Postdoc on Modelling Global Marine Phytoplankton-Virus Interactions (University of Amsterdam - PHYVIR Project)

Job title

Postdoc on Modelling Global Marine Phytoplankton-Virus Interactions. 

Company

University of Amsterdam, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology.

Description of the job

The Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology at the University of Amsterdam is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the PHYVIR project, aimed at elucidating marine phytoplankton-virus interactions from local to global scales.

The PHYVIR Project:

One of the major challenges in oceanography is how to capture biological processes in mathematical models used for climate predictions. Despite their minute size, marine phytoplankton are vital for marine ecosystem productivity and play a key role in global carbon and nutrient cycling. However, like all life on Earth, phytoplankton are susceptible to viral infections. Viral-induced lysis of phytoplankton cells redirects the flow of energy and elements, with expected far-reaching consequences for ocean ecosystem structure and functioning.

The PHYVIR project aims to integrate complementary expertise – developing and applying mathematical models and bioinformatics to viral ecology, phytoplankton physiology and biological oceanography - to bridge the knowledge gaps that limit current understanding and predictive power of how viral infections impact phytoplankton communities and global biogeochemical fluxes. The project is funded by the Dutch Research Council NWO and consists of 5 PhD and 2 Postdoc positions.

This postdoc project focuses on modeling global marine virus-host interactions and their implications for carbon and nutrient cycling. The postdoc will be supervised by Dr. Cara Nissen (UvA), Prof. Jef Huisman (UvA) and Prof. Corina Brussaard (NIOZ & UvA).

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Add marine viruses to a global ecosystem model (MIT's DARWIN model), coupled to an ocean circulation model (MITgcm).
• Perform model simulations on Dutch high-performance computing infrastructure (SURF).
• Analyze model outcomes using available observational datasets.
• Write proposals to acquire additional computing resources and data storage on Dutch high-performance computing infrastructure.
• Integrate results obtained by the other PHYVIR PhD students, postdoc and the larger PHYVIR team.
• Actively collaborate with researchers at MIT, including a research visit to the US.
• Present results at meetings and scientific conferences.
• Publish results in international scientific journals.
• Contribute to teaching and to supervision of MSc students (max 10% of the time).

The ultimate aim is to obtain a better understanding of how viruses affect marine carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling at the global scale under present and future conditions.

Contract Details:

Temporary contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 12 months, with the possibility to extend for another 24 months upon a positive evaluation (total 3 years). The preferred starting date is summer or fall of 2026. The position involves collaborations with the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) on Texel and with the Department of Theoretical and Computational Ecology (IBED/UvA).

Requirements

• A PhD in marine ecology, marine biogeochemistry, oceanography, climate science, environmental physics, computational science, or closely related discipline.
• Experience with running large-scale numerical ocean models used in marine ecology and/or biogeochemistry and analyzing their output.
• Experience with adding biological complexity to such models is advantageous.
• A demonstrated ability to work with programming languages such as Python, Matlab, or C++.
• Demonstrated publication record in relevant scientific areas.
• An intrinsic motivation to increase understanding of marine ecosystems and carbon cycling.
• Strong oral and written communication skills in English.

Location

Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Salary

€3,546 to €5,538 gross monthly (scale 10), based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience. Plus 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance.

How to apply

Applications should be submitted online via the University of Amsterdam vacancy webpage. Applications should include: a detailed CV including a list of publications and the months when referring to education and work experience, a letter of motivation, and the names and email addresses of two references (e.g., PhD or postdoc supervisors). All files besides the CV should be submitted in one single PDF file.

First-round online interviews will be held in the week of 13-17 April 2026. Second-round visits to the UvA will be in early June.

For questions, contact Dr. Cara Nissen at c.nissen@uva.nl.

Deadline

22/03/2026.

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