About Crag CRAG is an independent research institution engaged in leading-edge basic and applied plant and farm animal sciences. CRAG is established as a Consortium of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), and University of Barcelona (UB). The Center is located at the UAB Campus, and currently hosts 200 members from across the world.

Research Programs at CRAG (from basic science to applied research using plant experimental model systems, crops and farm animals) make extensive use of genomic technologies and large sets of genetic and genomic data (http://biennialreport2018-2019.cragenomica.es/).

Responsibilities We are looking for a PhD student to complete their doctoral thesis, focused on the study of the role of ELF3 in the regulation of thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana , through the analysis of its interactions with phyB and COP1, the functional characterization of ELF3 allelic variants, and the study of the molecular mechanisms involved in the temperature response.

- Define the interaction of the proteins ELF3, phyB and COP1, and functionally test allelic variants of ELF3 impaired in interaction with each of these proteins.
- Establish the role of ELF3 in coordinating thermomorphogenesis.
- Complete preliminary nuclear localization confocal studies, showing a differential interaction of the various alleles.




- Obtain pPIF4:LUC reporter lines in the elf3-8, cop1-6, and cop1-4 single and double mutant backgrounds.

Requirements Educational requirements: Degree in Biology or similar. Experience: At least 2 years of research experience in Arabidopsis .

The Following Will Be Positively Valued

- Certifications for advanced courses in Bioinformatics.
- Experience in super-resolution confocal microscopy.
- Knowledge in bioinformatics and RNA-seq dataset studies.

Skills And Competencies

- Advanced level of English.
- Analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Communication skills and user training abilities.
- Proactive and continuous improvement-oriented mindset.
- Ability to coordinate and work within a technical team.

WORKING CONDITIONS

- Contract: Temporary (from1 September 2026 – 28 February 2027 (6 months)
- Hours/week: Full time (37.5 hours/week).
- Opportunity for professional growth in a high-level CERCA research center.
- Versátil working hours and a good working environment within a dynamic team.

SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS Please submit all applications through CRAG mail: [email protected] CRAG is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission. All candidates will be considered qualified for the job without restrictions of gender, race, nationality or disability. Integration policy: reserve the place in a first turn for disabled staff.

📌 PhD Student (Ref. 39/2026) (Sardañola del Vallés)
🏢 Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics CRAG
📍 Sardañola del Vallés