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PhD in Insect Behavior and Precision Agriculture: Black Soldier Fly Larvae Behavior and Production Performance KU Leuven in Belgium
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Computer Science
Funding
Full-time PhD position for four years with a competitive salary. Start date as soon as possible. The post is part of a funded project (EntoBOOST) supported by FWO.
Deadline
Nov 13, 2026
Country
Belgium
University
KU Leuven
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About this position
KU Leuven is advertising a PhD position in insect behavior, precision agriculture, and black soldier fly larvae research. The project focuses on how larvae respond behaviorally to different breeding and environmental conditions, and how these responses relate to growth, survival, physiology, and production performance.
The doctoral project is part of EntoBOOST, a multidisciplinary collaboration involving KU Leuven, Ghent University, the University of Antwerp, the Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, Inagro, and Thomas More. The work combines insect biology, insect production and processing, sensor technology, data analysis, and metabolomics. Experiments will be carried out at the KU Leuven campus in Geel, the SymBIOnt Insect Pilot Plant, and insect rearing facilities in Geel.
You will design and conduct breeding experiments, analyze behavioral time-series data from a camera-based sensor platform, and connect behavior with environmental conditions, larval growth, survival, substrate properties, and stress-related metabolic markers. The engineering team is developing the sensor hardware and computer vision tools, while the PhD candidate focuses on the biological questions and statistical interpretation.
Eligibility highlights: a master's degree in biology, biosciences, bioengineering, animal sciences, or a related field; candidates with a master's in data science and a strong interest in biology are also welcome. Strong interest in ethology, insect biology, data analysis, and interdisciplinary research is expected. Good English skills are required. A master's degree with at least distinction from an EEA university within the last three years is a formal condition.
Funding: full-time doctoral appointment for four years with a competitive salary. The position is funded through FWO-supported EntoBOOST.
Application deadline: 13 November 2026 at 23:59 CET. Apply via KU Leuven's online application system.
Funding details
Full-time PhD position for four years with a competitive salary. Start date as soon as possible. The post is part of a funded project (EntoBOOST) supported by FWO.
What's required
Applicants must hold a master's degree in biology, biosciences, bioengineering, animal sciences, or an equivalent field; candidates with a master's in data science and a strong interest in biology are also encouraged to apply. A strong interest in animal behavior (ethology), insect biology, and links between environmental conditions and biological responses is required, along with motivation to work with data, take responsibility for statistical analysis and interpretation, and collaborate in an international multidisciplinary team. Good oral and written English is required. A master's degree with at least distinction, obtained at a university within the European Economic Area in the past three years, is a condition for eligibility. Experience with insect rearing, behavioral experiments, statistical modeling, R/Python/MATLAB, or computer vision is a plus but not required.
How to apply
Apply online through KU Leuven's application system before 13/11/2026 23:59 CET. For questions about the position, contact Prof. Ben Aernouts or Mr. Maximilian Hoffmann by email. For technical questions about the application procedure, use [email protected].
More information can be found here
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