/statistical integration of multi-modal datasets.

Eligibility highlights include an MSc in plant sciences, plant molecular biology, plant genetics, or a related field; strong teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration skills; curiosity and proactivity; and English at C1 level. Experience with cereal genetics, molecular biology, gene editing, transcriptomics, tissue culture, and GWAS is advantageous. Affinity with microscopy and high-throughput image analysis of root phenotypes is also a plus.

The position is based in Wageningen, Netherlands, and offers a salary from €3,059 to €3,881 per month (scale P, 38 hours/week), plus a tailored course programme and standard WUR employment benefits. The contract is initially for 18 months and may be extended for the project duration.

Applications must be submitted via the WUR vacancy page. Required documents are a CV (max 2 pages) and a motivation letter (max 1 page), with a total maximum of 3 pages. The closing date is 11 June 2026. Additional documents such as grades and transcripts are not required at this stage.