Bregje Wertheim

Wageningen University & Research is advertising multiple openings in the plant domain, including PhD and postdoc opportunities in plant science, controlled-environment agriculture, mechanobiology, and insect developmental biology. PhD: Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging & Canopy Photosynthesis This project focuses on plant physiology, chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, canopy-level photosynthesis, microclimate gradients, and greenhouse/vertical-farm experiments. The work is embedded in the Horticulture and Product Physiology group at Wageningen University & Research and linked to the GreenControl programme, funded by NWO and industry partners. The project is supervised in the team of Silvere Vialet-Chabrand and Prof. Leo Marcelis. Applicants need a completed MSc in plant sciences, plant physiology, environmental sciences, physics, engineering, computational biology, or a related field, plus experience in experimental plant physiology, modelling/data analysis, or image processing. English at C1 level is expected. The position is fully funded and includes a salary, training, and a temporary contract with extension based on performance. PhD: Evolution of novel female sexual differentiation genes in parasitoid wasps This PhD is in entomology, molecular biology, insect development, sex determination, genomics, transcriptomics, phylogenetics, RNA interference, and CRISPR/Cas9. The project studies parasitoid wasps such as Nasonia vitripennis and related species to understand female sexual differentiation and the evolution of novel genes. It is embedded in the Laboratory of Entomology and supervised by Prof. Bregje Wertheim, Dr. Eveline Verhulst, and Dr. Julien Rougeot. Applicants should have a completed MSc in biology or biotechnology, with affinity for molecular biology, bioinformatics, small insects, microinjection, and scientific writing. English at C1 level is expected. The PhD is fully funded and part of an NWO-funded VICI project. Postdoc: GreenTE seed germination This postdoctoral position is in plant science, biochemistry, mechanobiology, seed germination, and plant molecular biology. The GreenTE project investigates how plants sense and respond to mechanical stimuli, with this subproject focusing on how mechanical responses during seed germination are converted into biochemical signals and integrated with transcriptome, translatome, and phosphoproteome data. The work is based at the Wageningen Seed Science Centre under the supervision of Prof. dr. Leónie Bentsink. Applicants need a PhD in Plant Science and/or Biochemistry, experience in interdisciplinary research and plant molecular biology, and strong English communication skills at C1 level. The postdoc is part of a consortium of seven Dutch universities and offers a competitive salary and a one-year contract extendable for two more years. Application window The PhD positions close in May 2026 (20–26 May depending on the vacancy). The postdoc closes on 11 May 2026. Applications must be submitted through the WUR vacancy pages, and only applications submitted via the website will be considered. Additional vacancies mentioned The post also lists a greenhouse climate technical specialist role and an electrical technician role at WUR, but these are not academic degree openings. The post highlights WUR’s international environment, visa support, and standard employment benefits.

Wageningen University & Research is offering a fully funded PhD position in biodiversity monitoring for nature-inclusive agrifood transitions in the Netherlands. The project is part of the NWO-KIC RISE initiative (Resilient Integrated Systems for Ecosystem restoration) and sits at the intersection of biodiversity , ecosystem services , biological pest control , insect ecology , functional ecology , and agroecology . The PhD will be hosted at the Laboratory of Entomology and the crop protection team of the Greenhouse Unit in Bleiswijk, within Wageningen University & Research. The research focuses on how biodiversity implementation in two Dutch case areas relates to biological pest control as an ecosystem service, and how key indicators can be validated and used in practice. The project includes biodiversity heat maps, indicator species identification, field and greenhouse experiments, biodiversity monitoring, molecular gut content analyses of key predators, and assessment of biological control capacity with sentinel prey. The successful candidate will work in an interdisciplinary team of four PhD candidates across Wageningen University & Research, Eindhoven University of Technology, Leiden University, and Inholland University of Applied Sciences, with collaboration from farmers, growers, policymakers, regional stakeholders, and civil society partners. The project aims to develop spatial decision-support tools and implementation pathways for nature-inclusive agriculture and horticulture. Supervision is provided by Prof. Gerben Messelink at Wageningen University & Research, with additional cross-university co-supervision from Prof. Bige Tunçer and Dr. Ershad Sarabi Shahryar (Eindhoven University of Technology) and Prof. Peter van Bodegom (Leiden University). The position is embedded in the PE&RC graduate school. Applicants should have an MSc in Biology, Plant Sciences, or a related discipline, with a strong interest in insect ecology and biological pest control, experience in experimental insect research, and good communication and organizational skills. English at C1 level is required; Dutch is preferred. The position offers a salary from €3,059 to €3,881 per month, a tailored training program, and a temporary contract of 18 months with possible extension. Deadline: 31 July 2026 . Apply via the WUR vacancy page with a CV and motivation letter only.