PhD position: Tomato resistance to leaf mould disease

Are you interested in exploring the genetic potential of plant resistance? Do you enjoy the challenge of applying molecular and genetic approaches to unravel the plant-fungus interaction? Are you a highly motivated researcher with an interest in developing resistant crops for a sustainable agriculture? Then this vacancy may be of interest to you.

Tomato production worldwide is increasingly threatened by leaf mould disease caused by the fungus Fulvia fulva. Current resistance strategies are frequently overcome by pathogen evolution. The aim of this PhD project is to discover novel tomato genes for durable resistance to leaf mould disease and to develop next-generation predictive breeding strategies.This PhD project is embedded in a large public-private partnership consortium with multiple breeding companies. 

Your duties and responsibilities: 

In this project, you will work closely together with a (post-doctoral) researcher and technicians on uncovering and characterizing novel tomato immune receptors (encoded by Cf resistance genes) that recognize fungal effector proteins (extracellular proteins, Ecps), and will contribute to building a predictive framework for durable resistance. 

You will operate at the interface of wet-lab biology and computational biology, with an emphasis on data-driven discovery. Your tasks include:

• Cloning and functional validation of candidate immune receptors
• Contributing to AI-driven prediction pipelines for receptor–effector interactions
• Experimental validation of computational predictions
• Interfacing with breeding partners to translate findings into applications
• Writing and defending a PhD thesis

Your team: 

You will work closely with colleagues in multidisciplinary teams of the research group of “Breeding for Resistance” at WUR Plant Breeding, and the “Receptor Biology” group at the Laboratory of Phytopathology of WUR. In addition, you will collaborate with partners from eight breeding companies participating in this project. You will be supervised by a supervision team including Prof. Dr. Yuling Bai, Dr. Jaap Wolters and Dr. Anne-marie Wolters (from Plant Breeding), and Dr. Matthieu Joosten and Dr. Christiaan Schol (from Phytopathology). 

You will work here 

Plant Breeding, Wageningen University & Research is a merged unit of Wageningen Research and Wageningen University composed of around 200 people including MSc and PhD students and guest workers. It is a highly international group with more than 30 nationalities, organized in ten research groups. We conduct fundamental, strategic and applied research and provide teaching at all educational (BSc, MSc and PhD) levels. Our research focusses on the genetic basis of traits which are relevant to achieve a sustainable agri- and horticulture. We conduct this research often in partnership with breeding companies, local, regional and state governments.

Phytopathology,  Wageningen University & Research (Laboratory of Phytopathology | WUR), with around 40 people including PIs, post-docs, MSc and PhD students and guest workers. We conduct fundamental, strategic and applied research and provide teaching at the BSc, MSc and PhD level. We study the biology of fungi, oomycetes and bacteria, with the aim to understand and predict their functioning in agricultural and natural ecosystems. This is accomplished by hypothesis-driven research on the molecular and genetic interactions between plants, pathogens and their environment, including the microbiome, and by studying populations. An important research topic is to understand the molecular dialogue between host and pathogen. Furthermore, we aim to understand how plants recognize and resist pathogens. On a different scale, from a population genomics point of view, we study how ecological and evolutionary processes interactively result in disease outbreaks. Finally, we work on the translation of our knowledge to practical applications that can be employed by farmers and food producers.

We are looking for an ambitious, enthusiastic candidate skilled in genetics, proteomics, plant breeding and/or phytopathology with a collaborative attitude, affinity for Bioinformatics and a keen interest in resistance breeding. 

The candidate should have most of the following qualifications:

• You have a successfully completed an MSc degree in Plant Sciences, Plant Breeding, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or a related field
• An enthusiastic, problem-solving person who likes to combine lab and greenhouse work
• Experience with molecular techniques and proteomics
• Strong interest in plant–microbe interactions
• Demonstrated affinity with bioinformatics and data analysis
• (Basic) experience with scripting (Python, R, or similar)
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English
• A team player who can also work independently 

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.
The gross salary for the first year is € 3.059,- per month rising to € 3.881,-  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. 

We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

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. 

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, dual career programs 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 Prof. Dr. Yuling Bai, bai.yuling@wur.nl, Plant Breeding, and/or Christiaan Schol via christiaan.schol@wur.nl and/or Dr.Matthieu Joosten via matthieu.joosten@wur.nl .

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, via email: vacaturemeldingen.psg@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 (max 2 pages);
• Motivation letter (max 1 page).

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.

You can apply until 8 June 2026. We anticipate that the interviews will take place in  mid June 2026.

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure

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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