Coordinator Education Helpdesk TLC

Are you passionate about supporting educators to maintain and improve their high quality education? Do you excel at coordinating tasks, people and services related to information for education?

If so, read on!

We are looking for an Coordinator Education Helpdesk TLC in Wageningen University and Research. Together with the Students Assistants you will be supporting teachers and course coordinators in their work, contributing to an efficient and effective handling of their questions and requests. This can be regarding the online learning environment (Brightspace), and other educational tools, or directing them to one of our educational advisors.

The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) supports teachers at WUR offering innovative and high-quality education. You will be coordinating the work of the Education Support Service Desk (ESSD), aiming to provide timely answers and assistance, and link requests and needs to available support and resources. The Education Support Service Desk represents a first line of support for teachers regarding their teaching and the use of education systems, such as the online learning environment, the video platform, and other learning tools. TLC is one of the sections within ESA (Education and Student Affairs).

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Lead and coordinate the Helpdesk team, supervising Student Assistants, managing schedules, monitoring incoming questions, and stepping in to handle complex tickets when needed.
• Recruit, hire, and onboard Student Assistants for TLC, ensuring a well-trained and effective support team.
• Manage and optimize support systems and platforms (admin), including MS Teams Call Center, Outlook mailbox, ServiceNow, and the instruction manuals platform Screensteps (user access, updates, and quality control across WUR).
• Monitor Helpdesk performance, maintain the FAQ, and report on resolved requests to improve service quality.
• Act as TLC’s contact point for the Support Portal and collaborate closely with decentralized support teams such as EduHubs to ensure aligned and consistent support.
• Coordinate communication and key activities, including the Education Support Deadlines Calendar, sharing relevant information with educators, and supporting events such as the Education Design Festival and Teachersday. Together with our Communication Coordinator implement our strategic communication plan.

Your team
You will become part of the team Online Learning Environment (OLE). You will work with 3 to 4 Students Assistants. Together with the Students Assistants you will be supporting teachers and course coordinators in their work, contributing to an efficient and effective handling of their questions and requests. Furthermore you will work together with various other colleagues from TLC, like our Communication Coordinator, and our Management and Office Assistant.

You will work here
The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) is dedicated to fostering excellence in education. Our mission is to inspire and empower educators, cultivate dynamic learning environments both online and on campus, and collaborate in enhancing courses and curricula. With a focus on innovation and continuous improvement, TLC strives to enrich the educational experience for both students and faculty.

We are a dynamic educational organisation that constantly seeks innovative (IT) tools, pedagogical approaches and activities for its stakeholders and our development. Hence, there is ample room for personal contributions and initiatives. The Teaching and Learning Centre has an entrepreneurial, open and informal organisational culture.

PhD position: Genetic Variance in Populations Under Selection

Are you interested in animal or population genetics and are you curious and eager to further develop your expertise in quantitative concepts and genetic variation? Are you enthusiastic to become part of one of the leading international universities in the fields of healthy food, the living environment and agriculture? Then you are the candidate we are looking for! We are offering an exciting PhD position within the Animal Breeding and Genomics (ABG) group of Wageningen University for a motivated PhD candidate with a background in quantitative genetics, animal or plant breeding, or statistical genetics.

You will be employed for a maximum of four years at a newly funded NWO-AES project “Genetic variance Estimation Now (GEN): Estimating current genetic variance components in populations under selection”. You will work closely together with a Postdoctoral Researcher and industry partners on the same project, and will be located at the Animal Breeding and Genomics group of Wageningen University & Research in Wageningen.

The GEN project
Genetic variance is crucial for natural and artificial selection and is essential for a population to survive. As a result of selection, the amount of genetic variance decreases. This makes it important to closely monitor the genetic variance in populations under selection. However, currently, no unbiased method exists to accurately estimate genetic variance in populations under selection.

The GEN project aims to develop and validate a general method to quantify the genetic variance in populations under selection. After validation in simulations, the method will be applied in a commercial pig and chicken population under strong selection to evaluate the trend in genetic variance. This information is highly needed to ensure that enough genetic variance is maintained to keep breeding populations healthy and to enable selection for population improvement in the future. Moreover, the developed method can be applied in other populations such as plant or wildlife populations, and support population management in those populations.

Project goals

• Improve understanding of the factors that influence the change in genetic variance in populations under selection.
• Develop and validate a method to estimate genetic variance in populations under selection.
• Gain insights in the trend of genetic variance in populations under intense artificial selection.
• Provide support for applying the developed method in empirical populations under selection.

As a PhD candidate on this project, you will

• Set up and run simulations to increase our understanding about the factors that influence the change in genetic variance components in populations under selection.
• Support the postdoc with developing and validating a method to estimate genetic variance components in populations under selection.
• Use the newly developed method to estimate the genetic variance components in a pig and chicken dataset.
• Investigate the trend in genetic variance and genetic correlations in populations under artificial selection and, based on the results, give recommendations about population management.
• Disseminate the research results by presenting the work at international conferences, by making the new method available for industry partners and other researchers, and by providing support for the users.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair group Animal Breeding and Genomics (ABG; Research of Animal Breeding and Genomics | WUR) which is led by Prof. Mario Calus. You will be supervised by Dr Yvonne Wientjes and Dr Piter Bijma. The ABG chair group is part of Wageningen University & Research Animal Breeding and Genomics (WUR-ABG), which is the centre of excellence for all national and international animal breeding and genomics activities (research and education) of Wageningen University & Research (Research of Animal Breeding and Genomics | WUR).

Postdoc Position: Genetic Variance in Populations Under Selection

Are you interested in animal or population genetics and are you curious and eager to further develop your expertise in quantitative concepts and genetic variation? Are you enthusiastic to become part of one of the leading international universities in the fields of healthy food, the living environment and agriculture? Then you are the candidate we are looking for! We are offering an exciting postdoctoral research position within the Animal Breeding and Genomics (ABG) group of Wageningen University for a motivated Postdoctoral Researcher with a background in quantitative genetics, animal or plant breeding, or statistical genetics.

You will be employed for a maximum of four years at a newly funded NWO-AES project “Genetic variance Estimation Now (GEN): Estimating current genetic variance components in populations under selection”. You will work closely together with a PhD candidate and industry partners on the same project, and will be located at the Animal Breeding and Genomics group of Wageningen University & Research in Wageningen.

The GEN project
Genetic variance is crucial for natural and artificial selection and is essential for a population to survive. As a result of selection, the amount of genetic variance decreases. This makes it important to closely monitor the genetic variance in populations under selection. However, currently, no unbiased method exists to accurately estimate genetic variance in populations under selection.

The GEN project aims to develop and validate a general method to quantify the genetic variance in populations under selection. After validation in simulations, the method will be applied in a commercial pig and chicken population under strong selection to evaluate the trend in genetic variance. This information is highly needed to ensure that enough genetic variance is maintained to keep breeding populations healthy and to enable selection for population improvement in the future. Moreover, the developed method can be applied in other populations such as plant or wildlife populations, and support population management in those populations.

Project goals

• Improve understanding of the factors that influence the change in genetic variance in populations under selection.
• Develop and validate a method to estimate genetic variance in populations under selection.
• Gain insights in the trend of genetic variance in populations under intense artificial selection.
• Provide support for applying the developed method in empirical populations under selection.

As a Postdoc on this project, you will

• Develop theory and a statistical method to estimate genetic variance components in populations under selection (together with colleagues).
• Validate the new method using simulations of different types of populations.
• Work closely together with a PhD candidate on the same project and provide help with setting up simulations.
• Investigate the trend in genetic variance and genetic correlations in populations under artificial selection and, based on the results, give recommendations about population management.
• Disseminate the research results by presenting the work at international conferences, by making the new method available for industry partners and other researchers, and by providing support for the users.

Your team
You will work with Dr. Yvonne Wientjes, Dr. Piter Bijma, and Prof. Mario Calus and other colleagues at the Animal Breeding and Genomics group. Moreover, you will work together with industry partners from the animal breeding domain.

You will work here
The Animal Breeding and Genomics (ABG) chair group is part of Wageningen University & Research Animal Breeding and Genomics (WUR-ABG), which is the centre of excellence for all national and international animal breeding and genomics activities (research and education) of Wageningen University & Research (Research of Animal Breeding and Genomics | WUR).

This position is part of the Academic Career Framework (ACF) at Wageningen University & Research.

International Liaison Officer

Corporate Strategy & Accounts (CSA) is the department of Wageningen University & Research in which knowledge and expertise are bundled for the development of WUR-wide strategy and its translation into policy for education, research and value creation, nationally and internationally. CSA supports the implementation of the international ambitions of Wageningen University & Research. CSA does so by maintaining existing relationships and facilitating and developing new international activities for Wageningen University & Research in the field of research, education and value creation.

The international relations are coordinated by liaison managers who are responsible for specific regions (i.e. Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Latin America, Middle East) and specific stakeholders (i.e. science partners, multi-lateral development banks, UN organisations). The liaison managers are expected to:

• Develop and maintain a network with relevant parties, such as knowledge institutions, multilateral agencies, governmental bodies, embassies, NGO’s, business partners and funding agencies.
• Proactively identify new opportunities for international activities for Wageningen University & Research.
• Profile Wageningen University & Research internationally.
• Facilitate collaboration between scientists of Wageningen University & Research and (potential) partners; and
• Provide strategic advice to WUR management on international developments and the arising opportunities and challenges.

The activities focus on promising areas or countries within that region (in terms of societal, academic and economic impact), based on a strategic plan for that region. In WUR’s international activities the importance of the Middle East and Africa regions is growing and at the same time there is more (need for) interaction with multilateral partners like the United Nations organisations, Multilateral Development Banks and international donors. Therefore, CSA wants to strengthen activities of WUR in these regions and with these stakeholders. The activities are embedded in a wider international strategy of Wageningen University & Research, that has strong ties with national and European policies.

CSA is looking for an international Liaison Officer with a focus on the Middle East region while also working on activities in Africa and with multilateral organisations. You will closely work together with other liaison officers to play an active role in setting up and maintaining strategic relations.

You will support the implementation of the international ambitions of Wageningen University & Research to further increase its international activities. In close collaboration with relevant stakeholders, you will build/develop effective and efficient partnerships and networks and link them with relevant partners of Wageningen University & Research to increase our societal impact. You will closely interact with the employees of Wageningen University & Research who are active in the Middle East or Africa region or have an interest to become active. You will report to the Director of Corporate Strategy & Accounts.

The tasks of the international liaison officer are to:

• Contribute to the development of the international strategy of Wageningen University & Research.
• Act as liaison:
  
  • internally between researchers active in the regions, working with the specific partners, with international liaison colleagues.
  • externally between WUR and relevant stakeholders (knowledge & educational institutions, national authorities, embassies, donors).
• Together with the colleague liaison officers, draft engagement strategies for existing or potential partners/partners and facilitate their implementation.
• Advise the Executive Board and the WUR Management Board on international developments that are of strategic importance to WUR and on (new) strategic partnerships.
• Manage existing and develop new contacts with organisations and networks that are relevant for intensifying the international activities of Wageningen University & Research.
• Act as entry point for financers and (donor)organizations with the interest to initiate or increase activities with WUR.
• Organise internal and external science-policy dialogues.
• Active participation in receiving international delegations.
• Initiate, stimulate or facilitate initiatives between Wageningen University & Research and external partners.

Assistant Professor, Molecular Veterinary Parasitology

The Laboratory of Nematology invites applications for an Assistant Professorship in Molecular Veterinary Parasitology at Wageningen University. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape and advance fundamental parasitology in The Netherlands at a moment when the field is undergoing a paradigm shift. The rise in anthelmintic resistance, environmental side-effects of parasite control, and climate-driven changes in parasite dynamics make that we need to look beyond a drug-centered approach alone. This position contributes to redefining veterinary parasitology in research, education, and society in The Netherlands and beyond.

We envision to expand our research area with the following themes:

• molecular host–parasite interactions in livestock, companion, and wildlife animals;
• immunology and cell biology of helminth infections;
• foundations for rational vaccine design and alternative parasite control strategies;
• one-Health approaches linking animal health and environment under ongoing global changes.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• you will establish an independent, internationally recognised research line focusing on fundamental mechanisms underlying helminth infections in animal systems;
• you are expected to develop a competitive funding portfolio and will be supported in applying for prestigious personal grants (e.g., NWO and ERC) as main applicant, and in public-private partnerships and Horizon programs as (co-)applicant;
• you will teach in courses at BSc and MSc level, such as Basics of Infectious Diseases and Frontiers in Medical and Veterinary Biology.
• you will supervise thesis students from Biology, Animal Sciences, Molecular Life Sciences, and Biotechnology programs at Wageningen University;
• You will engage in outreach activities aimed at achieving societal impact.

This position is a Professor Career Path of the Academic Career Framework (ACF) at Wageningen University & Research. The aim of this ACF is to achieve a new balance in recognising and valuing academics where both team collaboration and the unique talent of individual scientists are acknowledged, by putting more emphasis on the quality of work instead of quantitative results. The framework does justice to the individual qualities and ambitions of academics as much as to team performance.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair Laboratory of Nematology (https://wur.eu/nem), which is led by Prof. Dr. Geert Smant (website). At the Laboratory of Nematology, we focus on nematodes and related organisms as key factors in soil resilience and nutrient cycling, and as a persistent threat to animal, human, and plant health. As a strong team, we address animal parasitic worms from different angles, such as genetic diversity, effects of anthelminthics on soil organisms, and vaccine development. As member of our team, you will be fully dedicated to animal host–parasite interactions, and will act as a unifying force within our Human and Animal Health research theme and work in close collaboration with Dr. Ruud Wilbers (website).