PhD Candidate in Health Sciences

Utrecht University

Position Type: PhD Candidate (Full-time, 32–40 hrs/week)
Faculty: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Department: Department of Population Health Sciences, Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS)
Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
Duration: 1 year initial, extendable to 4 years upon positive evaluation
Application Deadline: 3 March 2026

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Project Overview

• Investigate how nitrogen deposition and soil acidification affect microbial communities and the health of forest ecosystems.
• Focus on weakly buffered soils where nitrogen-induced eutrophication and acidification interact with drought stress to impact tree growth, survival, and soil function.
• Embedded in a larger nitrogen deposition project with spatial and temporal modelling of deposition and air concentrations.

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Key Responsibilities

• Study impacts of nitrogen deposition and soil acidification on soil microbial communities and forest vitality.
• Conduct fieldwork along nitrogen deposition gradients in Dutch forests and abroad.
• Collect soil and tree growth data using dendrometers.
• Perform laboratory analyses, including PCR, PLFA, microbial biomass, soil carbon, respiration, and enzymatic activities.
• Contribute to interdisciplinary research combining ecology, soil science, and forest biology.

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Candidate Profile

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• MSc in Ecology, preferably with soil microbial ecology focus.
• Skills in field and lab work, including soil sampling and microbial analysis.
• Experience with experimental design and (multivariate) statistical analysis.
• Strong English communication and teamwork skills.
• Independent, motivated, and eager to learn.

Advantageous:

• Experience with tree growth measurements and forest ecology.

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Offer / Benefits

• Salary: €3,059 – €3,881 per month (gross, full-time, CAO NU scale P)
• 8% holiday pay + 8.3% year-end bonus
• Pension scheme, partially paid parental leave, flexible employment terms
• Professional development and participation in workshops
• Working in a highly interdisciplinary and internationally connected environment

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How to Apply

Required Documents:

• CV
• Letter of motivation

Application: Apply via Utrecht University portal (“Apply Now”)
Contacts:

• dr. René Verburg – r.w.verburg@uu.nl
• dr. Daniel Martins Figueiredo – d.m.figueiredo@uu.nl
• Prof. Roel Vermeulen – r.c.h.vermeulen@uu.nl

Deadline: 3 March 2026

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This position is ideal for candidates interested in forest ecology, soil-microbe interactions, and environmental stressors, combining fieldwork, lab experiments, and statistical modeling.

Apply