Research Focus and Project Scope

The doctoral student will work on an interdisciplinary project investigating how environmental changes, watershed hydrology, and land-use practices alter stream metabolism, greenhouse gas dynamics, and aquatic nutrient cycling. Key research areas include:

• Stream Metabolism & Biogeochemistry: Studying the pathways of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus transport in forested and urban stream networks.
• Ecosystem Modeling & Data Fusion: Using long-term in situ sensor networks and hydro-climatological datasets to model aquatic ecosystem responses to extreme weather events.
• Cross-Scale Connections: Analyzing how watershed hydrology drives nutrient loading and shapes downstream river and lake food webs.

Funding and Training

• Fully funded Ph.D. assistantship, including competitive monthly stipend, full tuition waiver, and health insurance.
• Joint mentorship from Dr. Emily Bernhardt and Dr. Lauren Lowman, providing training in both field biogeochemistry and advanced numerical modeling.
• Access to state-of-the-art analytical chemistry facilities, environmental sensor networks, and high-performance computing clusters.

Preferred Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Ecology, Biogeochemistry, Hydrology, Environmental Engineering, Biology, or related field.
• Prior experience conducting aquatic field sampling or laboratory chemical analysis.
• Strong quantitative interests, with experience or willingness to learn statistical programming (especially R or Python) and data modeling.
• Excellent communication and collaborative skills.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should contact the principal investigators directly via email. Please send a single PDF containing your cover letter describing your research experiences and interest in the position, CV, unofficial academic transcripts, and contact information for two references. The application deadline is October 15, 2025.

Available Positions

1. Ph.D. Position in Nature-Based Coastal Protection (Scheveningen)

The Ph.D. project is part of the European CORRAL consortium (28 partners across 9 countries). In collaboration with the Municipality of The Hague, the researcher will study the development of a “Growing Dune Landscape” in Scheveningen. Inspired by the famous Zandmotor (Sand Motor), the project uses natural, wind-driven sediment processes and vegetation dynamics to strengthen urban sandy coastal defenses.

• Research Tasks: Conduct fieldwork using remote sensing, drones, and GPS surveys; model dune-beach dynamics using the AeoLiS software; translate scientific data into guidelines for municipal stakeholders.
• Requirements: M.Sc. in Hydraulic Engineering, Civil Engineering, Physical Geography, or related fields; strong interest in coastal environmental modeling; programming skills (Python or similar).

2. Postdoctoral Position in AI & Geoportals for Climate Risk (HARCCA)

The Postdoctoral project forms part of the HARCCA initiative (22 partners across Europe). The researcher will lead the technical development of the DIGI-ADAPT platform, an AI-powered geoportal that aggregates and visualizes multi-hazard climate risk and socio-economic data for coastal communities.

• Research Tasks: Lead software architecture and data integration for the DIGI-ADAPT platform; develop AI/machine-learning models for risk prediction; conduct stakeholder workshops and demonstrations across Europe.
• Requirements: Ph.D. in Computer Science, Hydro-informatics, Civil Engineering, or similar; strong software development and programming skills (Python, SQL, PyTorch); track record of peer-reviewed publications.

Employment Conditions and Relocation Support

• Full-time, fully funded contracts under the Dutch Collective Labour Agreement for Universities (CAO-NU).
• Ph.D. salary ranges from €3,059 to €3,881 gross/month (with 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus).
• Postdoc salary ranges from €3,546 to €5,538 gross/month.
• TU Delft offers comprehensive relocation services (“Coming to Delft Service”), including housing assistance, visa sponsorship, and partner career support.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via TU Delft’s online recruitment portal by June 1, 2026. Please submit your CV, motivation letter, and academic transcripts. The expected start date is October 1, 2026.

Research Focus and Scientific Environment

The university is seeking an internationally visible scientist to establish an innovative research program in plant and algal biotechnology. Candidates working with microalgae, seaweed, or plant model systems are highly encouraged to apply. Preferred research areas include:

• Synthetic Biology: Designing engineered biological circuits and pathways for industrial, bioenergy, or sustainable agricultural applications.
• Metabolic & Organelle Engineering: Modifying cellular processes to optimize the production of high-value compounds, proteins, or pigments in plants and algae.
• AI-Driven Biological Regulation: Integrating data-driven approaches and artificial intelligence to model signaling networks and metabolic pathways.
• Signal Processing & Synthetic Signaling: Engineering scale-spanning biological processes to understand how plant and algal systems adapt to environmental stress.

The professorship will be closely integrated with the Freiburg Excellence Cluster CIBSS (Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies), Collaborative Research Centers (SFBs), and international research consortia.

Teaching Responsibilities

The professor will contribute to teaching across Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in Biology, Biotechnology, and Advanced Plant Sciences. This includes participation in Freiburg’s trinational degree program in Biotechnology. Teaching is conducted in English and German; candidates are expected to teach in German or show willingness to acquire the language.

Required Qualifications

• Habilitation, junior professorship, or equivalent academic record in plant biotechnology, molecular plant sciences, or related biological fields.
• High-impact publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Proven track record of securing competitive third-party research funding.
• Academic leadership experience and commitment to mentoring early-career researchers.

How to Apply

Applications (referencing Position ID 00005002) must be submitted to the Dean of the Faculty of Biology via email (application@biologie.uni-freiburg.de) by July 10, 2026. Please include your CV, degree certificates, publication list, a 3-page research statement, external funding history, and teaching portfolio.

Research Project Focus: New Chempraxis 2.0

Chemical contamination in drinking water, surface water, and wastewater effluents is a global threat to aquatic ecosystems, wildlife biodiversity, and public health. Hosted under the VINNOVA-funded research initiative New Chempraxis 2.0, the postdoctoral researcher will develop and apply advanced statistical and computational models to assess the hazardousness of complex chemical mixtures in Swedish water systems. The primary goal is to contribute to a digital decision-support tool that regulatory authorities and utility companies can use to manage water quality and contamination risk.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply machine learning, exposure modeling, and statistical analysis to large-scale environmental monitoring datasets.
• Integrate in vitro cell line and in vivo animal toxicity data to evaluate the hazardous properties of suspected contaminants.
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary research consortium composed of 12 corporate partners and universities.
• Write scientific manuscripts and present research results at international environmental chemistry and toxicology conferences.

Position Benefits and Employment Conditions

• Duration: 2 years (100% full-time).
• Research Environment: Located at the modern Natrium research building in Gothenburg.
• Offers attractive Swedish public-sector benefits, including occupational pension, health insurance, and paid vacation.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Data Science, Environmental Chemistry, Statistics, or closely related quantitative fields.
• Strong experience in statistical data analysis and programming (R or Python).
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English.
• Prior experience with hazard modeling, environmental risk assessment, or toxicology is highly preferred.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the University of Gothenburg’s online recruitment system under reference number PAR 2026/423 by the application deadline of June 2, 2026. Please include a cover letter, CV, Ph.D. certificate, and complete publication list.

Research Focus and Context

This PhD track is part of WUR’s new Digital Biology investment programme, titled “Digital Biology – Integrating Behaviour, Health and Biodiversity in Animal Science.” The programme consists of seven interconnected PhD positions carried out jointly by Wageningen University, Wageningen Livestock Research (WLR), and Wageningen Marine Research (WMR).

Modern breeding programs for terrestrial livestock and aquaculture species face complex, multi-objective optimization challenges, including genetic diversity preservation, production efficiency, climate resilience, and animal welfare. The PhD candidate will develop AI-based decision-support and optimization tools to address these challenges, with a strong focus on livestock and fish breeding programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and evaluate machine learning and deep learning algorithms for genetic selection and breeding program optimization.
• Simulate breeding strategies under various environmental, economic, and genetic scenarios.
• Integrate genomic datasets, phenotypic data, and environmental parameters into predictive AI models.
• Collaborate with other PhD students in the Digital Biology programme and industry partners.
• Write scientific papers leading to a Ph.D. dissertation and present results at genetics and animal science conferences.

What WUR Offers

• A fully funded PhD position for 4 years (38 hours per week).
• Gross monthly salary starting at €3,059 in the first year, rising to €3,881 in the fourth year (under the CAO-NU).
• Fixed 8.3% year-end bonus and excellent pension scheme.
• Support with visa/immigration procedures, housing search, and partner integration.

Required Qualifications

• M.Sc. degree in Data Science, Bioinformatics, Quantitative Genetics, Computer Science, Computational Biology, or related fields.
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or R.
• Experience working in high-performance computing (HPC) or cloud environments.
• Basic understanding of machine learning concepts (e.g., classification, neural networks, optimization).
• A strong interest in genetics, biology, microbiology, or animal sciences.
• Excellent English communication skills.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via the official WUR vacancy portal. Please upload your cover letter and CV (maximum 3 pages total) before the application deadline. Inquiries can be sent to the supervisors: Prof. Annemarie Rebel or Dr. Dirkjan Schokker.

Research Scope and Flagship Projects

Successful candidates will join a leading center for freshwater research and contribute to one or more of three major international projects:

• Synthesis Center on Freshwater Biodiversity Change in Europe: Analyzing over 30,000 freshwater biodiversity time series from across Europe covering fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes, diatoms, and benthic algae. The research aims to understand long-term biodiversity shifts and the impacts of multiple environmental stressors.
• EU Horizon Europe BEAGLE Project: A major European initiative focused on advanced biodiversity monitoring. It integrates environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, automated field sensors (over 1,000 deployed across Europe), AI-assisted biodiversity assessments, and citizen science.
• Biodiversity Meets Data (BMD): Developing Virtual Research Environments (VREs) and interactive tools (e.g., R Shiny applications) to visualize ecological patterns, run predictive models, and simulate climate and land-use scenarios.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze large-scale spatial and temporal ecological datasets.
• Prepare high-impact scientific manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and project reports.
• Manage and perform quality control on European-scale biodiversity databases.
• Mentor and supervise graduate students within the department.
• Engage with project partners and present research findings at international conferences.

Position Structure and Benefits

• Duration: 2 years, with the possibility of extension.
• Salary: Remuneration under the TV-H E13 scale (standard postdoctoral scale of the State of Hesse).
• Includes flexible working hours, mobile working options, company pension plan, and free admission to Senckenberg museums.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Ecology, Aquatic Biology, Environmental Science, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
• Advanced programming and statistical analysis skills in R.
• Experience handling and analyzing large ecological databases or time series.
• Strong publication record in international scientific journals.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

How to Apply

Applications (including cover letter, CV, publication list, and contact details for two references) must be submitted via the Senckenberg online recruitment portal under Reference #04-26003. The review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the positions are filled.

Project Focus: Mainstreaming Nature-Based Solutions

The successful candidate will contribute to the project “Mainstreaming Nature-Based Solutions in Indian Cities,” which is a collaborative research initiative focused on Chennai and Mumbai. The research explores how Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)—specifically sponge parks and blue-green infrastructure—can be successfully integrated into municipal urban planning to improve stormwater retention, flood resilience, and urban biodiversity.

Key Responsibilities

• Institutional & Financial Analysis: Study the policy, financial, procurement, and governance frameworks that influence the adoption of Nature-Based Solutions by local authorities.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Design qualitative research methods, conduct interviews, and coordinate workshops with senior municipal officials, urban planners, and local communities.
• Actionable Reporting: Translate research findings into policy briefs, guidelines, and toolkits for city governments and infrastructure practitioners to help scale green infrastructure.

Position Structure and Benefits

• Duration: One year (initial 6-month contract with a high probability of a 6-month extension).
• Research Environment: Work at Eawag, a member of the prestigious ETH Domain and a global leader in aquatic sciences.
• Provides flexible working arrangements, competitive Swiss salary rates, and professional development support.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Urban Planning, Public Policy, Environmental Governance, Sustainability, Water Resources Management, or related fields.
• 3–5 years of relevant professional or research experience (a completed Ph.D. counts toward this requirement).
• Strong skills in qualitative research methods, stakeholder mapping, and technical writing.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of Marathi or experience working in South Asia is a strong advantage.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via Eawag’s official online application portal by 15 July 2026. Please include a one-page motivation letter, CV, and a relevant writing sample (e.g., policy brief or research paper).

Host Department and Research Context

The PhD position is hosted at SLU’s internationally recognized Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies. The department conducts basic and applied research in wildlife ecology, biodiversity conservation, fish biology, and aquatic ecosystems.

This position is part of the TRACE-AIR project and is embedded in the prestigious WIFORCE Research School, funded by the Wallenberg Initiatives in Forest Research. The school tackles large-scale challenges in forest biodiversity, climate change mitigation, and sustainable resource use.

Project Scope and Objectives

Monitoring biodiversity at large spatial and temporal scales is a major bottleneck in conservation. Airborne eDNA is an emerging and highly promising tool that detects species without direct physical capture. The PhD project leverages a globally unique archive of weekly air filter samples collected since 1974 in northern and southern Sweden. Key objectives include:

• Method Validation: Evaluating the taxonomic resolution and reliability of air eDNA compared to traditional terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity monitoring.
• Ecological Tracking: Tracking migratory species, forest pathogens, and invasive species over long-term temporal scales.
• Monitoring Framework: Developing recommendations to integrate air eDNA into national environmental monitoring and conservation policies.

Funding and Benefits

• Fully funded 4-year doctoral employment (PhD employment contract).
• Competitive doctoral salary, comprehensive social benefits, and Swedish healthcare coverage.
• Access to advanced molecular biology laboratories, bioinformatics infrastructure, and high-performance computing clusters.

Preferred Qualifications

• M.Sc. degree in Ecology, Biology, Forestry, Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience or interest in molecular lab work (e.g., DNA extraction, PCR, metabarcoding).
• Familiarity with programming languages (especially R or Python) and data analysis.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted via SLU’s online recruitment portal by 10 February 2026. Please reference job ID SLU.ua.2025.2.5.1-4139 and submit your CV, motivation letter, M.Sc. thesis, and contact details for two references.

Research Project Focus

The postdoctoral researcher will join an interdisciplinary team to investigate how environmental variables, watershed hydrology, and remediation activities affect mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry, bioavailability, and bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems. Understanding these processes is critical for evaluating mercury contamination pathways in aquatic food webs, particularly its uptake and bioaccumulation in fish populations, which directly impacts freshwater fisheries management and seafood safety.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and conduct laboratory microcosm experiments and field-scale monitoring in freshwater streams and contaminated watersheds.
• Analyze water, sediment, and biological tissue samples for total mercury, methylmercury, trace elements, and other biogeochemical parameters.
• Integrate biogeochemical and ecological data to model mercury transformation rates and bioaccumulation factors in freshwater aquatic organisms.
• Write scientific papers for peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international environmental science conferences.

What ORNL Offers

• A fully funded postdoctoral fellowship for up to two years (with the possibility of extension).
• A highly competitive salary, comprehensive health insurance, and retirement benefits.
• Access to world-class analytical instrumentation, computing facilities, and field research equipment.
• Mentorship from leading environmental scientists and career development training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Environmental Science, Geochemistry, Biogeochemistry, Stream Ecology, Aquatic Toxicology, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with mercury analysis and trace metal clean techniques in aquatic environments.
• Strong quantitative skills and experience working with environmental datasets or biogeochemical models.
• Proven record of scientific productivity, including first-author publications.

How to Apply

Candidates must apply online through the official ORNL Jobs Portal. Please submit a cover letter describing your research experience, your CV, and contact information for three professional references, referencing Job ID 1358825100.

Research Focus and Collaboration

The selected candidate will bridge ecological and aquaculture research by strengthening the synergy between aquatic ecology, sustainable aquaculture systems, and the growing blue economy. The position offers close collaboration with notable research units and networks at Ghent University, including:

• Aquaculture & Artemia Reference Center (ARC): A world-renowned hub for aquaculture research, particularly known for its pioneering work on brine shrimp (Artemia) and larval rearing systems.
• Blue Growth Research Lab (BGRL): Focused on sustainable marine resource utilization, marine biotechnology, and offshore aquaculture solutions.
• Marine@UGent Network: An interdisciplinary platform uniting marine and aquatic scientists across different faculties.

Position Features and Benefits

• Tenure-Track Appointment: Initially appointed as an assistant professor (tenure track) for a period of five years, leading to a permanent tenured position upon successful evaluation.
• Reduced Teaching Load: Unlike traditional academic positions, this BOF research professorship features a significantly reduced teaching load during the initial years, allowing the candidate to dedicate the majority of their time to research.
• Access to state-of-the-art laboratory infrastructure, experimental aquaculture facilities, and competitive university research grants.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Bioscience Engineering, Biology, Aquatic Sciences, Marine Science, or a closely related biological field.
• A strong international research profile supported by a high-impact publication record in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Proven experience in attracting external research funding (e.g., ERC, Horizon Europe, or national research councils).
• A clear, forward-looking research plan that integrates aquatic ecology, sustainable aquaculture, and blue growth.

How to Apply

For more details on this position and to submit your application, please visit the official Ghent University job portal. Inquiries regarding the research scope and departmental fit can be directed to the Department Chair, Prof. Veerle Fievez (veerle.fievez@UGent.be).