Our institution
Founded in 1993, the University of Almería (UAL) is a dynamic and modern public institution located on the Mediterranean coast, actively contributing to the European Research Area through international collaboration. Our research community comprises 1,041 professionals and 144 recognized research groups, all committed to excellence, social impact, and high-level knowledge transfer.
UAL is internationally recognized for its leadership in strategic sectors, ranking in the Top 151-200 of the Shanghai Ranking (GRAS) in fields such as Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology, and Nursing. Our research capabilities are centralized in 12 Specialized Research Centers.
UAL holds a strong international vocation and a solid track record in international research programs (H2020, Horizon Europe) and academic cooperation (Erasmus+ KA2), currently managing 46 active international projects as both a partner and coordinator. We take pride in our leadership capacity, having coordinated 9 Horizon Europe Pillar II proposals and heading large-scale initiatives such as the LIFE ACCLIMATE project, and the EU Reference Laboratories (EURL) network. Moreover, UAL is the Coordinator of UNIgreen, the Green European University—a European Alliance of 8 institutions dedicated to sustainable agriculture and biotechnology.
Our office provides "end-to-end" personalized advice, from the proposal writing phase (including technical reviews) to financial management and final reporting.
The Centre / Research Group
The AGROMA Research Group (Agronomy and Environment) has a consolidated scientific trajectory focused on soil science, environmental restoration and ecosystem functioning under global change. The group develops research lines focused on agronomy and soil quality and biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, restoration of degraded lands, integrating soil microbiology, and environmental biogeochemistry (https://edalab.es/).
The group has a strong record of competitive funding at regional, national and international level, including projects focused on soil restoration (RESTAGRO, P18-RT-4112), soil carbon dynamics and molecular indicators in restored technosols (BIORESOC), soil quality in restored quarries (BIOQUALIRES), climate change impacts on restored soils (CLIMARESTOR) and TECHBIOSOL (evolution of Technosols in semi-arid environments) and the use of biofertilisers as an important tool to reduce inputs of traditional fertilisers (H2020 -Becrop project. Fields4ever initiative).
A key strength of the research group is its background with extensive long-term databases integrating physical, chemical, biochemical and biological soil indicators from multiple ecosystems and degradation scenarios (natural, agriculture, mining, fires affected soils). This unique resource enables long-term trend analysis, comparative studies and data-driven modelling of soil recovery. AGROMA holds a Soil Laboratory, with specialization in microbiology based on NGS at the Department of Agronomy of the UAL, and benefits from a multidisciplinary team and a strong international collaboration network.
The Project
The EU has established ambitious environmental targets through the “Soil Monitoring Law”, “Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 on nature restoration”, and the “Farm to Fork Strategy”, aiming to achieve healthy soils, increase soil organic carbon in croplands, reduce pesticide and fertilizer use, and expand organic farming. Achieving these goals requires innovative, sustainable solutions to enhance soil fertility while minimizing chemical inputs. PGPM represent a promising biotechnological tool to support this transition. They actively participate in soil biogeochemical cycles, improving nutrient availability and promoting plant resilience.
The project aims to characterize native PGPM from semiarid soils and organic fertilizers, environments known for hosting stress-adapted and metabolically versatile microbial communities. Selected strains will be evaluated in soil restoration assays and crop cultivation trials to assess their effects on plant growth, nutrient use efficiency, and soil biogeochemical dynamics.
The candidate will join the AGROMA research group which is involved in an active European framework that enhances its international dimension. EUROSION (Horizon Europe) develops an integrated European Soil Erosion Monitoring and Modelling Network for Sustainable Agricultural Land Management. HUMRESLAND (MSCA Staff Exchanges) promotes international cooperation on land degradation and food security through mobility and knowledge exchange. Erasmus+ GRAB project focuses on agroecology, agroforestry and biodiversity conservation, including ecosystem protection in sensitive regions such as the Amazon in Ecuador.
The MSCA fellowship will assure an important background for the candidate, especially in the use of cutting-edge microbial techniques, many of them based on NGS.
Research Area
Environment and Geosciences (ENV)
To ensure a comprehensive evaluation of your application, interested candidates are kindly requested to submit the following documentation directly to Professor Raúl Ortega Pérez. Please ensure all files are provided in English to facilitate the review process:
- CV
- Letter of recommendation (optional)
