Postdoctoral Fellow in Animal Sciences

Department LA22 – Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology
Ghent University

Position Overview

Ghent University is recruiting a full-time Doctoral Fellow (PhD position) focused on the fate and ecotoxicity of bio-based plant-defense elicitors within the BioBoost project.

• Occupancy rate: 100%
• Vacancy type: Research staff
• Application deadline: 21 June 2026, 23:59
• Earliest start date: 1 September 2026

About Ghent University

Ghent University is a large, internationally oriented research university with:

• 15,000+ employees
• 11 faculties
• 85+ departments
• Strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research and societal impact

Research Project Context (BioBoost)

This PhD is part of the BioBoost project, a collaborative research initiative involving Ghent University and KU Leuven.

The project investigates how bio-based plant-defense elicitors can enhance plant resistance against pests and diseases.

Your Tasks

You will:

• Conduct research on environmental fate and ecotoxicity of bio-based compounds
• Perform laboratory experiments, including:Perform ecological risk assessments based on generated data
  • Biodegradation and photodegradation tests
  • Chemical analysis of transformation products
  • Ecotoxicity testing with aquatic and benthic organisms
• Coordinate day-to-day collaborative work with PhD students and researchers in the consortium
• Present progress in consortium meetings
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals
• Present at scientific conferences
• Contribute up to 10% teaching duties, including:
  • Environmental Risk Assessment
  • Emerging Topics in Environmental Risk Assessment

What We Are Looking For

• Master’s degree (preferably) in:Strong academic performance (at least “very good” grades)
  • Bio-engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Science / Environmental Technology
  • Ecotoxicology
  • Related disciplines
• Experience in:Very good command of English (spoken and written)
  • Analytical chemistry
  • Environmental fate studies
  • Ecotoxicology (strong advantage)
• Ability to work independently and in a team

What We Offer

• Full-time doctoral fellowship (12-month initial contract, extendable up to 48 months after evaluation)
• Start date: from 1 September 2026
• Net fellowship equivalent to AAP salary (tax-free under conditions)
• Benefits:
  • 36 days annual leave + bridge days
  • Bicycle allowance
  • Eco vouchers
  • Training and professional development opportunities

Application Requirements

Send to: karel.deschamphelaere@ugent.be

Required documents:

• CV (maximum 2 pages)
• Copy of diploma (if available)
• Transcript of grades
• Short motivation letter (maximum 1 page)

Contact

Prof. Karel De Schamphelaere
Email: Karel.Deschamphelaere@ugent.be
Phone: +32 9 264 89 19