Viola Willemsen

Wageningen University & Research is offering two fully funded PhD positions within the REAP2SOW programme, focusing on plant stress physiology, nitrogen acquisition, and photosynthesis in novel protein crops such as quinoa, white lupin, and tuberous pea. The research aims to understand how these crops respond to abiotic stresses like temperature and water fluctuations, with the goal of improving crop resilience and contributing to the transition toward sustainable, plant-based protein systems. The projects are embedded in a collaborative environment involving Wageningen University, Utrecht University, Leiden University, the University of Twente, and the University of Groningen, as well as partners from the agri-food sector. Supervision will be provided by a team of experts: Prof. Jochem Evers, Dr. Steven Driever, Prof. Viola Willemsen, Dr. Wouter Kohlen, Dr. Martijn van Zanten, and Dr. Kaisa Kajala. Research activities include designing and executing controlled-environment experiments, phenotyping, molecular and cellular analyses, physiological measurements, and advanced data integration using bioinformatics and quantitative/statistical methods. Applicants should hold an MSc in plant sciences, plant (molecular) biology, or a related field, with experience in plant physiology, stress resilience, or controlled-environment experiments. Additional skills in molecular biology, transcriptomics, bioinformatics, microscopy, or physiological measurements are advantageous. Strong teamwork and project management abilities are required, and proficiency in English at C1 level is expected. The positions are fully funded, with a gross salary starting at €3,059 per month and rising to €3,881 in the fourth year, plus benefits such as a year-end bonus, pension scheme, and parental leave. International candidates are welcome and will receive support with visa procedures and may be eligible for tax exemptions. The application deadline is 23 February 2026. To apply, candidates should submit a CV and motivation letter (max 3 pages total) via the Wageningen University & Research vacancy website. Only applications submitted through the website will be considered. For more information, contact Dr. Steven Driever at steven.driever@wur.nl.

Wageningen University & Research, in collaboration with Utrecht University, Leiden University, Maastricht University, University of Groningen, and University of Twente, is offering several fully funded PhD positions within the REAP2SOW programme. These positions focus on advancing sustainable protein crops through research in plant physiology, genetics, phenotyping, and biodiversity-positive cropping systems. The programme aims to address the urgent challenge of transitioning to a sustainable, plant-based protein system by 2050, reducing agriculture's environmental impact and strengthening food security in the face of climate change. PhD projects are available in the following areas: Plant Stress Physiology, Nitrogen, and Photosynthesis: Investigate how novel protein crops such as quinoa, white lupin, and aardaker respond to abiotic stress, focusing on nitrogen acquisition, photosynthesis, root development, and carbon-nitrogen allocation. Research involves controlled-environment experiments, molecular and cellular analyses, and advanced bioinformatics. Crop Genetics and Phenotyping: Study the genetic architecture and phenotypic traits of emerging protein crops. Projects include high-throughput phenotyping, bioinformatics, and trait mapping to support breeding strategies for climate-resilient crops. Biodiversity-Positive Cropping Systems: Explore how protein crops contribute to ecosystem services and biodiversity in agricultural systems. Research includes field trials, biodiversity monitoring, and engagement with farmers to develop sustainable cropping strategies. Supervision is provided by a multidisciplinary team of leading academics, including Prof. Jochem Evers, Dr. Steven Driever, Prof. Viola Willemsen, Dr. Wouter Kohlen, Dr. Martijn van Zanten, Dr. Kaisa Kajala, Dr. Chris Maliepaard, Dr. Peter Bourke, Dr. Andries Temme, Prof. Luisa Trindade, Prof. Wim Vriezen, Dr. Casper Quist, Dr. Klaas Bouwmeester, Prof. Jonne Rodenburg, and Dr. Paul Ravensbergen. The research is embedded in renowned groups at Wageningen University & Research and partner institutions. Applicants should hold a relevant MSc degree and have experience in plant sciences, biology, genetics, agroecology, or related fields. Skills in quantitative analysis, bioinformatics, fieldwork, and interdisciplinary collaboration are highly valued. Proficiency in English at C1 level is required. The positions offer excellent employment conditions, including a competitive salary, benefits, and support for international staff. Applications are open until 23 February 2026. For more information, contact the listed supervisors or visit the provided vacancy links. Apply via the Wageningen University & Research website with a CV and motivation letter (max 3 pages). These positions provide an outstanding opportunity to contribute to sustainable agriculture and food systems in an international, innovative environment.

Multiple fully funded PhD positions are available across leading international institutions in the fields of plant stress physiology, micromobility systems, and generative AI. The REAP2SOW programme at Wageningen University & Research (Netherlands) offers two PhD positions focused on plant stress physiology, nitrogen acquisition, and photosynthesis in novel protein crops such as quinoa, white lupin, and tuberous pea. Research will address how abiotic stresses like temperature and water availability affect crop resilience, with advanced methods including transcriptomics, root imaging, isotope tracing, and bioinformatics. The programme is a national collaboration with Utrecht University, Leiden University, University of Twente, and University of Groningen, aiming to support sustainable food systems and environmental security. Supervision is provided by a team of experts including Prof. Jochem Evers, Dr. Steven Driever, Prof. Viola Willemsen, Dr. Wouter Kohlen, Dr. Martijn van Zanten, and Dr. Kaisa Kajala. At the University of Queensland (Australia), a PhD position is open for data-driven, agent-based modelling of multimodal micromobility systems, focusing on the integration of e-bikes and e-scooters into urban transport. The project involves developing AI-powered models to simulate user behaviour and safety, with access to extensive real-world datasets and industry collaboration. Supervision is by Associate Professor Mehmet Yildirimoglu and Professor Zuduo Zheng. The University of Manitoba (Canada) offers a PhD position in Generative AI within the CORE AI Lab, requiring strong programming, machine learning, and mathematics/statistics skills. Applicants should send their CV, motivation letter, and transcripts to Dr. Sadaf Salehkalaibar. All positions offer competitive funding: Wageningen University & Research provides a salary starting at €3,059/month with benefits, the University of Queensland offers a $37,500/year stipend plus tuition, and the University of Manitoba position details are available upon inquiry. Applicants should have a relevant MSc degree, strong research skills, and English proficiency. Deadlines are February 23, 2026 (Wageningen), February 28, 2026 (Queensland), and rolling for Manitoba. For more information, contact the listed supervisors or visit the provided links.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is offering two fully funded PhD positions focused on plant stress physiology, nitrogen uptake, and photosynthesis as part of the REAP2SOW programme. The research aims to advance the protein transition by studying how novel protein crops such as quinoa, white lupin, and aardaker respond to abiotic stress, including temperature and water fluctuations. The projects will investigate both below-ground development and above-ground stress responses, with a focus on root traits, nitrogen acquisition, photosynthesis, and carbon–nitrogen allocation. PhD1 will focus on controlled-environment experiments to phenotype roots, nodules, and tubers, and perform molecular and cellular analyses such as transcriptomics, microscopy, and mutant screens. PhD2 will emphasize physiological measurements, including gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, optical spectroscopy, and stable isotope labelling, to study photosynthesis and stress resilience. Both positions require integration of multi-modal datasets using bioinformatics and quantitative analysis, and involve collaboration across research groups at Wageningen University and Utrecht University. Applicants should hold an MSc in plant sciences, molecular biology, or a related field, with experience in plant physiology, stress resilience, or controlled growth experiments. Specific skills in molecular biology, transcriptomics, microscopy (PhD1), or physiological measurements and isotope labelling (PhD2) are advantageous. Strong teamwork and project-management skills are essential, and English proficiency at C1 level is required. The positions are fully funded, with a gross salary starting at €3,059 per month and rising to €3,881 in the fourth year, plus benefits such as a tailored course program, flexible work-life balance, sports facilities, parental leave, pension scheme, year-end bonus, and support for international relocation and tax benefits. The research is embedded within leading Dutch universities and is part of a national collaboration to promote sustainable agriculture and food security. To apply, candidates must submit a CV and motivation letter (max 3 pages total) via the WUR vacancy page, indicating which PhD position they are applying for. The application deadline is 23 February 2026. For more information, contact the listed supervisors or recruiter.

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.

This PhD position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the sustainable supply of natural products through advanced plant cell genetic reprogramming. Embedded within the EU-Horizon awarded COCO-AI project, the research focuses on understanding and manipulating the friability of plant callus lines—a key property for efficient cell culture establishment. The project leverages both Arabidopsis as a model species and cocoa (Theobroma cacao) as a socially and economically important demonstrator species. As a PhD student, you will be responsible for developing genetic toolkits to enhance reprogramming in challenging plant species, generating transcription factor induction and GFP reporter callus lines, and performing phenotyping and transcriptomics of callus and suspension cultures. You will also analyze data using bioinformatics tools, coordinate data exchange within the international COCO-AI consortium, and disseminate your findings through scientific publications, your PhD thesis, and broader societal outreach. The research is embedded within the Cell and Developmental Biology chair at Wageningen University & Research, led by Professor Viola Willemsen. You will be supervised by Dr. Renze Heidstra and collaborate with a technician in the Stem Cell Specification and Regeneration team. The COCO-AI project is a collaborative effort involving three universities, four SMEs, and two research and technology organizations across seven countries. Its aim is to establish an AI-optimised plant cell culture platform for sustainable, circular, and digitally enabled production of high-value secondary metabolites. By integrating multi-omics, imaging, and process datasets, the project will enable AI to accelerate callus line development, reduce suspension line development timelines, and consolidate results into standard operating procedures and a transferable AI agent applicable across species. Funding for this position is provided by the EU-Horizon Innovation Actions, covering salary and research expenses. Applicants should have a strong background in plant biology, molecular biology, genetics, or related fields, with experience in bioinformatics, transcriptomics, and phenotyping considered advantageous. Proficiency in English and the ability to work collaboratively in an international team are required. The application process is managed via AcademicTransfer, where candidates should submit their CV, motivation letter, and relevant documents. This position is ideal for candidates passionate about plant science, genetic engineering, and sustainable production technologies, offering the chance to work in a cutting-edge, international research environment.