Take the next step in your research career and contribute to pioneering discoveries at the forefront of plant immunity, effector biology, and sustainable crop improvement.
The molecular interaction of pathogen effectors and plant immune receptors is key to understanding disease resistance. We use a diverse collection of wild Solanum species to identify and characterize immune receptors involved in resistance to potato pathogens, using functional assays with pathogen effectors. Within the framework of a TKI project entitled “Roots for resilience: Harnessing effectors to achieve resistance to Verticillium in potato”, a postdoctoral position is available, at WUR Plant Breeding in Wageningen.
In this project, the postdoc will investigate the molecular interactions between Verticillium effectors and immune receptors from resistant plants harnessing selected effectors to clone and characterize novel resistance gene(s) from wild potato species. With these studies we aim to gain fundamental insights that will support long-term strategies for sustainable potato cultivation.
As postdoc, your main responsibility will be performing research related to the TKI project, but you are also an active member of the effectoromics team. You are a mentor to PhD and MSc students, and you assist in PBR courses.
Your duties and responsibilities include: Research, perform the project.
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Supervise MSc students and technician in the project.
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Join supervising PhD students in the team who work on other projects.
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Participate in teaching courses.
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Interaction with academic collaborators and breeding companies, management tasks related to scientific leadership.
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Present your results in presentations, progress reports for companies participating in the project and in scientific publications.
Your team
You will work in the ‘Effectoromics’ team within WUR Plant Breeding, which consists of various PhD students, two scientists, one technician, and varying numbers of MSc students.
You will work here
Information about chair group Laboratory of Plant Breeding | WUR.
This position is part of the Academic Career Framework (ACF) at Wageningen University & Research.
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You are an ambitious and talented scientist with a strong interest pursuing a career in molecular plant-microbe interactions.
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You are a team player, who is always ready to help students and colleagues in the lab, bioinformatics analyses, etc..
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You have experience with teaching and you enjoy working with students. You are a good supervisor for MSc students and you are motivated to contribute to higher education.
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You have experience in the field of molecular plant-microbe interactions and you have affinity with research on disease resistance in potato.
You also possess:
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A PhD in molecular biology, or phytopathology.
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Work experience in molecular plant-microbe interactions, ideally focused on potato pathogens.
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Good technical skills in molecular biology and biochemistry lab techniques, gene editing tools, diverse bioinformatic tools a.o. for molecular genetics, protein structure predictions, and plant assays such as diseases tests and effector assays in the greenhouse.
In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
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sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
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working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
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there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
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a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
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excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.547,- and € 5.538,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Additionally, a contract for 1 FTE can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a three year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.
Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended on good performance, for the duration of the project (4 years).
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. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs 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.
For more information about the position, please contact Vivianne Vleeshouwers, Associate Professor, via email: [email protected].
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Ine van 't Land, Corporate Recruiter, via email: [email protected].
Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
You can apply up to and including 1 August 2026. The first interviews will be scheduled soon after the closing date. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before July 14, 2026.
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.
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 the video below to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
