Postdoc in Plant Mechanobiology and Seed Germination at Wageningen University & Research Wageningen University & Research in Netherlands

Wageningen University & Research is advertising a funded full-time postdoc in plant mechanobiology and seed germination within the GreenTE (Green Tissue Engineering) Gravitation programme.

The project, “How do cells communicate during seed germination?”, focuses on how mechanical responses are converted into biochemical signals. The work is embedded in the Wageningen Seed Science Centre and the Laboratory of Plant Physiology, under the supervision of Prof. Leónie Bentsink.

Research topics include mapping mechanical responses during seed germination, identifying and characterizing signaling proteins, studying the effects of genetic modification such as CRISPR, and performing localization studies. The project is linked to broader GreenTE research on how plants sense and respond to mechanical stimuli, with connections to transcriptome, translatome, and phosphoproteome data.

The postdoc will join a multidisciplinary consortium of 7 Dutch universities and work in an international, collaborative environment. The role also includes contributing to teaching PhD, MSc, and BSc students and collaborating with other researchers in the GreenTE consortium.

Eligibility highlights: a PhD in Plant Science and/or Biochemistry, experience in plant molecular biology, interest in interdisciplinary research, strong English skills (C1), and a team-oriented, structured approach. Experience with seed experiments is an advantage.

Funding and contract: the position is funded for 3 years, with a gross monthly salary of about €3,456–€5,538 for full-time work (38 hours/week) under the Dutch university collective agreement. A 0.8 FTE arrangement may be possible.

Application window: apply online via the WUR career portal by 11 May 2026. Only applications submitted through the website will be considered.