Research Software Engineer

Do you want to contribute to the innovations shaping the future of sustainable horticulture and agriculture? As a Research Software Engineer, you will develop applications, data solutions, and software building blocks that support our research and innovation projects.

You could be working on autonomous greenhouse control, ranging from climate management to robotics for crop scouting or crop maintenance. You will also help improve the standardization, accessibility, and reuse of data from greenhouses and field experiments, enabling stronger insights across projects.

Working closely with researchers and industry partners, you will help transform ideas into practical digital solutions while ensuring they remain reliable, scalable, and reusable.

Your duties and responsibilities as a research software engineer include:

• develop software tools and applications for research, experimentation, and decision support both for colleagues and growers;
• build and maintain data infrastructures, databases, and integrations between control systems and sensors;
• develop dashboards and analytics solutions that turn research data into actionable insights for colleagues and our customers;
• collaborate with researchers and project partners to translate scientific and operational needs into software solutions;
• enable the long-term reuse, scalability, and quality of software and data solutions across multiple projects.

Your team
You will be part of the Greenhouse Automation and Robotics team, a multidisciplinary group that combines expertise in AI, sensor technology, and robotics. The team develops innovative solutions for both greenhouse horticulture and open-field agriculture.

You will work in an environment where collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation are at the core, with plenty of opportunities to take initiative and turn new ideas into reality. This provides an inspiring and supportive workplace with a strong connection between technology and real-world agricultural applications.

Your primary workplace will be Wageningen, where you will be based for most of your work. Depending on project needs, you may also spend time at other locations, such as Bleiswijk or field sites where experiments and trials are conducted.

Postdoc: Developing green façades for building insolation

Are you a highly motivated and curious postdoctoral researcher with a strong interest in plant ecology, ecophysiology, and nature-based solutions for greener cities? Do you enjoy bridging fundamental ecological knowledge with practical applications? Then Wageningen University & Research offers an exciting opportunity for you.

BIO-SKIN (Bio-Inspired Outer Surfaces to Kool, Insulate and Nurture) is developing bio-based, waste-derived, and circular façade systems that integrate plant growth. The project goal is to help develop bio-based facade panels that keep buildings cool, insulate, support biodiversity, and contribute to more sustainable urban environments. We work in a team of people with backgrounds in design, materials, biomaterial chemistry, architecture, biology, engineering, sustainability, and the built environment.

In this position, you will investigate how plant-soil-insect interactions develop in ecosystems with shallow soils and translate these ecological insights into design principles for next-generation green façades. Your research will contribute to a better understanding of how ecological communities establish and function in constrained urban environments, while helping to develop façade systems that support biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will combine fundamental and applied research to develop innovative green façade concepts that enhance ecosystem complexity and deliver key ecosystem services, including thermal insulation, carbon sequestration, microclimate regulation, and habitat provision for insects and other arthropods. For this, you will make theoretical assessments of optimal flora/fauna combinations for providing shading and cooling, as well as to boost biodiversity. You will then coordinate the design and execution of façade-panel experiments in close collaboration with a PhD candidate, analyse ecological and physiological data, and contribute to scientific publications.

The project offers a unique opportunity to connect ecology, ecophysiology, urban greening, and green façade design.

We are looking for a candidate who enjoys working in interdisciplinary teams. You will bring expertise in plant ecology and ecophysiology to a collaborative group of researchers, designers, and material developers, and partners from companies that produce green façades, jointly creating innovative green façade solutions that contribute to sustainable construction and healthier urban environments.

Your activities include:

• Investigating plant species performance, community assembly and plant-insect-soil interactions in shallow-substrate systems (drawing on insights from literature as well as field studies);
• Analysing ecological and ecophysiological datasets;
• Publishing results in peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at scientific conferences;
• Collaborating with academic and non-academic partners to translate scientific insights into practical applications.
• Teaching in courses and supervise BSc and MSc students

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Biosystematics Group and the Laboratory of Entomology You will be supervised by dr. ir. Casper Quist and Prof. Bregje Wertheim. As a member in the BIO-SKIN team you will work one day a week together with the other BIO-SKIN PhDs and Post-docs at the AMS institute in Amsterdam. In addition, you will be embedded in the PE&RC graduate school (Home | PE&RC), which will allow you to follow a wide variety of training courses and provide support during your academic journey.

PhD position on forensic tracing of tropical timber

Are you passionate about the reducing illegal timber trade from tropical forests? Do you aspire developing scientific tools to curb illegal trade? Then this PhD position could be a good fit for you! We are looking for a bright and highly qualified team player in this applied research project.

The illegal trade in tropical timber is a major environmental problem. New international legislation aimed at curbing this trade requires independent techniques to verify timber origin. In this NWO-funded research project we develop these tools.

We have two PhD vacancies: this PhD analyses timber forensic data with geostatistical tools to verify timber origin; the other PhD focuses on radar remote sensing to detect logging activities. You can apply only to one of the positions.

You will use state-of-the-art timber forensics measurements and combine these with innovative predictive geostatistical models to verify the origin of tropical timber. Your results are used to develop a publicly accessible dashboard to validate claimed timber origin. Authorities, timber industry and NGOs are members of the project’s user committee. In addition, the project involves international partners in Central Africa, South-East Asia, and South and North America.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Conduct wood chemical analyses of available wood samples with a mass spectrometer
• Develop and test multivariate geostatistical models of forensic data to verify timber origin
• Lead analyses and writing of multi-authored scientific publications, culminating in a PhD thesis
• Collaborate with international partners and members of the user committee
• Provide your data and results to the timber verification dashboard

Your team
You will work at Wageningen University, with possible trips to visit international collaborators and conferences. No fieldwork is foreseen. The research is embedded within the Forest Ecology and Forest Management group and the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing. You will be part of the Timtrace team, consisting of 2 PhD candidates, a post-doc and your supervisors. You are supervised by prof. dr. Pieter Zuidema prof. dr. Sytze de Bruin (PhD2); and dr. Mart Vlam.

PhD position on radar detection of logging in tropical forests

Are you passionate about the reducing illegal timber trade from tropical forests? Do you aspire developing scientific tools to curb illegal trade? Then this PhD position could be a good fit for you! We are looking for a bright and highly qualified team player in this applied research project.

The illegal trade in tropical timber is a major environmental problem. New international legislation aimed at curbing this trade requires independent techniques to verify timber origin. In this NWO-funded research project we develop these tools.

We have two PhD vacancies: this PhD focuses on radar remote sensing to detect logging activities; the other PhD analyses timber forensic data with geostatistical tools to verify timber origin. You can apply only to one of the positions.

You will use novel satellite radar techniques to detect logging activity and logging intensity across pantropical forests. These will then be applied to verify claimed locations of timber origin. Your results are used to develop a publicly accessible dashboard to validate the claimed timber origin. Authorities, timber industry and NGOs are members of the project’s user committee. In addition, the project involves international partners in Central Africa, South-East Asia, and South and North America.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Process and analyse novel satellite radar data
• Develop and test remote-sensing methods to detect logging occurrence and impact
• Lead analyses and writing of multi-authored scientific publications, culminating in a PhD thesis
• Collaborate with international partners and members of the user committee
• Provide your data and results for the timber verification dashboard

Your team
You will work at Wageningen University, with possible trips to visit international collaborators and conferences. No fieldwork is foreseen. The research is embedded within the Forest Ecology and Forest Management group and the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing. You will be part of the Timtrace team, consisting of 2 PhD candidates, a post-doc and your supervisors. You are supervised by prof. dr. Pieter Zuidema and dr. Johannes Reiche (PhD1)

Freshwater Ecology Researcher

Are you an ecologist who wants to contribute to the restoration of Dutch freshwater ecosystems? Do you have knowledge of freshwater ecology and the organisms that inhabit these systems, experience in ecological research, and an interest in translating research results into practical applications? Then this position may be for you!

As a Freshwater Ecology Researcher, you will work with other researchers on a variety of projects for water managers and policymakers. You will contribute to field research and desk studies, data analysis, and the reporting and presentation of research findings.

The projects focus on current topics in Dutch freshwater ecology. Examples include:

• Investigating the effectiveness of restoration and management measures in different freshwater habitats.
• Reintroducing macroinvertebrate species.
• Assessing the effects of salinization and drought on biodiversity.
• Evaluating innovative monitoring techniques.
• Contributing to the development of ecological monitoring and assessment systems.

The work is varied and dynamic. Your responsibilities may include conducting fieldwork in streams and peatland areas, contributing to analyses of existing datasets from water authorities, and carrying out literature reviews. You will work in multidisciplinary project teams with varying compositions. All project work takes place within the Netherlands.

Your Team
You will collaborate with researchers in the Freshwater Ecology Research Group, which is part of the Water & Food Team at Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR). The group focuses on restoring and improving aquatic ecosystems by developing, sharing, and applying knowledge that supports water management and policy.