PhD position - Resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across landscapes

Are you a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual with a strong background in terrestrial ecology and biodiversity? Do you want to collaborate in an interdisciplinary setting on cutting-edge research projects aimed at understanding and mitigating the impacts of global change on Dutch ecosystems? If so, this opportunity could be the perfect fit for you!

Wageningen University's "Sector Plan Biology" has been developed to perform fundamental biological research in the framework of evolutionary and ecological theory to connect the various levels of biological organization to understand the dynamics of biological variation. In Theme 5 - “Resilient and multifunctional landscapes”, we are looking for two PhD candidates working on resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning across landscapes.

Focusing on landscapes around Wageningen, you will explore how landscape context and previous ecosystem conditions affect the resilience of biodiversity and ecosystem functions to wildfires or other highly relevant disturbances. Methodologically, you will apply experimental approaches and repeated field assessment to gain a mechanistic understanding of resilience at the plot level.

There are two PhD positions available in this project; PhD A will focus on biodiversity (plants and animals) and PhD B on ecosystem functions and services (related to soils and vegetation) within the same study design. The focal taxa and functions are yet to be defined, taking the interests and skills of the successful PhD candidates into consideration. Both PhD candidates will conduct intensive fieldwork for at least two field seasons. Activities include the setup of a strong study design across various landscapes around Wageningen, data collection to quantify biodiversity and species interactions (position A), data collection to quantify ecosystem functions and services (position B), advanced statistical data analyses and modelling, and writing manuscripts.

You will work here
Both positions are funded through the Sector Plan Biology. Daily supervision will be by Dr. Iris Hordijk (Forest Ecology and Management) and Dr. Dominic Martin (Wildlife Ecology and Conservation) for position A and by Dr. Amanda Taylor (PEN), Dr. Merel Hofmeijer (Farming Systems Ecology), and Dr. Luciana Chavez (Soil Biology) for position B.

Requirements:

You are a team player and person who is highly motivated to do ecological (field) studies, likes to analyze complex data sets and is eager to reflect critically on research. You are happy to constructively interact and collaborate with an interdisciplinary team, including local and international collaborators. You look forward to publishing your findings in leading international academic journals and to communicating them to a wide audience. You enjoy co-supervising MSc students who will be doing thesis research within the framework of the project. You also possess:

• An MSc in ecology, environmental sciences or a related field;
• Experience with ecological field studies (e.g., soil sampling, vegetation plots, species inventories, ecosystem function measurement);
• Affinity (and ideally experience) with data analysis and visualization;
• Advanced knowledge in data analysis in R;
• Excellent English language skills both written and spoken;
• Team-player skills;
• Good organizational and communication skills;
• A driver's license;
• Fluency in Dutch (or willingness to learn Dutch through an intensive course) is a plus;
• Taxonomic knowledge of one or multiple groups (e.g., plants, bees, soil fauna) is a plus

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. The preferred starting date of the position is the 1st of September.

Salary Benefits:

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.

38 hours per week

Droevendaalsesteeg