PhD Position in Plant Metabolomics and Evolution

Institute of Entomology

Department of Ecology

Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology

Employment contract

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate with a background in bioinformatics to join our research team investigating the global drivers of phytochemical diversity. This project aims to uncover how the remarkable diversity of plant metabolites relates to biotic and abiotic stress across the globe. As a model system, we focus on the Salicaceae family, which provides an exceptional opportunity to study phytochemical evolution thanks to its broad geographic distribution, ecological diversity, and well-characterized phylogeny.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will:

• Analyse Salicaceae metabolomes using advanced metabolomics and bioinformatics;
• Develop bioinformatic pipelines integrating existing tools to acquire deeper insights into structural and functional chemical variation;
• Collaborate with team members to interpret chemical diversity within an evolutionary and ecological framework, including the inference of Salicaceae phylogeny;
• Contribute to joint analyses linking field-based ecological data with chemical and genomic datasets.

Through these approaches, the PhD candidate will contribute to understanding how plant chemistry evolves and adapts in response to environmental and ecological pressures, offering new insights into the multidimensional nature of phytochemical diversity.

• A MSc degree (a non-negotiable requirement for PhD program eligibility);
• A strong interest in plant ecology, evolution, and bioinformatics;
• Experience with metabolomics or phylogenomics (highly desirable);
• Experience in bioinformatic data manipulation and workflow development (Bash essential, familiarity with Python or R highly desirable);
• Experience in biostatistics or data integration (advantageous);
• Fluent written and spoken English;
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.

• 5 weeks of paid holiday yearly, subsidized lunches in our own canteen
• Pension insurance contribution, support of leisure sport & cultural activities
• Full health insurance and social security, student benefits for PhD students
• Free Czech language classes, professional trainings and mentoring programme
• Concessionary services at the contractual operator and bank
• Campus-based daycare for employees' children from the age of 1 year
• Welcome service and further support for foreigners (HR Award)
• English speaking, friendly & stimulating international working environment
• Work-life balance in a middle-sized university city offering options for various activities
• Working in a stable, prestigious research institution of international importance

About the position & workplace:

The successful candidate will join the Laboratory of Evolutionary Ecology led by Martin Volf (https://www.volflab.com) at Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences (https://www.bc.cas.cz/en/), and will study at the University of South Bohemia (https://www.jcu.cz/en/) in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Our young and dynamic team combines expertise in ecology, metabolomics, phylogenetics, and evolutionary biology. The department where we are based hosts a vibrant international research environment and is recognized as a world-class centre for eco-evolutionary research. The PhD candidate will benefit from close collaboration with researchers conducting complementary fieldwork and experimental studies. The scholarship fully covers living expenses in the Czech Republic for the entire four-year PhD program.

The Biology Centre is located in České Budějovice (max. 2 hours south of the capital Prague), a safe middle-sized city with ca. 100K inhabitants, relaxed atmosphere, historical centre and a breathtaking countryside around providing numerous opportunities for research and leisure activities. It has a growing international expert community at the Biology Centre CAS and the neighbouring University of South Bohemia. Check out our Guide for Expats to read about life in the city and the Czech Republic.

The Biology Centre holds the HR Award. Our selection process is transparent, open, non-discriminating and fair. For more information about the researchers recruitment policy at our institution, see our OTM-R. We provide our employees from abroad with welcome service (visa application, administration, relocation & settlement support).

To apply, please send via the REPLY button below:

1. A CV,
2. A cover letter describing your motivation, relevant experience, and research interests,
3. Contact details for three references

Application Details:

• Deadline: December 10, 2025
• Interviews: Mid-December 2025
• Start date: April 1, 2026

Informal inquiries can be sent to volf@entu.cas.cz.