PhD Candidate Enhancing urban drought resilience through soil biodiversity

The Faculty of Science / the Institute for Biology is looking for a : 

PhD candidate Enhancing urban drought resilience through soil biodiversity

Vacancy number: 15781

Recurring droughts severely impacted the Dutch built environment, causing financial, environmental, and social effects. Climate change and urban developments are expected to aggravate this. Although municipalities recognize drought as critical risk, few have prepared for it. This is due to a lack of understanding of the urban water balance under drought and the vulnerability of urban water use(r)s, especially with regards to the role of soil biodiversity in maintaining urban green spaces, and missing action-perspectives. In order to increase the knowledge base on how soil biodiversity can help mitigate drought stress in urban green spaces, the Institute of Biology at Leiden University is seeking candidates for a PhD position in the Thirsty Cities project. Thirsty Cities, “Action perspective for a climate-proof, drought-resilient, and water-sensitive built environment”, aims to address this by developing, collecting, connecting and delivering in a transdisciplinary approach the needed knowledge, insights, tooling, principles, designs, infrastructures and action-perspectives for a climate-proof, drought-resilient, and water-sensitive built environment. For more information about the project, see: Thirsty Cities . 

Are you eager to investigate how urban soil biodiversity can help cities to withstand droughts and other climate extremes?

We are looking for a creative and motivated PhD candidate to explore the potential of urban soil biodiversity in alleviating drought stress in green spaces, with a focus on tree-microbe interactions. This project will integrate ecological insights with urban water resource management and contribute to designing future-proof urban green spaces.  

Key tasks

• Investigate how soil biodiversity influences tree resilience to drought through soil-tree interactions.
• Design and conduct controlled laboratory (and potentially field) experiments to assess the role of soil biodiversity in enhancing tree performance under different scenarios of water availability.
• Collaborate with project partners to integrate experimental data into models and ensure knowledge transfer to other work packages (WPs) and stakeholders.
• Communicate research findings through scientific publications, public engagement activities, and participating in teaching.

Selection Criteria

• A MSc degree in (urban) ecology, plant sciences, microbial ecology, environmental sciences, or a related discipline 
• Experience in designing and conducting plant-microbe growth experiments in controlled environments, with the flexibility to extend to field research.
• Background in microbiology and/or molecular techniques, including bioinformatics for DNA-based analyses.
• Strong quantitative skills and ability to analyse complex ecological data.
• A collaborative mindset, with the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, as the successful candidate will work both within a large national consortium, and in direct collaboration with another PhD researcher on this project.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English 
• Strong communication skills for disseminating research findings through scientific publications and outreach to public audiences and stakeholders.

Terms of employment
We offer a 1-year position with the possibility of extension to 4 years based on performance and following the pay scale P in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities. Salary ranges from € 2.901,- gross per month in the first year to € 3.707,- gross per month in the fourth year based on a full-time position (38 hours).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year bonuses (8.3 %), training and career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break.

Diversity
Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups.

Research at our faculty
The Faculty of Science is a world-class faculty where staff and students work together in a dynamic international environment. It is a faculty where personal and academic development are top priorities. Our people are committed to expand fundamental knowledge by curiosity and to look beyond the borders of their own discipline; their aim is to benefit science, and to make a contribution to addressing the major societal challenges of the future.

The research carried out at the Faculty of Science is very diverse, ranging from mathematics, information science, astronomy, physics, chemistry and bio-pharmaceutical sciences to biology and environmental sciences. The research activities are organized in eight institutes. These institutes offer eight bachelor’s and twelve master’s programs. The faculty has grown strongly in recent years and now has almost 2,800 staff and over 6,000 students. We are located at the heart of Leiden’s Bio Science Park, one of Europe’s biggest science parks, where university and business life come together.

For more information, see www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science and www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/working-at 

Institute of Biology, Leiden University
The research within the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL) aims to work on the science base of biodiversity and health, which is reflected in our leading principle Harnessing Biodiversity for Health. We perform innovative curiosity-driven research to answer fundamental questions, and solutions-driven research to help solving major societal challenges.

The latter include protecting nature’s biodiversity, creating sustainable biotechnology and agriculture, and increasing good health. Our research focuses on four Research Themes: Bioactive Molecules, Host-Microbe Interactions, Development & Disease and Evolution & Biodiversity. IBL offers an exciting, internationally oriented, and inclusive place to work and study. For more information about IBL see: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/biology. 

Information
Enquiries about the position can be made to Dr. Sofia Gomes (s.i.gomes@biology.leidenuniv.nl). If you have any questions about the procedure, please contact Christina Kamerman (HR@biology.leidenuniv.nl).

Applications
Applications for this vacancy can be submitted via the blue button of our online system. Please ensure that you upload the following additional documents quoting the vacancy number:

• A letter of motivation including research interests and highlighting fit for the position (max. 2 pages)
• Curriculum vitae
• Relevant certificates (e.g. degree certificate)
• Contact details of two references      

Only applications received before 1 August 2025  can be considered.