The research groups Plant Physiology (Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics) and Molecular and Chemical Ecology (Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences) are seeking for a Postdoctoral researcher for the project SuperPests funded by the EU with several European partners.

Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) pests and subsequent transmission of viruses causes serious losses in the production of crops and in horticulture. As a result of legislation that requires reduced pesticide use, resistance to whitefly has become one of the most important breeding goals in vegetable crops. During the last years it has become clear that whiteflies can suppress part of the natural defenses of plants. Sap feeders such as whitefly and aphids secrete saliva into leaf tissue. These salivary secretions contain so-called 'effectors' that manipulate important steps in the plant's molecular defense network. Breeders can restore resistance by targeting these molecular Achilles heels. This project is aimed at identifying effectors from whitefly and the vegetable proteins with which they interact with proteomics and interaction assays.

You should have a PhD in plant molecular biology or molecular phytopathology and preferentially have experience with protein affinity assays, proteomics, VIGS and plant transformation. Experience with ‘effectors’ and/or with whiteflies is appreciated. You should have excellent communication skills, be willing to supervise students and be keen to work in collaboration with our EU partners.

The appointment will be on a temporary basis for a period of one year. After satisfactory evaluation it will be extended with two more years to a total duration of three years.

Based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week) the gross monthly salary in the first year will range from €2,640 to a maximum of €3,677 in year one (scale 10.8) and a maximum of €4,033 in year three (scale 10.10), depending on the number of years of relevant experience. The salary will be supplemented with 8 % holiday allowance and 8.3 % end-of-year bonus. The Collective Labour Agreement of Dutch Universities is applicable.

University of Amsterdam

With over 5,000 employees, 30,000 students and a budget of more than 600 million euros, the University of Amsterdam (UvA) is an intellectual hub within the Netherlands. Teaching and research at the UvA are conducted within seven faculties: Humanities, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Science, Medicine and Dentistry. Housed on four city campuses in or near the heart of Amsterdam, where disciplines come together and interact, the faculties have close links with thousands of researchers and hundreds of institutions at home and abroad.  

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Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) and Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS)

This project consists of a collaboration between the two biology institutes at the Faculty of Science of the University of Amsterdam (UvA): the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED) and the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS). Together these institutes work to understand the functioning and dynamics in biological systems at all relevant levels, from genes to ecosystems, using a truly multidisciplinary approach in a wide range of fundamental and applied projects.