Doctoral fellow

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15.000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, as well as technical and social service provision on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities.

With its 11 faculties and more than 85 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its staff and students.

YOUR TASKS

• You will perform research on the fate and ecotoxicity of bio-based plant-defense elicitors, within the context of the project BioBoost (“Boosting plant defense against diseases and pests using biobased products), in collaboration with an interdisciplinary research consortium of UGent and KULeuven research groups 
• This will include experimental work, such as environmental degradation tests (biodegradation, photodegradation), chemical analysis of transformation products, and ecotoxicity tests with aquatic and benthic organisms. It will also include, using the data generated, performing ecological risk assessments of these biobased products. 
• It will also include coordinating day-to-day collaborative work with other PhD students and researchers of the consortium, as well as presenting the progress of your work at regular consortium meetings. 
• As the ultimate goal of this fellowship is to obtain your PhD degree, you will also be expected to publish your results in peer-reviewed journals and disseminate your work at scientific conferences on a regular basis. 
• It is also expected that you contribute up to 10% of your time to the teaching activities of our department, in courses related to your PhD subject, notably “Environmental Risk Assessment” and “Emerging topics and current practice in environmental risk assessment”. 
• More information on the project can be found here: https://research.kuleuven.be/portal/en/project/3E250638 

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• You hold a Master’s degree (preferably) in bio-engineering, chemistry, environmental science and technology, environmental technology, environmental science, ecotoxicology, or similar 
• You have received at least “very good” grades during your Master’s study. 
• Experience with research on analytical chemistry, environmental fate, and/or ecotoxicity of chemicals is a strong asset 
• You have at least a “very good” command of spoken and written English 
• You can work independently, but are also a team player 

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months. 
• Your contract will start on 01 September 2026 at the earliest. 
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales 
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits. 

INTERESTED?

Send your cv (maximum 2 pages), copy of your diploma (if already in your possession), a transcript of your scores or grades obtained for individual courses you have taken to obtain your diploma, and a short motivation letter (maximum 1 page) to karel.deschamphelaere@ugent.be. 

We do not accept late applications. 

As Ghent University maintains an equal opportunities and diversity policy, everyone is encouraged to apply for this position. 

For more information about this vacancy, please contact prof. Karel De Schamphelaere (Karel.Deschamphelaere@ugent.be, +32 9 264 89 19)