As PhD student in the MACS project you will investigate how multiple environmental stressors affect the community composition, physiology, and gene expression of Antarctic microalgae, with a particular focus on their mixotrophic nutrition. 

Your tasks and responsibilities are:

• Performance of laboratory experiments with cultured microalgae to assess their response to multiple environmental factors under controlled conditions;
• Participation in research expeditions to Rothera station, West Antarctic Peninsula, to assess microalgal species composition and perform field experiments to quantify their rates of feeding and photosynthesis;
• Contribute to experiments using stable isotope probing and proteomic techniques to quantify resource acquisition strategies of individual microalgal taxa both in the lab and field;
• Publication of the results in international scientific journals;
• Presentation of the results in the department, at meetings of the Netherlands Polar Program, and at (international) scientific conferences;
• Supervision of BSc and/or MSc students who wish to do an internship on Antarctic microalgae;
• Completion of a PhD thesis within the official appointment duration of four years.

This PhD position is tightly linked to two postdoc positions within the MACS project, one with a focus on the role of Antarctic microalgae in the sulphur cycle and the other with a focus on proteomic and stable isotope probing techniques to quantify resource acquisition. The fieldwork and some of the experiments will be performed as a team, while the PhD student will also perform laboratory experiments on their own.

The PhD student will be supervised by a team of scientists from the University of Amsterdam (UvA), the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ), University of Groningen (RUG) and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). Training and courses during the PhD trajectory will be offered by UvA, and by the Graduate School for Production Ecology & Resource Conservation (PE&RC).

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate, who enjoys a combination of laboratory experiments and field studies. You have a keen interest in marine microalgal ecology and are eager to perform research in Antarctica. You are a well-organized team player, but also able to work independently. 

What do we require?

• A MSc degree in marine biology, microbial ecology, aquatic ecology, or closely related discipline;
• Experience with culturing of bacteria or phytoplankton in the laboratory, physiological assays, and with field research in marine and/or freshwater ecosystems;
• A demonstrated ability to work with programming software such us R or Phyton is a plus;
• Strong communication and writing skills in English;
• Willingness and ability to perform extended fieldwork at Rothera station, Antarctica;
• Driving license B.

Techniques to be used in this research include, e.g. flow cytometry, (fluorescence) microscopy, PAM-fluorometry, DNA metabarcoding, isotope analysis and proteomics. We do not expect that candidates master all these techniques from the start, but consider previous experience with one or more of these techniques as an advantage.

A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for the duration of 4 years (the initial contract will be for a period of 18 months and after satisfactory evaluation it will be extended for a total duration of 4 years). The preferred starting date is 1st of March 2025 or shortly after. This should lead to a dissertation (PhD thesis). We will draft an educational plan that includes attendance of courses and (international) meetings. We also expect you to assist in teaching undergraduates and master students. 

For this position the University Job Classification profile “Promovendus” (PhD student) applies. Your salary will be €2,872 gross per month in the first year and will increase to €3,670 in the final year, based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week. This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. 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 challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• a complete educational program for PhD students;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, handling stress and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• partly paid parental leave;
• the possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with registration at UvA- Housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad. 

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here.