PhD position - Ecological, Molecular and Genetic Aspects of Nematode-phage Hitchhiking Wageningen • Wageningen University & Research

Do you have a keen interest in microbial interactions between hosts and parasites? Join an interdisciplinary team exploring nematode-associated phages. Engage in fieldwork, lab work, and sequencing analyses to advance understanding of nematode-phage interactions, which could impact soil biodiversity. Enjoy top-tier work-life balance, sports facilities, and a December bonus of 8.3%. Secure your spot at a leading university with a dynamic and international community. Keep reading to see how you can shine in this role.

Your job

Do you have a keen interest in microbial interactions between hosts and parasites? Would you enjoy pursuing PhD combining ecology, molecular biology and genetics? Are you enthusiastic about combining fieldwork, labwork and sequencing analyses? If yes, then we may have the perfect opportunity for you!

The Laboratory of Nematology at Wageningen University & Research is seeking a motivated and curiosity-driven PhD candidate to join an interdisciplinary and collaborative team aimed at discovering and characterizing nematode-associated phages. We recently discovered that soil phages, viruses that infect bacteria, can hitchhike along with nematodes to overcome spatial barriers in their environment. Our team aims to build a model system to understand these newly discovered nematode-phage interactions.

As a PhD candidate in this project you will perform and analyze experiments that cover a combination of field work, microbiology, virology, molecular biology and genome sequencing. Specifically you will;

• isolate phages associated with the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans;
• determine molecular associations between nematodes and phages;
• measure if phage virulence and genetics can change upon hitchhiking.

Thereby, you will contribute to fundamental understanding of nematode-phage interactions that could affect soil biodiversity and nutrient cycling.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Laboratory of Nematology led by prof. Geert Smant. Your daily supervisor will be dr. Lisa van Sluijs, who has expertise on nematode-phage interactions and your co-promotor and promotor will be dr. Mark Sterken and prof. Jan Kammenga who have experience on genomics and the model organism C. elegans. Furthermore your work will be supported by experienced technicians.
Your qualities

You are a person who is highly motivated to perform field and laboratory experiments. You are communicative, creative, able to work accurately, and critically reflect on the results of your work. You are keen to develop your personal skills in the PhD trajectory and look forward to present your findings both orally (at conferences) and written (in your thesis, in academic journals). Ideally, you are also interested to share your qualities by teaching and supervising thesis students.

You also possess:

• a MSc in a relevant field such as microbiology or molecular biology;
• interest and (some) experience in sequencing approaches and bioinformatics;
• experience with (phage) virology or working with the model nematode C. elegans is a plus;
• the ability to work both independently and within a team;
• a very good command of written and oral 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 € 3,059 per month rising to € 3,881 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 Lisa van Sluijs, assistant professor in the Laboratory of Nematology, by e-mail: via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina..

For more information about the procedure, please contact Ine van’t Land, corporate recruiter, by email: via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina..

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 3 November 2025. We hope to schedule the first job interviews starting from 13 November 2025.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

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

Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

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.