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.

Integriteitscoördinator

Help bouwen aan een veilige en integere werkomgeving. Wat doe je als iemand zich niet veilig voelt om zich uit te spreken? En hoe zorg je dat een individuele melding ook bijdraagt aan verbetering van de organisatie?

Als Integriteitscoördinator help je WUR om sociale veiligheid en integriteit verder te versterken. Je luistert naar signalen, brengt complexe situaties zorgvuldig in kaart en helpt bepalen wat nodig is. Tegelijkertijd kijk je verder: welke patronen zie je en wat kunnen we daarvan leren?

Je werkt samen met onder andere leidinggevenden, HR, vertrouwenspersonen en de ombudspersoon. Je verbindt mensen, kennis en perspectieven en draagt bij aan een werkomgeving waarin mensen zich veilig voelen om zich uit te spreken.

Wat ga je doen?

• Je verzorgt de intake en triage van meldingen en signalen binnen het Contactpunt Sociale Veiligheid en bepaalt zorgvuldig welke vervolgstap passend is.
• Je brengt complexe casuïstiek in kaart, bereidt multidisciplinaire bespreking voor en stelt duidingsadviezen op.
• Je bewaakt de voortgang en samenhang van de aanpak en werkt nauw samen met leidinggevenden en andere betrokken disciplines.
• Je herkent patronen en risico's en vertaalt deze naar verbeteringen in beleid, processen en werkwijzen.
• Je draagt bij aan een cultuur waarin sociale veiligheid en integriteit bespreekbaar zijn en mensen elkaar kunnen aanspreken.
• Samen met een andere Integriteitscoördinator bouw je verder aan de werkwijze en positionering van deze nieuwe functie binnen WUR.

Research Funding Officer

As a Research Funding Officer, you help turn new research ideas into concrete projects. You identify and assess opportunities for research funding and support the development of proposals, grant applications, and collaboration initiatives. In doing so, you work closely with researchers, project leaders, clients, and support departments within WMR and Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

You will be part of the Acquisition Support & Project Management Team, a team of approximately nine colleagues who support researchers in acquiring and delivering research projects. You will work in an international, applied scientific environment where marine and freshwater ecological challenges are at the core.

Projects range from field and experimental research to data management, modelling, and policy-oriented research. As a result, you will gain broad insight into the research activities of Wageningen Research and be involved in a wide variety of societal and scientific challenges.

What does a typical day look like?
You start the day by reviewing new requests, project proposals, and incoming questions. You then coordinate with project leaders regarding grant applications, proposals, and the progress of ongoing submissions. You align budgets, co-funding arrangements, and investments with finance colleagues and discuss contractual conditions with the legal department. Throughout the day, you critically review proposals and provide advice on their fit with grant requirements, tenders, or a client’s request. Researchers also approach you with questions about proposals, projects, and internal processes. In this way, you collaborate daily with a variety of colleagues to successfully move new research projects forward, from initial idea to contract award or grant application.

Your tasks and responsibilities as a Research Funding Officer include:

• identifying and monitoring relevant contracts, tenders, and funding opportunities;
• assessing grant and tender requirements and advising on opportunities, risks, co-funding, and collaboration structures;
• coordinating proposal and grant application processes from initiation through submission;
• advising researchers and project leaders on acquisition, proposal, and grant procedures;
• coordinating with financial, legal, and scientific stakeholders to ensure successful applications and projects;
• monitoring the progress of acquisition, proposal, and research projects and identifying bottlenecks in a timely manner;
• supporting project leaders in the areas of planning, budgeting, quality assurance, and communication;
• maintaining relationships with clients, collaboration partners, and internal stakeholders;
• managing project administration, documentation, and reporting;
• improving and professionalising acquisition, proposal, and project management processes.

Where you will work
Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) is one of the nine research institutes that form part of Wageningen Research. WMR is a leading independent research institute with locations in IJmuiden, Den Helder, and Yerseke, specialising in strategic and applied marine ecological research.

Our products and services are delivered on a project basis and are highly diverse, including field research, large-scale experiments, laboratory-based exploratory studies, data management, and modelling.

We offer

• a varied position at the intersection of business development and project management;
• a professional and stimulating working environment;
• collaboration with dedicated researchers and project management professionals;
• the opportunity to contribute to societally relevant marine research;
• plenty of opportunities for personal development and growth.