PhD position: “Investigating the role of Woeseiales bacteria in sediment nitrous oxide production”

PhD position: “Investigating the role of Woeseiales bacteria in sediment nitrous oxide production”
PhD position: “Investigating the role of Woeseiales bacteria in sediment nitrous oxide production”

Published	Deadline	Location
today	31 Oct	Texel

The Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry (MMB) at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) is looking for a highly motivated PhD Candidate with a background in microbiology and a specialization in microbial physiology, ecology and/or ‘omics approaches. A strong interest in the ecological function of marine bacteria and the biogeochemical cycling of greenhouse house gases is desired.

Job description

THE PROJECT

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas, which poses a serious threat to the climate. Most of the N2O released into the atmosphere is biologically produced by microorganisms. The denitrification process is a globally significant pathway in the microbial production of N2O. The production of N2O by denitrifying microorganisms has long been assumed to result from metabolic imbalances between the production and consumption of N2O in “complete denitrifiers” i.e., microorganisms performing the four steps of the denitrification process. Yet, other microorganisms lacking the ability to reduce N2O to N2 and referred to as “truncated denitrifiers”, are now known to contribute directly to the production of N2O. However, truncated denitrifiers are understudied and their contribution to net N2O emissions remains poorly understood, especially in marine environments. Members of the order Woeseiales, a recently recognized group of Gammaproteobacteria, have been implicated as potential drivers of N2O production in sediments of the Wadden Sea, and preliminary analyses of Woeseiales genomes indicate members of this group are truncated denitrifiers. While these bacteria are abundant in marine sediments, their N2O production capabilities have not been evaluated, and the environmental factors that regulate their production of N2O have yet to be determined. Therefore, the main goal of this project is to identify environmental conditions under which Woeseiales bacteria and other truncated denitrifiers produce N2O and quantify their N2O production capabilities.

 

THE POSITION

The position is primarily based at NIOZ (Texel) and is due to start on February 1st 2023. 

The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Pierre Offre (Senior scientist at NIOZ). Pierre Offre is a microbiologist whose research focuses on the physiology and ecological function of marine microorganisms and especially their roles in the cycling of carbon and nitrogen. His work involves isolating novel microorganisms and characterizing their physiology and metabolism using a variety of approaches including various forms of ‘omics, especially (meta)genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. The candidate will integrate a project team involving scientists working at NIOZ and Utrecht University (UU) and whose expertise range from microbiology to geochemistry, ecology, and cutting-edge analytical instrumentation. The selected PhD candidate will also work with another PhD student whose project focuses on the role of marine Flavobacteria in sediment N2O consumption and will enroll in the PhD program of the Graduate School of Geosciences at UU with Dr. Laura Villanueva and Prof. George Kowalchuk as promotors. 

The student’s tasks will include:

• Reconstructing the metabolisms which could potentially fuel the production of N2O in members of the Woeseiales clade, using a comparative genomic approach;
• Determining whether truncated denitrifiers occur within the N2O production zone of sediment cores by combining gas micro-profiling and metagenomics;
• Determining the conditions under which cultivated strains of truncated denitrifiers produce N2O using an experimental approach including measurements of growth, nutrient uptake, gas production and gene expression;
• Isolating yet-uncultivated members of Woeseiales using innovative isolation technics and characterize their N2O production capabilities.

Specifications

• max. 40 hours per week
• Texel View on Google Maps

Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ)

Requirements

You must have completed a MSc degree in microbiology or microbial ecology. Preferably, you will also have:

• A background in microbial physiology and experience in handling and maintaining bacterial cultures;
• A passion for microorganisms targeted towards understanding their lifestyles, habitats, and ecological roles;
• Knowledge in biochemistry and especially microbial metabolisms and/or experience in comparative genomics and bioinformatics;
• An interest in marine coastal ecosystems and the nitrogen cycle;
• A love for multi-disciplinary work, intellectual challenges and teamwork.

We seek to attract candidates from the widest possible talent pool and strive to build an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. Therefore, we welcome applications of candidates representing the broadest possible range of age, gender, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Conditions of employment

Employment of this full time position is at Royal NIOZ. After a 12-month probationary period and successful evaluation, the position is extended for 36 months for a maximum employment of 4 years. The salary is compliant to the CAO-OI  (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes), a pension scheme, a holiday allowance of 8% of the gross annual salary, a year-end bonus of 8,3%, flexible work arrangements and arrangements and 42 days of holiday leave (fulltime position). You may expect attractive secondary employment conditions. We offer generous relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation.

Employer
Royal NIOZ

Royal NIOZ -MMB is located on the beautiful island of Texel in the World Heritage Wadden Sea. Texel offers sun, wind and beach, and a diverse but moderate level of facilities, including a thriving tourist industry, shops, sports facilities, primary schools and a high school. It is connected to the main land by an hourly to half-hourly ferry service, with crossings taking 20 minutes. The Royal NIOZ is situated next to the ferry terminal.

Department
Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry

The Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry (MMB) studies microbial communities and their functioning in all types of marine environments, from estuaries to the deep ocean, from tropical coral reefs to polar regions, and from the present to the past. The department is equipped with state-of-the-art microbiology and molecular ecology laboratories, cutting-edge analytical equipment, and bioinformatics resources and has an excellent level of technical support.

MMB is an international and dynamic department and has approximately 80 members, including PhD students, postdocs and Master students from more than 15 different countries. A group of sixteen staff scientists and fifteen research assistants (junior and senior) form the core of the department. Nearly half of the core staff was recruited in the last four years creating a young, vibrant, diverse and multidisciplinary team.

Additional information

For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Pierre Offre  For additional information about the procedure, please contact Mylène Lormans  (sr. HR advisor). Learn more about the Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry at NIOZ here .  

Closing date for applications: October 31st., 2022. Job interviews are foreseen for mid-November. (first round of interviews will be online via Microsoft Teams).

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Application procedure

For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Pierre Offre  For additional information about the procedure, please contact Mylène Lormans  (sr. HR advisor). Learn more about the Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry at NIOZ here .  

Closing date for applications: October 31st., 2022. Job interviews are foreseen for mid-November. (first round of interviews will be online via Microsoft Teams).