Phd position: Accelerating genetic progress in methane reduction

Are you looking for a PhD and interested in animal breeding? Then, this PhD vacancy may be of interest to you.

PhD position combining high dimensional data for the genomic prediction of methane emissions.

Wageningen University & Research’s Animal Breeding and Genomics group leads the Global Methane Genetics (GMG) initiative in collaboration with the Global Methane Hub and the Bezos Earth Fund. The global program with more than 50 partners across 25 countries aims to accelerate genetic progress in methane emission in ruminants in the Global North and South. The PhD will work in an international setting, and their work will be critical to underpin the success of this initiative. 

Operating animal breeding programs is a complex task and outcomes of a certain decision in practice often becoming apparent only after several years. Therefore, effective and long-term breeding programs require reliable insights in the consequence of selection. One of the key elements is the estimation of breeding values for individual animals, combining phenotypes, pedigree and DNA information. Breeding values allow breeders to rank the animals and subsequently select the best animals to breed the next generation. 

Next to the rapid increase of DNA information and its use in genetic evaluations, the dimensionality and complexity of genetic evaluations are expanding rapidly. For example, for methane emission different recording techniques might be used, records might be collected at different biological stages or in different environments, and highly dimensional indicator traits, like microbiome or mid infra-red measurements, might be available. In the ideal world, the quantitative genetic framework will used to analyse all traits  simultaneously and using the correct variance components, such that all  available information can be optimised in genetic evaluations and breeding program design. 

However, estimation of many (co)variance components and the combination of a small dataset with many traits is giving estimation problems. More parsimonious models are required For example, factor analytical models might provide a solution to estimate variance components using rank reduction to reduce dimensionality of the available datasets.   

As a PhD student, you will work on:

• using (inter-)national datasets of different cattle breeds to estimate variance components between different traits, including methane emissions at different biological stages and in different environments, and including high-dimensional microbiome data;
• investigating the accuracy of estimation the variance component and the robustness of factor analytical models;
• contributing to the development of variance component estimation software;
• translating methodological developments into practical insights for breeding organizations and stakeholders.

Your other duties and responsibilities include:

• communicating and disseminating results through presentations at scientific conferences and by writing scientific articles and a PhD thesis;
• attending PhD courses as part of the graduate education program.

• a highly motivated person with a strong interest in methanogenesis and the estimation of variance components to optimize animal breeding programs and to support the reduction of methane emissions;
• a strong interest in statistical models, genomic prediction, and quantitative genetics, preferably with experience with one of more packages to estimate variance components and/or in R;
• a desire to further develop advanced computational, modelling and algorithmic research skills, and utilize these developments into practical breeding applications;
• high-level communication, scientific writing and presentation skills;
• fluency in spoken and written English;
• the ability to work in close contact with industry and breeding organisations;
• the ability to work effectively as part of a large international and interdisciplinary team of students and researchers;
• the ability to work independently.

You also possess: 

• a successfully completed MSc degree in Animal Breeding and Genomics, Statistics, Mathematics, or related field:
• experience in at least one language: Fortran or R (or similar):
• additional experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable:
  • big data analytics
  • quantitative genetics
  • variance component estimation
  • working with Linux and HPC systems

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.

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

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• 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 year-end 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. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3,059.- per month rising to 3,881.- in the fourth year for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). We offer you a temporary contract for the duration of 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

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. 

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. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

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 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 Roel Veerkamp, via email: roel.veerkamp@wur.nl or Esther Ellen, hiring manager, via email esther.ellen@wur.nl. 
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Dax Teunissen, Corporate Recruiter, via recruitment.asg@wur.nl.

Ready to apply?

You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

To apply, please send the following documents (max. 3 pages in total for both documents):

• Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae;
• Motivation letter.

The maximum length of the documents must not exceed 3 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered. 

Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered.
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 Wednesday March 18, 2026. The interviews are scheduled for Monday March 30 and Tuesday March 31, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before Thursday February 26, 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.

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