Onderzoeker experimenteel onderzoek

Als onderzoeker voor Wageningen Marine Research werk je mee aan een breed scala van ecologische onderzoeksprojecten. Jouw belangrijkste werkzaamheden bestaan uit het inrichten en uitvoeren van experimenten in het laboratorium en in proefvijvers, die we mesocosms noemen. Je fungeert in het lab als de ogen en oren van de projectleider waarbij je verantwoordelijkheden zullen meegroeien met je ervaring. Daarnaast kan je meewerken aan veldonderzoek in de Waddenzee of Noordzee of behoort een uitstapje naar ons ecotoxicologisch lab in IJmuiden tot de mogelijkheden.

Jouw belangrijkste taken en verantwoordelijkheden als onderzoeker zijn:

• Uitvoeren van ecologische en ecotoxicologische analyses en identificeren van plankton monsters;
• opzetten en verbeteren van experimentele onderzoeksopstellingen
• organisatie en planning van de uit te voeren werkzaamheden in afstemming met de projectleiders;
• data verzamelen en daarbij zorgen voor herleidbaarheid van onderzoeksgegevens, gebruikte meetmethoden, middelen en monsters;
• (onder begeleiding) uitvoeren van analyses op de verzamelde data en rapportage over de onderzoeksresultaten.

Hier ga jij werken
Jouw werkzaamheden vinden voornamelijk plaats in het laboratorium en de experimentele faciliteiten in Den Helder, met zo nu en dan een uitstapje naar het veld en/of ons ecotoxicologisch laboratorium in IJmuiden. Je gaat nauw samenwerken met andere onderzoekers en projectleiders. Soms word je betrokken bij gesprekken met opdrachtgevers. Op onze vestiging in Den Helder werken ongeveer 45 collega’s, die zich specialiseren in verschillende wetenschappelijke ecologische en biologische thema’s, waaronder zooplankton, benthos en ecotoxicologie.

Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) is een toonaangevend marien ecologisch onderzoeksinstituut met circa 190 mensen in dienst. Wij doen ons werk vanuit drie locaties, IJmuiden, Den Helder en Yerseke. Binnen WMR wordt gewerkt aan veldonderzoek, theoretisch onderzoek, experimenteel onderzoek, datamanagement en modellering. Het instituut beschikt over moderne onderzoeksfaciliteiten en is ISO 9001 gecertificeerd. Het chemisch en benthos laboratorium zijn bovendien ISO 17025 geaccrediteerd. WMR is een organisatieonderdeel van Wageningen University & Research.

Postdoctoral researcher 'Healthy Lifestyles through Data Science, Machine Learning and AI'

We are looking for an enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher to expand and strengthen research on "Healthy Lifestyle through Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI". Are you excited about the opportunities that data science—especially techniques like reinforcement learning—offers for understanding and influencing health-related behavior? Are you interested in uncovering what works, for whom, and under which circumstances by analyzing complex behavioral data? Do you want to contribute to the development of innovative, adaptive solutions that support healthier lifestyles? And does working in an interdisciplinary team focused on real-world impact appeal to you? Then this position at Wageningen University might be just for you!

Function
For our research line on Healthy Lifestyle through Data Science, Machine Learning, and AI, we are looking for a postdoctoral researcher for a 3-year position (0.75 FTE).

In this role, you will work closely with Dr. Monique Simons and Dr. Laura Winkens to advance the understanding of what works, for whom, and under which circumstances in the context of lifestyle behavior change. Behavior change is complex because of the many multi-level factors at play and often requires adaptive, personalized interventions that dynamically respond to an individual’s behavior and environment. You will conduct independent research focused on developing and optimizing such adaptive and personalized interventions using cutting-edge data science techniques, including reinforcement learning and other approaches that leverage real-time data.

Your responsibilities include setting up and running new studies independently, working with diverse datasets, developing algorithms and decision rules, and contributing to the refinement of data-driven intervention strategies.

Tasks
As a postdoctoral researcher within our research team, your tasks will include:

• Mapping the state of the art and identifying and prioritizing research questions in the field of data-driven digital lifestyle interventions;
• Determining the most suitable data science techniques (e.g., machine learning, cluster analysis) to answer specific research questions based on available data.
• Running simulation studies and other pre-intervention analyses to explore potential pathways for behavior change and identify key factors that influence success.
• Applying machine learning, statistical techniques, and AI to analyze data, predict events, and identify patterns that inform behavior change strategies.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including behavioral scientists, data scientists, technology developers, platform owners and healthcare professionals;
• Publishing research results in leading scientific journals and presenting at national and international conferences;
• Actively contributing to the development of follow-up research and obtaining external funding;
• Establishing and coordinating a learning community in the field of Data Science and Healthy Lifestyles to promote knowledge sharing and collaboration.

PhD position: Sweet or sour - how the nectar microbiome shapes the pollinator community in brassicaceous plants

We are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate in the field of insect-flower-microbe interactions who would like to unravel the effect of nectar microbes on flower visiting insects.

Pollination by insects is rewarded with floral nectar. However, as a nutrient-rich and well-protected environment, flower nectar also supports a diverse community of beneficial, commensal, and antagonistic microbes. These microorganisms influence the interaction between the plant and its pollinators, but also with nectar robbers and flower-feeding herbivores by altering the nutritional value and the chemical composition of the nectar. Despite the importance of pollination for seed production of many brassicaceous crops, little is known on the role of the nectar microbiome for plant fitness and seed set in these plants. Besides plant fitness, nectar microbes also impact pollinator health and thereby strongly influence the pollinator community beyond individual plant-pollinator interactions.

The central questions of this PhD project are (I) does the microbiome in the flower nectar influences plant-pollinator interactions and plant fitness, (II) can specific microbes be used to improve seed set in brassicaceous crops as well as pollinator health.

As a PhD candidate, you will contribute to fundamental research in the context of sustainable crop production. You will be embedded in a diverse group of international scientists and collaborate with colleagues from both in- and outside Wageningen University & Research.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Designing and executing experiments with flowering plants, microbes and mutualistic and antagonistic insect flower visitors in the greenhouse and in the field.
• Analyse complex data sets involving e.g. metabarcode sequencing
• Chemical analysis of flower nectar using HPLC and GC-MS techniques.
• Supervise MSc and BSc students
• Writing and presenting research at/in internationally renowned conferences/journals

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Laboratory of Entomology Lab of Entomology - WUR, which is led by Prof. Bregje Wertheim (Bregje Wertheim - Wageningen University & Research). You will be co-supervised by Dr. Alexander Haverkamp (Alexander Haverkamp - Wageningen University & Research) and Dr. Karen Kloth (Karen Kloth - Wageningen University & Research). Your project is part of the MiCRop Consortium programme on microbial imprinting of crop resilience to (a)biotic stresses (https://www.microp.org)). Within MiCRop, you will receive training and scientific exposure on plant-microbiome interactions and will regularly meet and collaborate with junior and senior scientists from six universities and institutes in the Netherlands.

PhD student herbivorous insect-plant-microbiome interactions

We are looking for talented PhD candidates in the field of insect-plant-microbiome interactions who want to unravel how beneficial microbes can reduce insect herbivory. This vacancy involves two positions: One PhD position on root fly-cabbage-microbiome interactions, and one PhD position on aphid-pepper-microbiome interactions.

Cabbage root flies and aphids are major agricultural pests that are still largely controlled with insecticides. Alternative, more sustainable methods to combat these pest are desperately needed. Plants harbour diverse and dynamic microbial communities in and around their roots and shoots. Some of these microbes help the plant in suppressing insect herbivory directly, by reducing insect fitness, or indirectly by inducing plant defense. Many facets of these insect-plant-microbiome interactions are still largely unknown. In this project, you will explore the role of microbes in the rhizo- and/or phyllospere in protecting plants against insects. You will study plant-soil feedback mechanisms, make microbial isolates and test inoculants for their effect on insect and plant performance. You will perform physiological and molecular studies to understand the underlying mechanisms of microbe-induced plant resistance. With this, you will unravel the role of beneficial microbes and the processes that are crucial for plants to maximize profitable functions from their microbiome when attacked by insects.

As a PhD candidate, you will contribute to fundamental research in the context of sustainable crop production. You will be embedded in a diverse group of international scientists and collaborate with colleagues from both in- and outside Wageningen University & Research. Your responsibilities and opportunities will encompass:

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Designing and executing experiments with herbivorous insects, plants and microbes
• Analysing complex data involving e.g. metabarcoding, metagenomics, and metabolomics
• Isolating and culturing microbes and testing inoculants on insect and plant performance
• Supervising MSc and BSc students
• Writing and presenting research at/in internationally renowned conferences/journal.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the Laboratory of Entomology (Lab of Entomology - WUR), which is led by Prof. Bregje Wertheim (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/bregje-wertheim ). Your daily supervisors are Dr. Rieta Gols (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/rieta-gols ) and Dr. Karen Kloth (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/karen-kloth). Your project is embedded in the MiCRop Consortium programme on microbial imprinting of crop resilience to (a)biotic stresses (https://www.microp.org). Within MiCRop, you will receive training and scientific exposure on plant-microbiome interactions and will regularly meet and collaborate with junior and senior scientists from six universities and institutes in the Netherlands

PhD student aphids, drought and the plant microbiome

We are looking for a talented PhD candidate in the field of plant-microbiome interactions who wants to unravel how beneficial microbes can reduce aphid infestations and drought stress.

You will study rhizobacteria for their stress-protective properties against drought and aphids in brassicaceous plants with the aim to identify beneficial bacteria, the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying these interactions. You will focus on application of bacterial isolates and synthetic communities and study how they affect plant resilience and development. You will perform in-depth studies on the microbiome, transcriptome and metabolome to discover genes and processes that are crucial for plants to maximize profitable functions from their microbiome and help the plant to perform better under environmental stresses.

As a PhD candidate, you will contribute to fundamental research in the context of sustainable crop production. You will be embedded in two chair groups with international scientists and collaborate with colleagues from both in- and outside Wageningen University & Research. Your responsibilities and opportunities will encompass:

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Designing and executing experiments with plants, microbes, insects and drought stress
• Analyse complex data sets involving metagenomics, transcriptomics and metabolomics
• Manipulate the soil microbiome using synthetic microbial communities
• Supervise MSc and BSc students
• Writing and presenting research at/in internationally renowned conferences/journals

You will work here
You will work in two chairgroups: the Laboratory of Plant Physiology (https://www.wur.nl/en/research-results/chair-groups/plant-sciences/laboratory-of-plant-physiology.htm) and the Laboratory of Entomology (Lab of Entomology - WUR), which is led by Prof. Dr. Christa Testerink (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/christa-testerink) and Prof. Dr. Bregje Wertheim (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/bregje-wertheim), respectively. You will be co-supervised by Dr. Rumyana Karlova (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/rumyana-karlova) and Dr. Karen Kloth (https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/karen-kloth). Your project is embedded in the MiCRop Consortium programme on microbial imprinting of crop resilience to (a)biotic stresses (https://www.microp.org). Within MiCRop, you will receive training and scientific exposure on plant-microbiome interactions and will regularly meet and collaborate with junior and senior scientists from six universities and institutes in the Netherlands.