Doctoral fellow

Job description

• You participate in the European 3SI-CONTROL (GH EDCTP3 JU) project, which aims to determine the safety, effectiveness, and implementation strategies of an integrated deworming campaign against Taenia solium cysticercosis/taeniasis, schistosomiasis (SCH), and soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in sub-Saharan Africa. Driven by socioeconomic vulnerabilities, including limited access to clean water and inadequate sanitation, these neglected tropical diseases are highly prevalent in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa and collectively account for an estimated 10 million DALYs per year in the region. If left untreated, STH and SCH can lead to long-term chronic morbidity, including anemia and iron deficiency, malnutrition, and impaired growth and cognition in children. Additionally, SCH can cause liver and urogenital tissue damage, while T. solium-related morbidity is strongly associated with neurocysticercosis, a major cause of epilepsy and various neurological disorders. Therefore, this project aims to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and implementation of an integrated deworming campaign against these three diseases.
  Your focus within the project is on detecting and monitoring parasitic contamination in the environment (insects, water, soil, etc.), both before and after the deworming intervention. Tasks (non-exhaustive list) include: developing a research proposal, conducting research with active participation in fieldwork in Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique, laboratory work, data collection and analysis, reporting results, writing publications, and supervising master's students involved in the project.
• Desk-based research is conducted in Ghent, while data collection requires travel to Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zambia.
• You will strengthen the research group (Laboratory for Foodborne Parasitic Zoonoses), supervise master's thesis students, and participate in the laboratory's service activities related to foodborne parasites.

Job profile

• You hold a Master’s degree in Biology, Bioscience Engineering, Veterinary Medicine, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, or a similar degree. Applicants graduating in July 2025 are also accepted.
• You have a strong interest in foodborne parasites and scientific research.
• You are a strong communicator with experience or interest in intercultural and international communication.
• You are motivated to teach practical courses on foodborne parasites to students and participate in the laboratory's service activities.
• You are a true team player but can also work independently.
• You are fluent in both Dutch and English, both spoken and written.
• Laboratory experience and research experience in the Global South are strong assets.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

• We offer a full-time position as a doctoral fellow, consisting of an initial period of 12 months, which - after a positive evaluation, will be extended to a total maximum of 48 months.
• Your contract will start on May 15, 2025 at the earliest.
• The fellowship amount is 100% of the net salary of an AAP member in equal family circumstances. The individual fellowship amount is determined by Team Personnel Administration based on family status and seniority. A grant that meets the conditions and criteria of the regulations for doctoral fellowships is considered free of personal income tax. Click here for more information about our salary scales
• All Ghent University staff members enjoy a number of benefits, such as a wide range of training and education opportunities, 36 days of holiday leave (on an annual basis for a full-time job) supplemented by annual fixed bridge days, bicycle allowance and eco vouchers. Click here for a complete overview of all the staff benefits.

How to apply

Send your CV, copy of your diploma (if already in your possession), a motivation letter, and your academic grade transcript from your Master to sarah.gabriel@ugent.be before April 15, 2025. We do not accept late applications.
For more information about this vacancy, you can contact Prof. Sarah Gabriël (sarah.gabriel@UGent.be, +23 (0)9/264 77 37) or Ganna Saelens (ganna.saelens@ugent.be).