We are looking for an Early Stage Researcher (ESR) (PhD student) with a great interest in microbial stress responses.

Non Thermal Plasma technology is a novel sustainable processing technology to make clean-label, nutritious food products and provides solutions to antimicrobial resistance. This projects aims to unravel the behaviour of resilient pathogens and spoilage organisms towards Non Thermal Plasma treatment by integrating state-of-the-art functional genomics. You will investigate the variability in resistance between different strains and species, and use mutant libraries and transcriptome analyses to identify cellular target to eliminate microorganisms by Non Thermal Plasma treatments.

You will be given the opportunity to work within a network of international partners in the context of the EC-funded Horizon 2020 MSCA ITN TRANSIT (www.transit-itn.com). TRANSIT will train ESRs who will be capable of creating a transformational change to drive utility of sustainable food technologies through an interdisciplinary action.

Travel
In this ITN consortium, each recruited researcher will be seconded to other partner organisations. For this project two secondments are planned: 2 months in Wageningen at Food and Biobased Research, 2 months in Wageningen at Unilever, as wells as 2 months in Germany. Also attendance in off-site training events and meetings is expected. All travel is fully funded. Additional family allowance is provided if the applicant can provide evidence of eligibility (marriage (equivalent) and/or dependent children) at the beginning of the appointment.

We are looking for an outstanding candidate with the ability to excel in research. The candidate must be eager to learn and gain new experiences. Specific skills needed for the position are:

• An excellent academic (MSc) record in (food) microbiology, biology, biotechnology;
• familiarity with functional genomics is considered an advantage;
• networking and communication skills: you should have a goal-oriented and well-organized personality, you should have the capability to learn rapidly and sustainably;
• creative researcher, being independent yet at the same time being a team player;
• excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
• willingness to be involved in teaching activities.

For general information on the PhD programme at Wageningen University, please see:
https://www.wur.nl/en/Education-Programmes/PhD-Programme.htm.

Eligibility Criteria
As the project is funded within MSCA, researchers can be of any nationality but need to demonstrate transnational mobility. To be eligible applicants must satisfy the requirements that apply to all ITN Early Stage Researchers, see: www.transit-itn.com/vacancies.

We offer you a research project with high value in The Laboratory of Food Microbiology of Wageningen University which consists of a dynamic international group of food microbiologists; state of the art infrastructure to conduct your research and close national and international collaboration with other researchers.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights are:

• Working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• paid parental leave;
• the option to accrue additional 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.

We offer you a temporary position for a period of 1.5 years with extension of 2.5 years after a successful Go-No Go evaluation. We offer you a fully financed research project. Gross salary will consist of a monthly living allowance topped up with a mobility allowance according to Marie Curie guidelines based on a fulltime employment for the first 3 years, followed by a year of payment according to Dutch national PhD salaries. Taxation and Social (including Pension) Contribution deductions based on National and institute regulations will apply (see also Marie Curie Career development information ).

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University and 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, 6.500 employees and 12.500 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen's unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.