PhD position: Organic Synthesis of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids

Do you like organic synthesis? Are you ready to develop a practical synthesis of natural compounds to contribute to food safety? Are you knowledgeable, enthusiastic and not afraid of a challenge? Then this vacancy can be just right for you!

We have a PhD position available in which you can design and execute innovative organic synthesis of natural toxins – pyrrolizidine alkaloids. There are many challenges on the way – the family of pyrrolizidine alkaloids constitutes of >600 members of various complexity. And we also need the synthetic route to be practical, to be able to use synthesized molecules as analytical standards and in metabolism studies.
As a PhD student, you will focus on the synthesis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. You will design and synthesize the core, develop the reaction scale up and diversify synthetic routes to make broad libraries of natural compounds. Synthesized molecules will be identified and characterize by NMR, MS and single crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) – all instruments are available for walk-in use as a part of this project.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• development of innovative synthesis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids;
• full characterization of synthesized organic molecules, using NMR, MS and SC-XRD;
• scale-up of the synthesis of pyrrolizidine core;
• synthesis of analytical standards;
• rationale-based synthetic route design and reactions optimization.

You will work here
The project is a part of Open Technology grant for our proposal COre-based PYrrolizydine alkaloid synthesis for Contaminant Annotation and Tracking (COPY-CAT). The research is embedded within the group of Dr. Fedor Miloserdov (Homogeneous Catalysis and Biomimetic Synthesis - WUR), located in the Laboratory of Organic Chemistry (Organic Chemistry - WUR), which is headed by Prof. Han Zuilhof. You will be primarily supervised by Dr. Fedor Miloserdov with support by the other team members Prof. Han Zuilhof, Dr. Laura Righetti and Dr. Gert Salentijn. The research stay at Symeres is planned as a part of the project. The work will be happening in close collaboration with a second PhD student, working in the field of analytical chemistry and supervised primarily by Dr. Laura Righetti and Dr. Gert Salentijn. 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 € 2.901,- per month rising to € 3.707,- 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.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

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. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, 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. The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

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

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

• a successfully completed MSc degree in Organic Chemistry or related discipline;
• a strong background in experimental organic synthesis with fundamental knowledge of organic chemistry;
• a critical scientific attitude, strong analytical and problem-solving skills;
• ready to collaborate and work as a part of bigger team;
• ready to work in a multicultural and a multidisciplinary environment.

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. For more information about the position, please contact Dr. Fedor Miloserdov, Assistant Professor, via email: [email protected].
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Rutger Voorrips, Corporate Recruiter, via e-mail: [email protected].

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

You can apply until the 7th of July 2025. Don’t wait with your application. As soon as we receive suitable candidates we will initiate the first interviews.

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.