Postdoc position: to trace the evolution of symbiotic lifestyles across the tree of life NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research in Netherlands

The NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is offering a postdoctoral position in the Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry (MMB), led by Prof. Dr. Anja Spang. This research opportunity focuses on tracing the evolution of symbiotic lifestyles across the tree of life, with a particular emphasis on obligate archaeal and bacterial symbionts and their interaction partners throughout Earth history. The project is supported by the NWO Vici 2025 grant and aims to integrate novel phylogenetic, ancestral reconstruction, machine learning, and network approaches to establish a detailed account of genome evolution, abundance, and diversity of prokaryotic symbionts.

NIOZ is the Dutch national oceanographic institute, renowned for its multidisciplinary, fundamental, and applied marine research. The MMB department has a strong tradition in studying marine microbes, their interactions, and their roles in biogeochemical cycling across diverse marine environments, from tidal flats and coral reefs to the deep ocean. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories, bioinformatics resources, and analytical equipment, providing an excellent technical support environment.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic and inclusive team, contributing to cutting-edge research in symbiosis and evolution. Applicants should have a PhD and expertise in metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, phylogenomics, comparative genomics, and machine learning. Additional skills in wet-lab techniques (aerobic/anaerobic cultivation, PCR, enzyme assays, protein purification) and programming are required. The institute values diversity and encourages applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

This full-time position (40 hours/week) is offered for 40 months, with employment by NWO-I. The salary is compliant with CAO-WVOI scale 10 or 11, depending on experience. Benefits include a pension scheme via ABP, 8% holiday allowance, a year-end bonus of 8.33%, 338 annualized holiday hours, 100% reimbursement for 2nd class public transportation, and an employment benefits plan. Relocation expenses and support with finding accommodation are provided for employees coming from abroad.

To apply, submit your application online via the provided link by 12 April 2026. For further information about the vacancy, contact Prof. Dr. Anja Spang. For procedural questions, email [email protected]. Join NIOZ and contribute to advancing our understanding of symbiotic evolution in marine environments.