Join Us!
Plant roots are colonized by highly diverse microbial communities which contribute essential functions for health and development of their hosts. Importantly, every plant species accommodates their own specific microbiome. In turn, bacteria seem to preferentially colonize certain hosts, which comes with a competitive advantage during invasion events. An open, intriguing question is how preferential colonization – previously detected through DNA sequencing and quantification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene – is established on the living root in a spatiotemporal manner. Knowing what enables commensals within a community context to compete for their host will allow for informed design of and plant treatment with beneficial bacterial consortia in an agricultural setting.
This is what you will do
The goal of this project is to identify spatiotemporal patterns of bacterial root colonization within microbial communities.This will allow us to increase resolution beyond endpoint description of bacterial community composition to unravel how colonization dynamics are influenced by the presence or arrival of other bacterial species, and which role root metabolites play in this context.
You will employ a combination of molecular biology, fluorescence microscopy, and advanced metabolomics to decipher so far unknown patterns of root colonization of commensal bacteria on the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Lotus japonicus. Specifically, you will investigate if bacterial strains reside in specific niches along the host root, if this behavior is linked to the utilization of host-specific metabolites, and if strains with strong host preference can displace others. Importantly, you will use bacterial strains from our two host-specific culture collections, which initially allowed us to investigate host preference phenotypes. You will start by constructing fluorescence-tagged strains of diverse bacterial taxa. You will co-cultivate bacterial communities with plants under controlled conditions and determine colonization behavior along the plant roots via microscopy. Finally, you willidentify root-secreted compounds differentially abundant between Arabidopsis and Lotus, and link changes in colonization patterns to the presence of other strains and host-specific metabolite utilization.
Tasks and responsibilities:
- Perform your experiments in a systematic and well controlled manner and keep accurate records by properly documenting and organizing your work.
- Be an active member of the research group and take responsibility for shared tasks.
- Discuss your work with group members and during department meetings to incorporate feedback and give input to others.
- Take a leading role in writing and publishing manuscripts.
- Supervise Bachelor and Master internships and tutor students.
Ownership and Initiative: We are particularly interested in candidates who can take ownership of their research project and demonstrate initiative in driving their work forward. As a postdoc, you will have the opportunity to shape the direction of your research and contribute novel ideas to the field.
You will get the opportunity to:
- present your results at (inter)national scientific conferences;
- expand your academic, professional, and personal skills;
- thrive in a team that values impactful research and mutual support;
- contribute to science communication and outreach activities;
- get access to state-of-the art research facilities at UvA and collaboration partners;
- participate in training courses of the UvA and the Graduate School of Experimental Plant Sciences (EPS).
What we ask of you
Your experience and profile:
- You possess a PhD degree in the field of plant-microbe interactions, microbiology, or molecular plant biology.
- You have demonstrated hands-on experience with several of the following techniques: fluorescence/confocal microscopy, DNA cloning, transformation and cultivation of bacteria, plant bioassays with microorganisms, (spatial) metabolite analysis.
- You are a committed researcher, demonstrated by publications in international academic journals and academic publishers.
- You communicate fluently in English, both verbally and in writing.
This is what we offer you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 24 months with a probationary period of two months. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible.
The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between €3.546 and €5.538 This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.
Besides the salary and a vibrant and empowering environment at Science Park, we offer you multiple fringe benefits:
- 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime employment);
- multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
- the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
- help with finding housing (studio or small apartment) when you are moving from abroad.
Curious about our extensive secondary benefits package? You can read more about it here.
You will work in this team
If you enjoy working in an interdisciplinary research team and are eager to contribute to the understanding of how plants interact with other organisms, then the Plant Hormone Biology group is the place to be. We are an international and diverse team of 20+ members, including post-docs, PhD candidates, and technicians with expertise in various scientific areas. We use molecular biology, microbiology, analytical chemistry, and biochemistry to study the crosstalk between organisms and how abundance and function of the root microbiota affect plant performance, including under a range of stresses. Our research is aimed at improving plant performance and resistance and harnessing the potential of beneficial root microbes in crops for sustainable food production with reduced inputs. We build our success on a healthy, collaborative, and social work life, in which we share both progress and setbacks.
Information about the Faculty of Science and the Swammerdam Institute
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
The Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) is located at the vibrant Amsterdam Science Park. SILS is one of eight institutes of the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science (FNWI). With around 240 employees, SILS carries out internationally high-quality life science research and provides education within various university programs. Research is also carried out in close cooperation with the medical, biotech, chemical, flavor, food & agricultural, and high-tech industries, and revolves around 4 main themes, Cell & Systems biology, Neurosciences, Microbiology and Green Life Sciences.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
Are you an enthusiastic scientist and excited about plant-microbial interactions? Have you always wondered how bacteria colonize different plant roots and how this affects the host and other bacteria? Then we invite you to join and complement our plant-microbiome group as a postdoc to help unravel spatiotemporal colonization patterns of bacterial communities along plant roots.
Join Us!
Plant roots are colonized by highly diverse microbial communities which contribute essential functions for health and development of their hosts. Importantly, every plant species accommodates their own specific microbiome. In turn, bacteria seem to preferentially colonize certain hosts, which comes with a competitive advantage during invasion events. An open, intriguing question is how preferential colonization – previously detected through DNA sequencing and quantification of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene – is established on the living root in a spatiotemporal manner. Knowing what enables commensals within a community context to compete for their host will allow for informed design of and plant treatment with beneficial bacterial consortia in an agricultural setting.
This is what you will do
The goal of this project is to identify spatiotemporal patterns of bacterial root colonization within microbial communities.This will allow us to increase resolution beyond endpoint description of bacterial community composition to unravel how colonization dynamics are influenced by the presence or arrival of other bacterial species, and which role root metabolites play in this context.
You will employ a combination of molecular biology, fluorescence microscopy, and advanced metabolomics to decipher so far unknown patterns of root colonization of commensal bacteria on the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Lotus japonicus. Specifically, you will investigate if bacterial strains reside in specific niches along the host root, if this behavior is linked to the utilization of host-specific metabolites, and if strains with strong host preference can displace others. Importantly, you will use bacterial strains from our two host-specific culture collections, which initially allowed us to investigate host preference phenotypes. You will start by constructing fluorescence-tagged strains of diverse bacterial taxa. You will co-cultivate bacterial communities with plants under controlled conditions and determine colonization behavior along the plant roots via microscopy. Finally, you willidentify root-secreted compounds differentially abundant between Arabidopsis and Lotus, and link changes in colonization patterns to the presence of other strains and host-specific metabolite utilization.
Tasks and responsibilities:
- Perform your experiments in a systematic and well controlled manner and keep accurate records by properly documenting and organizing your work.
- Be an active member of the research group and take responsibility for shared tasks.
- Discuss your work with group members and during department meetings to incorporate feedback and give input to others.
- Take a leading role in writing and publishing manuscripts.
- Supervise Bachelor and Master internships and tutor students.
Ownership and Initiative: We are particularly interested in candidates who can take ownership of their research project and demonstrate initiative in driving their work forward. As a postdoc, you will have the opportunity to shape the direction of your research and contribute novel ideas to the field.
You will get the opportunity to:
- present your results at (inter)national scientific conferences;
- expand your academic, professional, and personal skills;
- thrive in a team that values impactful research and mutual support;
- contribute to science communication and outreach activities;
- get access to state-of-the art research facilities at UvA and collaboration partners;
- participate in training courses of the UvA and the Graduate School of Experimental Plant Sciences (EPS).
What we ask of you
Your experience and profile:
- You possess a PhD degree in the field of plant-microbe interactions, microbiology, or molecular plant biology.
- You have demonstrated hands-on experience with several of the following techniques: fluorescence/confocal microscopy, DNA cloning, transformation and cultivation of bacteria, plant bioassays with microorganisms, (spatial) metabolite analysis.
- You are a committed researcher, demonstrated by publications in international academic journals and academic publishers.
- You communicate fluently in English, both verbally and in writing.
This is what we offer you
We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 24 months with a probationary period of two months. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible.
The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between €3.546 and €5.538 This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.
Besides the salary and a vibrant and empowering environment at Science Park, we offer you multiple fringe benefits:
- 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime employment);
- multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
- the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
- help with finding housing (studio or small apartment) when you are moving from abroad.
Curious about our extensive secondary benefits package? You can read more about it here.
You will work in this team
If you enjoy working in an interdisciplinary research team and are eager to contribute to the understanding of how plants interact with other organisms, then the Plant Hormone Biology group is the place to be. We are an international and diverse team of 20+ members, including post-docs, PhD candidates, and technicians with expertise in various scientific areas. We use molecular biology, microbiology, analytical chemistry, and biochemistry to study the crosstalk between organisms and how abundance and function of the root microbiota affect plant performance, including under a range of stresses. Our research is aimed at improving plant performance and resistance and harnessing the potential of beneficial root microbes in crops for sustainable food production with reduced inputs. We build our success on a healthy, collaborative, and social work life, in which we share both progress and setbacks.
Information about the Faculty of Science and the Swammerdam Institute
The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.
The Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences (SILS) is located at the vibrant Amsterdam Science Park. SILS is one of eight institutes of the University of Amsterdam's Faculty of Science (FNWI). With around 240 employees, SILS carries out internationally high-quality life science research and provides education within various university programs. Research is also carried out in close cooperation with the medical, biotech, chemical, flavor, food & agricultural, and high-tech industries, and revolves around 4 main themes, Cell & Systems biology, Neurosciences, Microbiology and Green Life Sciences.
Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.
Job application
If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the application button. We accept applications until and including May 31st 2026.
Contact
If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact:
- Dr. Kathrin Wippel, Assistant Professor
- Email: k.wippel@uva.nl
Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file):
- a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
- a letter of motivation;
- the names and email addresses of two references who can provide letters of recommendation.
A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.
(for details: national knowledge security guidelines)
