PhD Candidate in Soil Microbial Ecology and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes

Welcome to Maastricht University!
The world is changing fast, and we’re changing with it. At Maastricht University, your work makes a real difference – whether you’re exploring the future through research, inspiring students in the classroom, or helping to shape everything that makes our education and research possible.

PhD Candidate in Soil Microbial Ecology and Greenhouse Gas Fluxes

• Our goal: Understand how soil nutrients and labile carbon control microbial processes that regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
• Your colleagues: A collaborative team of ecologists and environmental scientists within the Department of System Earth Science at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), working to better understand Earth’s systems and their role in a changing climate.

About the position

Soils are key players in the global greenhouse gas balance through the metabolic activity of their microbial communities. Nutrient inputs and labile carbon availability shape these microbial processes, influencing the fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and methane (CH₄) between soil and atmosphere.

In this PhD project, you will investigate how nutrient and labile carbon supply regulate soil microbial activity, greenhouse gas fluxes, and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. You will combine greenhouse gas flux measurements, soil volatilome profiling, and microbiome analyses to uncover the mechanisms driving microbial control of soil–atmosphere interactions.

Your work will include manipulative field and greenhouse experiments, laboratory analyses, and international collaboration. The project builds on recent findings from boreal forest ecosystems and contributes to a better understanding of the microbial feedbacks that shape our planet’s climate.

You will be supervised by Prof. Martin Bader, Prof. Paolina Garbeva, and Assist. Prof. Kevin Van Sundert and work in collaboration with Linnaeus University (Sweden) and the University of Parma (Italy).

In this role, you will:

• Design and conduct field, greenhouse, and laboratory experiments.
• Measure greenhouse gas fluxes and profile soil volatiles.
• Analyse soil microbiome composition and function.
• Integrate biogeochemical, microbial, and environmental data.
• Present your work at international conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
• Contribute to teaching and community activities within the department.

Are you ready to help unravel the microbial processes that shape Earth’s climate? Then we’d love to meet you.

What you bring

It’s not about ticking boxes – it’s about your curiosity, motivation, and scientific drive. Do you recognise yourself in this?

• Scientifically curious. You hold (or are about to complete) a Master’s degree in Ecology, Soil Science, Environmental Science, Geography, Forestry, Agricultural Science, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on researcher. You have experience with field and laboratory methods in soil or ecosystem ecology.
• Analytical thinker. You are familiar with statistical data analysis, ideally using R.
• Collaborative and independent. You can work autonomously while contributing to a diverse research team.
• Eager to explore. You’re willing to conduct fieldwork abroad (Sweden and Italy).
• Communicative. You can clearly express your ideas in English (written and spoken, minimum B2 level).
• Additional assets include experience with molecular or microbiological methods, handling large datasets, and knowledge of generalised linear models or multivariate analyses.

What we offer

At Maastricht University, you’ll work in an international, open, and engaged environment. We offer:

• A 12-month contract with the prospect of a three-year extension upon positive evaluation.
• A gross monthly salary starting at €3,378.00 in the first year and increasing to €3,897.00 in the fourth year (based on full-time employment of 38 hours per week).
• 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 29 vacation days (based on full-time), plus four additional days off (Carnival Monday and Tuesday, Good Friday, and Liberation Day).
• The option to accrue up to 12 extra days through compensation hours.
• Flexible working hours and the option to work partly from home, with commuting and internet allowances.
• A solid pension plan via ABP, company fitness options, and access to UM sports facilities.
• A stimulating, supportive research community where you can grow academically and personally.
• An inspiring work environment at the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo – a hub for research and innovation in sustainable agriculture and ecology.

The terms of employment at Maastricht University are largely set out in the collective labor agreement of Dutch Universities. In addition, local provisions specific to UM apply. For more information, click here.

Faculty of Science and Engineering  
At the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), we focus on themes such as circularity and sustainability, future farming, digitisation and (scientific) instrument development.  FSE's leading projects, like the Einstein Telescope Pathfinder, are sure to grab anyone's attention.  The faculty is a vibrant hub of education and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS).  At FSE, over 450 staff members and 3700 students gather to explore e exciting interdisciplinary research and educational programmes. Feel welcome, be part of our team and put your brilliant mind to work!  
 

FSE at the Brightlands Campuses  
Maastricht, Sittard-Geleen, Heerlen, and Venlo, the home of four creative Brightlands campuses, are bustling with 30,000 entrepreneurs, researchers, and students working diligently to solve global challenges. The Faculty of Science and Engineering is active on all four Brightlands campuses, and this is where our impact reaches its peak. To give you an idea of what is happening at each campus: Sittard-Geleen is home to the largest chemical site in the Euregion, while Venlo is a large hub for agri-food innovation. Maastricht is the site of the Health Campus, and Heerlen is the place to be for Smart Services.  
 

About the Department of System Earth Science

The Department of System Earth Science explores the complex interactions between Earth’s systems – from soils and ecosystems to the atmosphere and climate. Our research focuses on sustainability, resilience, and global environmental change. Based at the Brightlands Campus Greenport Venlo, we work in a multidisciplinary environment that connects fundamental science with practical solutions for a sustainable future.

About Maastricht University

At Maastricht University, we collaboratively seek solutions to help move the world forward. We do this with 23,000 students and 5,000 employees across five regional locations, six faculties, and more than seventy research institutes. We encourage you to push boundaries and discover new opportunities – for yourself and for the world around you. Because real answers are found together.

Curious?
Would you like to know more about this position? Please contact Prof. Martin Bader via martin.bader@maastrichtuniversity.nl

Interested?

Apply now - no later than 7 December 2025 - by submitting your CV, motivation letter, and contact details of two referees via the button below.

We look forward to getting to know you!

The vacancy is open for internal and external candidates. In case of equal qualifications, internal candidates will be prioritized.

Maastricht University is committed to promoting and nurturing a diverse and inclusive community. We believe that diversity in our staff and student population contributes to the quality of research and education at UM, and strive to enable this through inclusive policies and innovative projects led by teams of staff and students. We encourage you to apply for this position.