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.

Integrity Coordinator

Help build a safe and ethical work environment. What do you do when someone does not feel safe speaking up? And how do you ensure that an individual report also contributes to improving the organization?

As an Integrity Coordinator, you help WUR further strengthen social safety and integrity. You listen to signals, carefully map out complex situations, and help determine what is needed. At the same time, you look ahead: what patterns do you see and what can we learn from them?

You collaborate with managers, HR, confidential counsellors, and the ombudsperson, among others. You connect people, knowledge, and perspectives and contribute to a work environment where people feel safe speaking up.

What will you be doing?

• you handle the intake and triage of reports and signals within the Social Safety Contact Point and carefully determine the appropriate next steps;
• you map out complex cases, prepare multidisciplinary discussions, and draft recommendations;
• you monitor the progress and coherence of the approach and work closely with managers and other involved disciplines;
• you recognize patterns and risks and translate these into improvements in policy, processes, and working methods;
• you contribute to a culture where social safety and integrity are open for discussion and people can hold each other accountable;
• together with another Integrity Coordinator, you further develop the working methods and positioning of this new role within WUR.

Onderzoeker zoetwaterecologie

Ben jij ecoloog en wil je bijdragen aan het herstel van de Nederlandse waternatuur? Heb je kennis van zoetwaterecologie, de organismen die daar te vinden zijn, ervaring met het doen van ecologisch onderzoek, en vind je het interessant om onderzoeksresultaten te vertalen naar praktisch toepasbare kennis? Dan is deze functie iets voor jou!

Als onderzoeker aquatische ecologie werk je samen met andere onderzoekers aan uiteenlopende onderzoeksprojecten voor waterbeheerders en -beleidsmakers. Je draagt bij aan het uitvoeren van veldonderzoek en deskstudies, het analyseren van gegevens en het rapporteren en presenteren van onderzoeksresultaten.

De projecten richten zich op actuele onderwerpen binnen de Nederlandse zoetwaterecologie. Voorbeelden hiervan zijn het onderzoeken van de effectiviteit van herstel- en beheermaatregelen in verschillende watertypen, het herintroduceren van macrofauna, het vaststellen van de effecten van verzilting en verdroging op de biodiversiteit, het evalueren van innovatieve monitoringstechnieken en het bijdragen aan de ontwikkeling van ecologische monitorings- en beoordelingssystemen.

De werkzaamheden zijn divers en afwisselend. Jouw taken en verantwoordelijkheden als onderzoeker zoetwaterecologie omvatten bijvoorbeeld het uitvoeren van veldonderzoek in beken en veengebieden, bijdragen aan data-analyses van bestaande waterbeheerdersdata en het doen van literatuuronderzoek. Je werkt hierbij in diverse projectteams met een verschillende samenstelling. Het projectwerk vindt plaats binnen Nederland.

Jouw team
Jij gaat samenwerken met de onderzoekers van de onderzoeksgroep zoetwaterecologie. Deze groep is onderdeel van het team Water & Food van Wageningen Environmental Research en richt zich op het herstellen en verbeteren van de waternatuur door kennis te ontsluiten, ontwikkelen en toepasbaar te maken voor het waterbeheer en -beleid.