Animal Ecology Researcher on Farmland Birds

Are you an ecologist with knowledge of birds and experience in field research? Do you have a passion for applied research on nature restoration in agricultural landscapes? Do you closely follow scientific developments in this field? If so, we would like to hear from you!

Within the Animal Ecology team, we are expanding our capacity. We are looking for a researcher who wants to help carry out, shape, and strengthen applied research on farmland birds in agricultural areas. We are seeking someone who can place insights concerning these species groups within a broader ecological context. Examples include assessing the effects of restoration measures on different species groups in and around agricultural fields and understanding the functioning of the agricultural ecosystem as a whole.

The ecological challenges facing agricultural landscapes are significant. At the same time, there are concerns about the feasibility of conservation measures and the future prospects of farming businesses. Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR) works on a wide range of projects related to biodiversity in agricultural areas. Currently, there is a particular need to strengthen research on farmland birds. This includes conducting breeding bird surveys and locating nests of meadow and arable farmland birds, as well as analysing and reporting research findings. Knowledge of agricultural practices and agricultural policy (such as the Dutch Agri-Environment and Climate Management Scheme, ANLb, and the Nature Restoration Regulation) is a clear advantage.

In this role, you will work within project teams on projects focused on the monitoring, protection, and restoration of biodiversity. You will conduct fieldwork, process and interpret research results, and contribute to publications, including Dutch-language reports and articles as well as peer-reviewed scientific papers. You will help identify and develop new project opportunities and may eventually take the lead in acquisition activities.

The Animal Ecology team consists of researchers/project leaders, laboratory staff, and field staff working in the fields of mammalogy, ornithology, entomology, reptile and amphibian ecology, soil ecology, and ecological genetics. We undertake work commissioned by (local) governments, land managers, NGOs, businesses, as well as research supported by national and international scientific funding. We conduct high-quality, independent research focused on the protection, restoration, and management of wild fauna. Through applied research, we make our knowledge and expertise available to help safeguard the quality of our natural environment, now and in the future.

(Medior) Ecological Genetics Technician (24–32 Hours per Week)

Are you interested in applying molecular techniques to contribute to nature conservation and the resolution of ecological challenges? Do you enjoy working on a variety of projects simultaneously and collaborating within a dynamic team? Are you accurate, analytical, flexible, and communicative? Then we would like to hear from you.

As a (Medior) Ecological Genetics Technician, your primary responsibility will be to perform, and where appropriate develop, molecular laboratory analyses for both population genetic research and (e)DNA-based biodiversity assessments (metabarcoding). Much of this work involves analysing samples of low quality and quantity, such as non-invasive animal samples, environmental DNA (eDNA), and ancient DNA. These analyses are conducted in laboratory facilities specifically designed for handling such material.

The Animal Ecology Team consists of approximately twenty-five researchers, laboratory staff, and field technicians specializing in mammal, bird, insect, reptile/amphibian, soil ecology, and ecological genetics research. From the DNA level to the landscape scale, we analyse ecological processes, species interactions, and relationships between species and environmental and management factors.

We carry out research for governments, land managers, NGOs, businesses, and projects funded through national and international scientific programs. Our work is focused on high-quality, independent research aimed at the conservation and management of wild fauna. Through applied research, we make our knowledge and expertise available to help preserve the quality of our natural environment, both now and in the future.

What sets us apart is our combination of desk studies, empirical research, and specialized laboratory facilities, including the Ecological Genetics Laboratory.

Technician Insect Virology

We are looking for a technician to carry out tasks to support ongoing research in insect virology. In this role, you will be responsible for the continuous rearing of several insect species and you will assist researchers and students in preparing and carrying out their experiments. You will work within the Insect Virus group within the Laboratory of Virology, alongside another technician and various PhD candidates, postdocs and MSc and BSc students.

You will as a technician contribute to the successful execution of laboratory operations and support the work of employees and students. Within the chair’s research group, you will be part of a team of 6 technicians, who have divided a number of general organizational and administrative tasks amongst themselves and can take over each other’s duties where necessary.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Caring for and maintaining insect cultures;
• Assisting with and carrying out experiments with insects;
• Assisting with and carrying out laboratory work;
• Carrying out general laboratory management tasks;
• Collaborating with technicians, PhD candidates, postdocs and students.

Your team
You will work with in the Insect Virology group, as part of the NWO Vici project ‘Invisible influencers: How hidden virus infections shape insect life’ led by Dr. Vera Ros. The project is aimed at disentangling how the insect’s virome (i.e. the assemblage of viruses) impacts insect immune responses, fitness and behaviour, and thereby influences interactions with and effects of incoming virus infections. The Insect Virology group is part of the chair group Laboratory of Virology, and research in the Insect Virology group focuses on multiple aspects of insect-virus interactions including mechanisms behind viral manipulation of insect behaviour, virus discovery, covert virus infections (i.e. infections without clear symptoms) in insects and the use of viruses for biological control of insect pests.

You will work here
The Laboratory of Virology is part of the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen University. It is located at the Wageningen Campus in the Radix building. We provide virology teaching at Wageningen University within BSc and MSc programs across various disciplines. The Virology chair group comprises around 35 staff members, including research staff, technicians, PhD candidates, postdocs and visiting researchers. Each year, an average of 25 BSc and MSc students undertake their final-year research within Virology. The Virology group conducts fundamental research into plant viruses, insect viruses and arboviruses. Where possible, the knowledge generated is translated into applications aimed at improving food production and human and animal health.

Postdoc Researcher social and financial values of cooperative urban development

How can cooperative ownership and development models in the housing and energy sectors contribute to an affordable, sustainable, and equitable society? Can they help shape a new economy that prioritizes sustainability and broad-based prosperity alongside economic growth? What added value—both financial and societal—do they offer, and what are their tangible real-world outcomes?

Over the coming years, this question will be explicitly explored in Amsterdam through an interdisciplinary research project involving Wageningen University & Research and the Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS) Institute.

The Urban Economics chair group at Wageningen University & Research is seeking a researcher to investigate the societal and financial value of cooperative urban development. The research focuses on current urban challenges in Amsterdam (specifically regarding housing and energy) and bridges academic analysis with concrete policy and practical questions.

This position offers a unique combination of academic research and direct engagement with urban practice and policy. You will be employed by WUR and work from both Wageningen and the AMS Institute in Amsterdam. AMS is a partnership between Wageningen University & Research, TU Delft, and MIT, where academia, the municipality, and societal partners collaborate on urgent urban issues.

The research is conducted in close collaboration with the Municipality of Amsterdam and other urban partners. Consequently, this is not an isolated academic project; rather, it is a role where your research is directly relevant to urban decision-making and where you actively contribute to developing follow-up research and new collaborations.

Your duties and responsibilities include:
As a researcher, you will conduct research—both independently and collaboratively—into cooperative urban development models, with a strong focus on empirical case studies in Amsterdam. You will develop analytical frameworks that provide an integrated view of financial and societal costs and benefits, and which are directly relevant to urban policy and investment issues.

Your activities will include:

• Developing and implementing a research design for an integrated societal and financial cost-benefit analysis of cooperative urban initiatives in the housing and energy sectors;
• Conducting empirical research within selected case studies, including document analysis, interviews with initiators, policymakers, and other stakeholders, as well as the analysis of project and policy data;
• Developing indicators and methods to systematically measure the societal performance and financial outcomes of cooperative models;
• Translating research findings into both academic publications and accessible, practice-oriented outputs for policymakers and other urban partners;
• Actively contributing to knowledge exchange and co-creation with urban partners and financial institutions—including through the AMS Institute—and exploring opportunities for follow-up research and external funding.

Your team
You are formally affiliated with the Urban Economics Group, where you are part of a multidisciplinary team of urban (behavioral) economists. AMS serves as the base for your research, with a strong focus on collaboration with the city, policymakers, and other knowledge institutions.

At AMS, you work in an interdisciplinary team and maintain close ties with the Municipality of Amsterdam, civil society organizations, and academic partners. This position is ideal for researchers who wish to actively bridge the gap between academia and urban practice.

PhD position: Water-Mediated Cooling of European Cities and Citizens

Are you a highly motivated researcher passionate about urban hydrometeorology, climate modelling, heat-health interactions, and water-sensitive urban design? Do you want to work on a high-impact, international project that translates urban hydrometeorological science into real-world solutions protecting human health from extreme heat?

We are seeking a talented PhD candidate to join the Horizon Europe Innovation Action Project EUROASIS (EUROpean Adaptive, Systemic and Inclusive Solutions for heat resilience). This PhD position focuses on assessing whether innovative cooling interventions piloted in EUROASIS pilot cities will also perform in the project's replicator cities and regions across Europe's diverse hydroclimates.

As our PhD candidate, you will model the urban water-energy balance underlying (evapotranspirative) cooling—e.g., how greening and water features impact hydrometeorological conditions and translate into reduced heat-health risk based on temperature- and humidity-based heat indices. You will simulate these effects in the replicator cities against field measurements in a subset of them, and quantify the water demand of sustaining this cooling under extreme heat conditions. Your work will directly culminate in international peer-reviewed journal papers and foundational project deliverables.

You will work here
The Hydrology and Environment Hydraulics (HWM) chair group, led by chairholder Martine van der Ploeg, aims to contribute to the improved understanding of catchment-scale hydrological processes through advanced measurement, modeling and assimilation techniques. You will be co-supervised by Dr. D. (Dragan) Milosevic and Dr. AJ (Ryan) Teuling.