Postdoctoral researcher in mechanistic modelling and spectroscopy of photosynthesis

Who are we?

The Jan IngenHousz Institute is a philanthropic, open science institution dedicated to improving photosynthesis to enhance crop production. Our goal is to contribute to global food security in the face of climate change, biodiversity challenges, and population growth. Our ambition is to unravel the secrets of photosynthesis in the real world by developing a platform of sensors, methods and fundamental knowledge that enable real world measurements of photosynthesis globally. Our team consists of engineers, data scientists, biochemists, biophysicists, geneticists, and plant breeders, working collaboratively at national and international levels.

The Jan IngenHousz Institute is located on the campus of Wageningen University & Research, and closely collaborates with universities in multiple countries.

What will you do?

You will develop mechanistic, computational ODE models that can explain data from novel sensors and of photosynthesis, substantially contributing to worldwide efforts to develop more productive, sustainable and climate-resilient crops. The successful candidate will also participate directly in experiments to be able to create their own input for their model and develop their own research directions. Collaborations on this project will include working with Prof. Oliver Ebenhöh (Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany) and in-house collaborations at Wageningen University & Research.

Who are you?

• You have completed a PhD in the field of plant sciences, computational modelling or a related field.

• You have skills in coding and computational modelling, mathematics (calculus, linear algebra), statistics and data science.

• You have interest in fundamental processes of biology and eagerness to learn about the most important process on earth, photosynthesis.

• You are a proactive researcher who enjoys working in a solution-oriented manner, motivated to keep learning, and contribute to the institute's ambitions.

• You have good English language skills as you will work in a team of international individuals, where English is the primary language.

What do we offer?

• A position of 38 hours in scale 10 of the NU collective labour agreement (€3345 to €5278). Although we are not covered by a collective agreement, we follow the salary scales of the NU agreement. You will be located at the Jan IngenHousz Institute in Wageningen, NL.

• You will receive 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% year-end bonus.

• We start with a 7-month contract, and if both parties wish to continue collaborating, a 1.5 year contract will follow.

• You will work in an intellectually stimulating and challenging environment.

• You will contribute to building an institute with significant societal relevance.

• We anticipate that over the next few years, more than thirty PhD candidates and sixty postdocs will contribute to the research program. You can pioneer and grow with our institute.

• You will get strong support to develop your own research directions and build your career in science, including publications and development of research proposals.

Response

If you have questions about this position, you can contact Thekla von Bismarck, Research Fellow, Thekla.von.bismarck@jii.org. Send your CV and a short summary of motivations and experience in an email containing the header “position computational modelling” to hrm@jii.org by December 2nd, 2024.