PhD Opportunity in Microbial Community Design

Evolutionary Engineering of Synthetic Microbial Communities

As a fully funded PhD candidate, you’ll explore evolutionary engineering strategies to enhance the stability of synthetic microbial communities (SynComs) for applications in medicine, biotechnology, and agriculture. Your research will focus on how (directed) evolution can improve SynCom resistance to perturbations and long-term stability. You’ll also conduct genomic analysis to identify key genetic features, and develop strategies for improving SynComs in bioprocessing contexts.

Requirements:

• MSc in Microbiology, Systems Biology, Biotechnology, or a related field
• Experience with microbial cultivation and genomic analysis
• Strong communication skills in English (C1 level)

What we Offer:

• Fully funded PhD position with a tailored course program
• Gross salary starting at € 2,872, rising to € 3,670 in the fourth year (based on 38 hours/week)
• Excellent benefits, including parental leave, flexible working hours, pension scheme, and access to campus sports facilities
• A collaborative, interdisciplinary work environment on the greenest campus in the Netherlands

Application deadline: October 27, 2024 Start date: January 2025

You will work in the Systems & Synthetic Biology chair group, led by Prof. Maria Suarez-Diez and co-supervised by Pieter Candry and Dr. Jasper Koehorst.

Read more about the job and requirements here: wur.nl/en/vacancy/phd-evolutionary-engineering-of-synthetic-microbial-communities.htm