PhD in Food Microbiology Wageningen • Wageningen University & Research

Join the innovative SHIELT project as a PhD candidate, focusing on the shelf-life of plant-based meat alternatives. Develop cutting-edge predictive microbiology and risk assessment tools to enhance sustainability and reduce food waste. Collaborate with top researchers and industry partners, while enjoying benefits like partially paid parental leave, flexible work hours, and access to campus sports facilities. Contribute to groundbreaking research and publish your findings in esteemed journals. See how this role can help you achieve your professional goals.

Your job

As PhD candidate, you will be part of the project SHIELT – Shelf-life for plant-based meat alternatives. This project aims to develop predictive microbiology and risk assessment tools to support safe-by-design development of plant-based meat alternatives improving supply chain sustainability and limiting food waste. The novelty of the project relies on the development of multi-species prediction models and risk assessment frameworks describing the dynamics and interactions of spoilage microorganisms and pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes and Bacillus cereus in plant-based products. The SHIELT project is in collaboration with Wageningen Food Biobased Research (WFBR) and various industrial partners.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• use experimental and literature data to develop mathematical microbial kinetics models and quantitative risk assessments;
• develop user-friendly tools for quality and safety assessment of plant-based meat analogues;
• supervise BSc and MSc thesis research projects;
• participate in education as supervisor;
• publish results and findings in peer reviewed journals.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the laboratory of Food Microbiology, and member of the FHM team, which is led by Prof. Marcel Zwietering. You will be co-supervised by Dr Cristina Serra-Castelló and Prof. Heidy den Besten.
Your qualities

• a successfully completed MSc degree in a relevant field, such as Food Safety, Data Science, Food Science, Biotechnology;
• experience in predictive modelling and quantitative microbial risk assessment approaches;
• experience with relevant software tools and programming languages such as R or Python;
• an interest in working together with people from the food industry;
• you are an ambitious and highly motivated scientist;
• you are a creative researcher, being independent yet at the same time being a team player;
• you have excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.
We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 3059,-. per month rising to € 3881,-  in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 20th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.
Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Cristina Serra, Assistant Professor, telephone or by e-mail: via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina..

For more information about the procedure, please contact Rutger Voorrips, Sr corporate recruiter, by email: via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina..

Do you want to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website.
Please note that: only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including Friday 12th of September 2025. We hope to schedule the first job interviews in the week of Monday 15th of September.

Additional information form
For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. 

Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.