Koen Verhoeven

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.

Wageningen University & Research is advertising a fully funded PhD position in genetic basis of yield stability in barley under drought , within the NWO-OTP Allrounder project. The research focuses on how wild barley maintains stable yield under optimal and water-limited conditions, with emphasis on root architecture , shoot growth , plant genetics , GWAS , and candidate gene analysis. The project aims to identify traits and alleles that support climate-resilient barley breeding. The advertised position is embedded in the Laboratory of Cell and Developmental Biology at Wageningen University & Research, with collaboration from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). The PhD candidate will work on controlled-environment experiments, root phenotyping, molecular and cellular analyses, histology, microscopy, transcriptomics, mutant analysis, CRISPR/Cas validation, and bioinformatics/statistical integration of multi-modal datasets. Eligibility highlights include an MSc in plant sciences , plant molecular biology , plant genetics , or a related field; strong teamwork and interdisciplinary collaboration skills; curiosity and proactivity; and English at C1 level . Experience with cereal genetics, molecular biology, gene editing, transcriptomics, tissue culture, and GWAS is advantageous. Affinity with microscopy and high-throughput image analysis of root phenotypes is also a plus. The position is based in Wageningen, Netherlands, and offers a salary from €3,059 to €3,881 per month (scale P, 38 hours/week), plus a tailored course programme and standard WUR employment benefits. The contract is initially for 18 months and may be extended for the project duration. Applications must be submitted via the WUR vacancy page. Required documents are a CV (max 2 pages) and a motivation letter (max 1 page), with a total maximum of 3 pages. The closing date is 11 June 2026 . Additional documents such as grades and transcripts are not required at this stage.