项目介绍

2026年7月9日

Your job

Are you curious about whether mental health, gut microbiome and nutrition are connected? We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join NUTRIMIND, a Horizon-funded, multi-disciplinary project that investigates how diet and the microbiota-gut-brain axis might shape mental health across the lifespan. In collaboration with leading universities, research institutes, NGOs and SMEs across Europe, you will help unravel diet-linked risk signatures for depression, anxiety and stress, and translate these insights into practical, scalable strategies for prevention and care. 

The project will consist of several work packages, and Wageningen University will be responsible for the work packages related to dietary exposures and mental health outcomes in existing studies. This primarily includes studies from Wageningen University and related partners (e.g. Wageningen Student Cohort, FINGER-NL, HELI, COMBI, and PRECODE but also from the United Kingdom, Spain and other countries). 

As PhD student, your duties and responsibilities include: 

• conduct data analyses of existing cohort and trial data to study association of dietary exposures and stress, anxiety and mental health outcomes;
• contribute to integration of broader biological data into the diet–mental health relationship by incorporating gut health indices (e.g. short‑chain fatty acids, intestinal permeability markers), omics data (untargeted metabolomics, proteomics) and neurobiological markers;
• plan and coordinate follow‑up waves of the Wageningen Student Cohort, including dietary assessment, sample collection (blood, faeces, urine) and mental health assessments using validated instruments;
• coordinate laboratory analyses of biofluid and fecal samples from the abovementioned studies;
• collaborate with partner institutes to standardize methods and contribute to data harmonization efforts across studysites

You will work here

The research is embedded within the chair groups of Global Nutrition (Professor Alida Melse-Boonstra), Nutritional Biology (Dr Yannick Vermeiren) and Nutrition and Disease (Dr Renate Winkels). Wageningen University (division Human Nutrition and Health) serves as an important consortium member of the European Horizon project called NUTRIMIND, which consists of 16 European consortium partners (link LinkedIn page chairholder or page at WUR site). You will be co-supervised by Dr Alida Melse-Boonstra, Dr Yannick Vermeiren, Dr Renate Winkels.

Your qualities

You are interested in contributing to research on nutrition, mental health and gut microbiome.  

You also possess:

• a successfully completed MSc degree in Nutrition and Health, (Nutritional) Epidemiology, Biomedical Sciences, or an equivalent degree;
• excellent project and data management skills. In the project, you will work with various complex datasets, and we are looking for someone who preferably has experience in working with complex data
• prior experience with advanced laboratory analyses of biofluid and fecal samples and/or multi-omics approaches is considered an asset;
• open attitude, and willingness to collaborate with colleagues within WUR and with partners of the EU consortium;
• excellent communication skills and a positive mindset towards cooperative problem-solving.

For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

We offer

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.
The gross salary for the first year is € 3.059,- per month rising to € 3.881,-  in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well. 

We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. 

Coming from abroad

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. 

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. 

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research’s International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Important information

For more information about the position, please contact Dr. Alida Melse, Chairholder, via email: alida.melse@wur.nl. 
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Rutger Voorrips, Corporate Recruiter, via email: rutger.voorrips@wur.nl.  

Ready to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

To apply, please send the following documents (max. 3 pages in total for both documents):

• Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae;
• Motivation letter.

The maximum length of the documents must not exceed 3 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered. Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered.

You can apply up to and including the 27th of July 2026. 

Additional information form
For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form by clicking HERE.

Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone’s unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

​The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

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