Researcher in Genomics and Transcriptomics of Feed Resilience in Pigs

Project

We are looking for a motivated PhD-researcher to work in the field of genomics and transcriptomics of pigs. The successful candidate will perform research to decipher the genomic background of feed resilience of pigs. Your work will frame in a larger project with several research institutes and private companies. Knowledge that will be generated in this project is expected to lead, on a longer term, to further developments in sustainability of the pig processing chain, quality characteristics of meat and manufacturing meat products that meet the expectations of future consumers. 

Profile

You have obtained a Master’s degree with distinction and are eager to pursue a PhD at KU Leuven. We preferably seek a candidate with a MSc in bioscience engineering, bio-informatics or veterinary sciences but other MSc degrees in life sciences will be accepted depending on knowledge and skills.

We are looking for a creative motivated person, eager to conduct focused fundamental and applied research, and interested to learn new techniques. The ideal candidate should have a background in gene technology, including wet-lab work, and/or bioinformatics and/or statistical genetics (including experience with relevant software). Candidates are expected to further extend and develop these skills. Furthermore, the candidate is willing to conduct experiments on animals.Candidates interested in this position must also be eligible to apply for FWO PhD fellowships (https://www.fwo.be/en/fellowships-funding/phd-fellowships/). Knowledge of Dutch (Leuven is situated in the Dutch speaking part of Belgium) is not a prerequisite but should be compensated by good command of English (see https://www.kuleuven.be/english/admissions/lang/lang-test). 

Offer

We offer a full-time PhD position for 1 year. After positive evaluation, the contract can be extended to 3 additional years (4 years in total).  Salary and benefits will be in accordance with the KU Leuven’s job scales for doctoral students (comparable to salary scale 43, https://admin.kuleuven.be/personeel/english/salary/salary_ap.html). The actual net salary may depend on your personal situation. You will join an enthusiastic and international research team working on different animal species.

You can apply for this job no later than February 28, 2021 via the online application tool. Only applications made using the KU Leuven job service will be considered.

KU Leuven seeks to foster an environment where all talents can flourish, regardless of gender, age, cultural background, nationality or impairments. If you have any questions relating to accessibility or support, please contact us at diversiteit.HR@kuleuven.be.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Nadine Buys, tel.: +32 16 32 14 38, mail: nadine.buys@kuleuven.be or Dr. Steven Janssens, tel.: +32 16 32 85 96, mail: steven.janssens@kuleuven.be.