Vacancy Postdoctoral researcher Bioinformatics of microbiome-virus-host interactions in insects

Job description

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are highly effective pollinators of flowering plants, including many food crops. However, managed honeybee colonies suffer from various health issues including pathogen infection leading to weakened immune responses, making colonies more susceptible to other stressors such as pesticides and poor nutrition. The honeybee gut microbiota is believed to play a crucial role in achieving and maintaining health by aiding in digestion, nutrient absorption and training of the immune system. Moreover, the microbiota is also believed to be important for resilience against viral and parasitic infections. This process and especially the role of specific bacteria and their viruses (bacteriophages) is poorly understood. Wil you help us with new research?

In an international project, involving scientists from Germany, Belgium, Portugal, and the Netherlands, we aim to understand the interplay between bacteria, bacteriophages and viral pathogens in honeybees. The project involves a tight collaboration of consortium members to perform experimental work and bioinformatic analyses on honeybee resilience to infection.

For this project, we are looking for an enthusiastic postdoc to perform bioinformatic analyses of the (development of the) immune response of bees carrying different combinations of bacteria and phages, using mRNA, small RNA and single-cell RNA sequencing. In addition, you may also contribute to ongoing bioinformatic projects in the lab. 

Tasks and responsibilities

• Conducting research on microbiome-virus-host interactions in insects using bioinformatic approaches.
• Collaborating with consortium members on the design and execution of experiments. 
• Presenting results at consortium meetings and (inter)national conferences.
• Drafting manuscripts for publication of research results in peer-reviewed journals. 
• Supervising students during research internships.

Place of work

You will work in the Laboratory of Experimental Virology in the department of Medical Microbiology of Radboud University Medical Center under supervision of Prof. Ronald van Rij. We are dedicated to provide a social, dynamic, and stimulating work environment.

The laboratory is affiliated with the Research Institute for Medical Innovation, which provides an excellent environment for innovative science and offers access to state-of-the-art core facilities, including cellular imaging, proteomics, and genomics. The project is part of the microBEEome project funded by the European Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare, which involves tight collaborations with scientists at the universities of Leuven and Ghent (Belgium), University of Minho (Portugal), and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing/Free University Berlin (Germany). 

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where our research groups strive for innovative solutions that make impact on health and healthcare. We challenge the status quo to overcome current and future health challenges. Our goal is to shape the future of healthcare for generations to come. Our focus is on prevention, sustainability, and meaningful care, which we achieve through our in-depth understanding of disease mechanisms, clinical science, public health research, medical technology and data science. Our approach is centered on breakthroughs that can truly enhance personalized healthcare and public health. 

At Radboudumc, a comprehensive range of research programs provide the compass for our research efforts. Each program has a clear goal, where collaboration within and outside our organization is highly valued. We integrate care, education and research in partnership with our patients to ensure that our research programs have significant impact on health and healthcare. We invite you to join us in our mission to create a healthy future for all.

Profile

Our new colleague is a creative, enthusiastic, and independent researcher/bioinformatician with a PhD degree in a relevant research field. Experimental biologists with significant bioinformatic experience wishing to transition to a more computational project are encouraged to apply. 

Your profile:

• A PhD degree in a relevant research field. 
• Experience with analyses of next-generation sequence data.
• Extensive experience in R and Shell scripting and data management.
• Experience with single cell data analysis is a plus.
• Self-motivated and collaborative mindset.
• Good track record of scientific publications.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Good command of spoken and written English.

Employment conditions

At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• A gross monthly salary between € 3.598 and € 5.669 (scale 10) for full-time employment (36 hours per week). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and, depending on the position, an allowance of 47% to 72% for working irregular hours.
• 176 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week. 

And there is more..

• An Employment Conditions Selection Model, allowing you to use part of your employment conditions to your choosing. For example, you can use your gross salary to purchase additional vacation hours or hours for providing informal caregiving. Or, for example, you can use your gross end-of-year bonus to purchase a bicycle, so you pay less tax.
• Plenty of opportunities for personal development. You can take a variety of courses in our online learning environment. 
• Your well-being and vitality are a priority. For example:
  • Save time for work-life balance leave. 
  • You can enjoy unlimited access to a variety of activities five days a month and take advantage of all the facilities at Radboud Sport & Culture for only €27.05 per month (instead of €41)
  • Healthy Professionals program to help you manage your energy. 
  • Company Support Team and a personal coach if you are going through a life-changing event.
  • Financially beneficial working less through a Generation Scheme as you approach state pension age.
• Support in achieving a good work-life balance at every stage of your life. Examples:
  • Advice and courses on, for example, 'Millennial dilemmas' and 'Your Career After 57'.
  • Activities at our own mindfulness center.
  • Informal caregiving consultations if you have questions about juggling work and caregiving responsibilities at home.
• In addition to statutory pregnancy and maternity leave, Radboud university medical center offers 26 weeks of parental leave, nine of which are paid. In addition, as a partner you can take a maximum of five weeks of supplementary partner leave. During supplementary partner leave and parental leave, we supplement the UWV benefit up to 100% of your salary.
• Pension accrual at the ABP Pension Fund. Radboud university medical center pays 70% of the pension premium. 
• Discounts on supplementary packages of two group health insurances and ten other types of insurance, from home insurance to legal assistance.
• An allowance for your commuting costs of € 0.18 per km up to a maximum of 40 km one way. If you use public transport to commute, we will fully reimburse the public transport costs (2nd class). If you regularly work from home, you will receive a working from home allowance of € 2.40 per day.

Application procedure

Are you ready to think further for our patients and our care? We would like to receive your application before 4 February 2026. We will then contact you shortly. The job interviews takes place in the week of 9-13 February 2026. We would appreciate it if you would take this into account. Along with your motivation letter and cv, please include contact information of at least two scientific references. 

Good to know

• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).
• You can find more information about our application procedure and frequently asked questions on our website.
• Will you be our new colleague? Then you will be given the time and space to get to know your role, your workplace, and your colleagues. An induction day for all new colleagues is an integral part of your onboarding program. 

We are recruiting for this position ourselves. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated, but do feel free to share the vacancy in your network!

Contact

Any questions? Or wondering what it is like to work at Radboudumc? Then email to prof. Ronald van Rij, professor of Virology. Use the Apply button to submit your application.