PhD opportunities in cereal shoot and root development for drought resilience Wageningen University & Research in Netherlands

Wageningen University & Research and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) are recruiting two PhD candidates for the NWO-OTP Allrounder project on the genetic basis of root and shoot architecture as a basis for breeding climate-resilient barley.

The project investigates how wild barley maintains stable yield under optimal and drought conditions. One PhD will focus on below-ground development and root architecture, while the other will focus on above-ground growth, shoot traits, and yield responses to water limitation. The work combines plant development, cereal genetics, plant physiology, molecular biology, microscopy, transcriptomics, GWAS, candidate gene analysis, CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis, and bioinformatics.

The research is embedded in collaborating groups at WUR and NIOO-KNAW. The WUR-based PhD1 is linked to the Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology and is supervised by Prof. Viola Willemsen and Dr. Anneke Horstman. The second PhD is appointed at NIOO-KNAW and is jointly supervised by Dr. Wilma van Esse and Prof. Koen Verhoeven. The post highlights interdisciplinary collaboration across institutes and a strong focus on drought resilience in cereals.

Eligibility includes an MSc in plant sciences, plant molecular biology, plant genetics, or a related field; strong teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration skills; curiosity and proactivity; and an English level of C1. Experience with cereal genetics, gene editing, transcriptomics, tissue culture, bioinformatics/GWAS, microscopy, and high-throughput root phenotyping is advantageous.

The position is fully funded. Salary starts at €3,059 per month in year 1 and rises to €3,881 per month in year 4, based on a 38-hour week. The contract is initially for 18 months and may be extended for the project duration. WUR also mentions a tailored course programme and standard employment benefits.

Applications close on 11 June 2026. Applicants must apply via the WUR vacancy page and submit a CV and motivation letter, with a maximum total length of 3 pages. Transcripts and grades are not required at this stage.