Post-doc in Molecular genetics of tomato mineral nutrient status

How to best incorporate New Genomic Techniques to solve challenging issues in plant breeding? The recent approval by the European Parliament of new legislation to allow application of gene editing approaches in plant breeding, offers new opportunities to address this. One such challenge is to improve complex traits such as crop tolerance to dynamic environmental conditions in the current era of global climate change and how to best incorporate this in plant breeding strategies.

Anticipating the new legislation, the INPROBED project has been granted, which aims to precisely identify and modify cis-regulatory elements and transcription factor genes that control key physiological pathways to specifically adjust targeted gene expression to reshape complex traits. 

The project will develop a breakthrough science-enabled technology platform to improve tomato heat, drought and nutrient deficiency tolerance and the nutritional status of tomato fruits for human health. In this project, you will investigate the tomato response to Zn and Fe deficiency and design strategies to improve the Zn/Fe nutritional status of tomatoes for human health. 

You will generate dedicated (single-cell) transcriptional data sets feeding into the MNase-defined cistrome occupancy (MOA-seq) analysis of transcription factor binding of tomato promoter elements controlling the Zn and Fe deficiency responsive gene expression. You will design specific constructs to edit transcription factor genes and their target promoters, and analyse the effects of optimized gene expression regulation on plant performance under optimal and field-like conditions at the Netherlands Plant Eco-phenotyping Centre. Your research aims to improve tomato Zn and Fe uptake under regular field conditions and to enhance the Zn and Fe nutritional status of tomato fruits.

INPROBED is part of the prestigious European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder Challenge programme addressing innovative biotechnology for climate resilient crops. It brings together excellent expertise from world-leading European research institutions and companies. You will work closely together with researchers across the consortium to predict and edit targeted gene promoters, to design relevant constructs for gene editing and to evaluate the gene-edited plants to establish this topic firmly into the plant breeding domain.

Within Wageningen University, you will be embedded in the Laboratory of Genetics of the Plant Sciences Group, and collaborate with researchers and thesis students investigating the genetic basis of plant adaptation to the environment, focusing on plant nutrition, metal tolerance and photosynthesis. Your research is expected to deliver fundamental insights into the genetic regulation of tomato gene expression and provide strong experimental validation of the technology platform to improve complex crop traits through gene editing of gene expression regulators.

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• To design the experimental setup for gene expression analysis of tomato response to Zn and Fe deficiency, and of Zn and Fe loading into the developing fruit.
• The biological interpretation of MOA-seq analysis with respect to the tomato response to Zn and Fe deficiency.
• The experimental validation of gene-edited tomato plants with respect to plant growth and development and their ionome under optimal, natural and mineral-stress conditions.
• To establish a fruitful collaboration with international partners in the project and to supervise a part-time technician on the project.
• To write manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals reporting on the results of your research.

Your team

You will work with international partners in the project and with other members in the Botanical Genetics team of the Laboratory of Genetics of Wageningen University, which is led by Prof. Mark Aarts You will work in close collaboration with a technician to be appointed on the project.

You will work here 

Wageningen UR has a global reputation for its ground-breaking research and innovative education in the fields of food and health, sustainable agrosystems, the rural environment, and societal development - all of which make an essential contribution to the quality of life, i.e. the supply of safe and healthy food and drink, on the one hand, and the chance to live, work and play in a balanced ecosystem with a large variety of plants and animals on the other. Within Wageningen UR, the Plant Sciences Group brings together science education and scientific, strategic and applied research in the fields of biology, of plants in relation to their environment, of plant-related organisms and of plant production. The Laboratory of Genetics is interested in heredity in general, in particular the origin, architecture and consequences of genetic variation of a wide range of organisms across the biological kingdoms.

You are an ambitious, curiosity-driven and collaboration-oriented plant scientist, with:

• a strong academic track record and a PhD in plant biotechnology, plant molecular genetics or a related topic;
• experience with plant mineral homeostasis and/or tomato research;
• demonstrated expertise in the analysis of large data-sets;
• a strong interest in experimental research;
• an excellent oral and written English communication skills.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1 .

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;
• 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 of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.706,- and € 5.760,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). ). A contract for 0.8 FTE can be discussed. We initially offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal for another 18 months, subject to satisfactory performance. If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. 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. Mark Aarts, via 0317-485413 or email: mark.aarts@wur.nl .
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Noorien Abbas , Corporate Recruiter, via vacaturemeldingen.psg@wur.nl.

Ready to apply?
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 5 October 2026. The first interviews are scheduled for 15/16 October 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before 11 September 2026.

To apply, please send the following documents:

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

Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered.

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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