Are you fascinated by microbiology and the microbial interactions that have shaped our planet and all life upon it? And would you like to delve into metagenomic datasets to uncover the complexities of host-virus interactions and their role in Ecology and Evolution? Become a part of our team as a PhD candidate and dive into the unexplored microbial world using bioinformatics!

Asgard archaea, are recognised as the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. Metagenomic recovery and analysis of Asgard genomes have allowed us to identify proteins within this group of prokaryotes that were previously considered exclusive eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs). Despite recent descriptions of viruses and other mobile genetic elements (MGEs) infecting Asgard archaea, the impact of these interactions on eukaryogenesis and the development of ESPs remains largely unexplored.

In this PhD project, you will delve into the influence of MGEs on the evolution of Asgard archaea using forefront bioinformatics. Your work will include developing innovative computational methods to extract viral genomes from metagenomic datasets, creating novel approaches to associate viruses with their hosts, and establishing precise and reproducible methods for annotating viral genomes. During this project, you will join a dynamic and diverse research team in the Department of Microbiology at the Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), where you will have opportunities for collaboration and to provide viral information in different scientific contexts and contribute with a teaching workload up to 10% of your working time.

• You hold a Master's degree in Microbiology, Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or a related field.
• You are proficient in English and have good communication skills.You are enthusiastic, curious and open-minded.
• You have at least basic programming skills in languages such as Python, Bash, or R.
• You can work independently as well as in a team.
• You are enthusiastic, curious, and open-minded.
• Prior experience in microbiology research and environmental metagenomics is advantageous.

Fixed-term contract: You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract).

• Employment for 0.8 (5 year contract) - 1.0 FTE (4 year contract).
• The gross starting salary amounts to €2,770 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,539 in the fourth year onwards(salary scale P).
• You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
• You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract) or 3.5 years (5 year contract).
• You will be able to use our Dual Career and Family Care Services. Our Dual Career and Family Care Officer can assist you with family-related support, help your partner or spouse prepare for the local labour market, provide customized support in their search for employment and help your family settle in Nijmegen.
• Working for us means getting extra days off. In case of full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the legally allotted 20.

Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes.

The Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES) aims to perform world-leading research in order to understand the response of the natural environment to human impact. Researchers within RIBES are working on the overarching research mission ’Towards Healthy Ecosystems’, with four focus areas: I. Macronutrients and chemicals of emerging concern, II. Physical conditions: understanding responses and adaptation mechanism to stressors, III. Biodiversity decline and recovery of ecological communities, and IV. Mitigation of greenhouse gasses. With this knowledge, RIBES contributes to mitigating ecosystem degradation and finding solutions to restore the natural environment. Research at RIBES encompasses three major groups of organisms, namely microorganisms, plants and animals, and spans nearly all levels of biological organisation. The institute is organised in four departments: Ecology, Physiology, Environmental Science, and Microbiology.

The Microbiology Department comprises an enthusiastic and devoted team of scholars that closely collaborate in a flat organisational structure. Harmonious and productive collaboration and synergy are key to our success. At our faculty, institute, and department, we have state-of-the-art equipment for sequencing and data analysis, light and electron microscopy, a large bioreactor facility as well as infrastructure for anaerobic microbiology, and facilities for biochemical, molecular and physiological work. Our mission is to conduct research at the forefront of microbial ecology and physiology with the main aim of understanding the diversity of micro-organisms responsible for the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen and carbon (methane). In close collaboration with other RIBES groups and external partners, we pay special attention to host-microbe interactions. In addition, in close collaboration with stakeholders and industrial and other partners, we collaborate on the development of microbial applications in sustainable drinking water production and wastewater treatment systems in order to remove nitrogen, methane and micropollutants (contaminants of emerging concern, or CECs). We focus on four research themes: 1. Nitrogen cycle microbiology, 2. Carbon/methane cycle microbiology, 3. Host-microbe interactions, and 4. Bioremediation. We contribute to this collaboration on these four themes through our expertise in metabolomics, cell biology and biochemistry, environmental microbiology, biotechnology, microbial physiology and bioinformatics.


Radboud University
At Radboud University, we aim to make an impact through our work. We achieve this by conducting groundbreaking research, providing high-quality education, offering excellent support, and fostering collaborations within and outside the university. In doing so, we contribute indispensably to a healthy, free world with equal opportunities for all. To accomplish this, we need even more colleagues who, based on their expertise, are willing to search for answers. We advocate for an inclusive community and welcome employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. Will you also contribute to making the world a little better? You have a part to play.
 
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