job description
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Become part of the newly established CropXR research facility and use mathematical knowledge to develop crops with extraordinarily high levels of stress resistance (XR) for sustainable agriculture. This job opening is part of the CropXR Potato Program. Computational breeding aims to combine phenomic, genomic and environmental data to construct predictive models for yield and quality traits. More specifically, the goal of this project is to build a hybrid model to help breed new high-performance potato varieties that are resistant to drought and nitrogen deficiency. The hybrid model will combine features of machine learning and statistical models with those of physiological and quantitative genetic models. The Ph.D. candidate will examine existing physiological information and data-based models of potato crop growth and identify key genotype-specific parameters that control the performance of crop traits (e.g., tuber yield and quality traits) and resistance to drought and nitrogen deficiency. As a next step, the candidate will construct a predictive hybridization model by (a) retrieving estimates of performance- and stress-resistance-defining parameters from experimental time-series data on canopy and tuber yield from a diversity panel of potato cultivars, and (b) modeling genotype-specific growth parameters as a function of molecular marker profiles. This research is at the intersection of crop dynamic growth modeling and genomic prediction, and may involve mathematical disciplines such as ordinary differential equations, continuous optimization, problem uncertainty, linear and nonlinear mixed-effects models, hyperparametric regression, Bayesian models, and regularization. In biology, some knowledge of crop physiology, plant breeding and quantitative genetics will be helpful. This is a 4-year PhD position working jointly at the Delft University of Technology (TUD, DIAM, Numerical Analysis) and Wageningen University and Research Center (WUR, Biometrics). You will be formally employed at TU Delft but supervised at both TU Delft and Wageningen University and be prepared to commute between the two universities. You are expected to work proactively in an interdisciplinary research environment and to interact and collaborate with different partners at TU Delft, TU Wageningen and the potato industry. You will be expected to communicate research results with your research peers, project partners and the general public. As a PhD student, you will lead the model development efforts of the Crop XR Potato project in CropXR and coordinate model development efforts with other PhD students in the Crop XR Potato project, interact with potato physiology, microbiology, and experimental research scientists, data collection and phenotyping specialists, contribute to the education of Applied Mathematics at TUD, and complete the PhD education program in the TUD Graduate School.
offer requirements
You are a pleasant team player with a proactive attitude and a strong work ethic, an applied mathematician and/or applied statistician with an interest in research, and a desire to work with practical applications and experimental data. You have a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics and/or Applied Statistics, knowledge of deterministic and statistical modeling methods (systems of ordinary and partial differential equations, probability, numerical methods, linear algebra, statistics, analysis of variance and regression, mixed models, Bayesian methods, machine learning), a propensity for or experience with applied and interdisciplinary research, the ability to program in Python, familiarity with the R language, some experience with data analysis, and strong collaboration skills.
offer benefits/salary
Delft University of Technology has a strong foundation. As the creator of the world-famous Dutch Waterworks and a pioneer in biotechnology, Delft University of Technology is a leading international university of science, engineering and design. It delivers world-class results in education, research and innovation, and is able to meet challenges in the fields of energy, climate, transportation, health and the digital society. For generations, our engineers have proven to be entrepreneurial problem solvers in business and social contexts. At TU Delft, we have made diversity one of our core values and are actively committed to being a university where you feel at home and can flourish. We value different perspectives and qualities. We believe that this makes our work more innovative, the TU Delft community more vibrant and the world more just. Together we imagine, invent and create solutions that utilize technology to make a positive impact on a global scale. This is why we invite you to apply. Your application will be considered fairly. Challenge. Change. Impact! The School of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science brings together three scientific disciplines. Combined and mutually reinforcing, they are the driving force behind the technologies we use in our daily lives. Our faculties are helping technologies such as the power grid to become fully sustainable and future-proof. At the same time, we are developing the chips and sensors of the future and laying the foundations for the software technologies that will run on the next generation of devices, including, of course, artificial intelligence. At the same time, we are pushing the limits of applied mathematics, for example by using single-cell data to map disease processes and by using mathematics to simulate huge ash flows after volcanic eruptions. In other words: the Academy has plenty of room for groundbreaking research. We train innovative engineers and have state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities that underline our strong international position. In total, more than 1,000 employees and 4,000 students work and study in this innovative environment. PhD candidates will in principle be offered a 4-year employment period, but will be offered 2 employment contracts. The first contract will be for 1.5 years with a formal go/no-go progress assessment within 15 months. If all goes well and performance requirements are met, a supplementary contract of 2.5 years will be signed. Salary and benefits are in accordance with the Dutch University Collective Labor Agreement and increase from €2,901 per month in the first year to €3,707 in the fourth year. As a PhD student, you will be enrolled in the Graduate School of Delft University of Technology. The Graduate School of Delft University of Technology has an excellent team of supervisors, academic staff and mentors to provide you with an inspiring research environment. The doctoral education program is designed to develop your transferable, discipline-relevant and research skills. Delft University of Technology offers customizable remuneration packages, discounts on health insurance and a monthly allowance for work expenses. Flexible working hours can be arranged. Do you need to relocate to the Netherlands for this job? Delft University of Technology is committed to making your relocation as smooth as possible! The HR department “Come to Delft Services” provides information on its website to help you prepare for your relocation. In addition, “Come to Delft Services” organizes events to help you settle in the Netherlands and expand your (social) network in Delft. We also offer a “Dual Career Program” to help your accompanying partner find a job in the Netherlands.