Join our team and make a difference in the field of Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health! WBVR (studying AMR in livestock) seeks a talented PhD candidate to join our efforts in studying the genetics of fluoroquinolones and colistin resistance mechanisms in close collaboration with WFSR (food and feed safety) and RIVM public health).

Be a part of an initiative that aims to uncover the extent and diversity of AMR plasmids and understand the transmission routes in the One Health continuum. Your expertise in whole-genome sequencing will help us gain new insights into the contribution of plasmid-mediated insight into the occurrence of AMR plasmids in the One Health domains and understand the transmission routes.

The PhD candidate based at WBVR in Lelystad will use whole-genome sequencing to study the genetics of fluoroquinolones and colistin resistance mechanisms. These antibiotics are designated by the WHO as critically important antibiotics for human medicine.

The study of existing collections of enterobacterial isolates will reveal the contribution of plasmid-mediated resistance to the epidemiology of fluoroquinolone and colistin resistance.

The PhD student will also use an in vitro model of the broiler caecum to assess the effects of antibiotics on the transfer of resistance encoding plasmids.

You also possess:

• You have successfully completed an MSc degree in Microbiology, Biomedical sciences, Bioinformatics or a related discipline.
• You meet all the entry requirements of the WUR PhD programme.
• You are a team-player with excellent communicative skills that looks forward to collaborate within the host institute and with other partners in the consortium.
• 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.
• Dutch language proficiency is no requirement but is considered an advantage.
• Experience in the field of AMR is considered an advantage.
• Experience in (statistical) analysis of data sets using R, bash and/or python is considered an advantage.

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

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and 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 € 2.541,- per month rising to € 3.247,- 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 18th 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.
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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling. For instance under the "30% rule", certain categories of international staff can receive tax exemption on approximately 30% of their gross salary.

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Research
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, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 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, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.