Researcher Biodiversity & Policy

Would you like to contribute to advancing knowledge on urgent social issues related to the green living environment? Do you have in-depth expertise in (Dutch) flora and fauna and enjoy conducting applied scientific research within a project-based organization? If so, we want to hear from you!

Within the Biodiversity and Policy (BP) team of Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR) we are looking for a new colleague. As an ecologist you will perform applied and policy relevant research focusing on monitoring, modelling, protecting, and restoring biodiversity in (agricultural) landscapes and protected areas both nationally and internationally.

You will carry out research, process and interpret research results within project frameworks, and write publications, including peer-reviewed scientific articles and Dutch reports and articles. You will also contribute ideas for new acquisitions and, in time, take the lead in these efforts.

Here are the links that give you an idea of the projects we are working on:

RVO ECOSOLAR PLUS (cofin)

Herstel biodiversiteit i.s.m. andere opgaven

What You’ll Do
Your home-base will be the team Biodiversity & Policy of WENR based at the Wageningen Campus of Wageningen University & Research, and you will also collaborate intensively with colleagues in other teams at WENR as well as with researchers in other research institutes in the Netherlands and internationally.

You will be working in an enthusiastic multi-discipline team of about 30 colleagues working on research projects related to biodiversity conservation and restoration in a broad-spectrum: societal research related to transformative change to landscape ecology research or research of biodiversity in various ecosystems.
By joining you will have the opportunity to be involved in wider projects working alongside a team of passionate, committed colleagues, and be able to build on a wealth of expertise to take this important work forward.

Assistant/associate professor position in Crop Ecology (0.8 - 1.0 fte)

Are you passionate about transforming agriculture towards a more sustainable, resilient future? Do you want to explore how ecological interactions in crops and landscapes can enhance disease suppression while supporting biodiversity, climate resilience, and productivity? We are looking for an Assistant/Associate Professor in Crop Ecology.

Pests and diseases cause major yield losses in agriculture. The conventional management approach through a combination of pesticides and use of resistant crop varieties has major limitations. Pesticide use has detrimental environmental, biodiversity, and (human) health effects, resulting in pest resistance and is increasingly being restricted.

More integrated and ecology-based approaches that rely more on the natural disease suppressive nature of crop ecosystems and landscapes are needed. Such approaches should in turn be synergetic with other agro-ecosystem and landscape functions such as yield and yield quality, climate resilience, nutrient use and weed control. Rapid development in quantitative modelling tools and increased availability and complexity of agroecological data create unprecedented opportunities for research in this field.

In this position you will focus on understanding the drivers of agroecosystem resilience to disease and/or pests and its relation to other functions by using a combination of field observations and/or experiments and the use of advanced modelling tools.

This position is part of the Academic Career Framework (ACF) at Wageningen University & Research, which has replaced the traditional Tenure Track. This new career framework for all academic staff at Wageningen University starts on 9 March 2025. One of the 3 career paths is the Professor Career Path. 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 seen, by creating more differentiation in career paths, putting the emphasis on the quality of work and less on quantitative results, doing justice to the individual qualities and ambitions of academics as much as to team performance, promoting all aspects of open science and encouraging high-quality leadership in the academy.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair Crop & Weed Ecology (CWE), which is led by Prof. Niels P.R. Anten and is part of the Centre for Crop Systems Analysis. CWE conducts research and teaching on the ecology and management of crops, diseases, pest and weeds. CWE has a special interest in understanding the role of natural and crop biodiversity in determining performance and stress resilience of crop systems. We study plant form and adaptation, and ecological processes from plant to landscape scale. We thus contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural systems that provide high yields with a minimal ecological footprint and that maximally contribute to natural biodiversity and its associated ecosystem functions.

In this challenging career trajectory:

• you will be part of the transition towards more sustainable, health- and biodiversity-friendly agriculture
• you acquire, lead and implement innovative and creative (inter-)national research projects in Crop & Weed Ecology;
• you collaborate with colleagues and supervise PhD students, BSc and MSc theses and you develop and teach courses;

Crop Health Research Assistant

As a Crop Health Research Assistant, you will directly contribute to solving crop protection issues in arable farming and field vegetable cultivation. You will be primarily responsible for preparing and carrying out research tasks. You are alert to spotting and quantifying deviations in crops and cultivation conditions, and you are capable of working accurately and according to fixed protocols.

During the growing season, you will conduct various observations and measurements of diseases, pests, and weeds, and ensure that the collected data is entered into automated files. You will mostly work in Lelystad at our test farm where most of the trials are conducted, and occasionally perform observations in the region at trial sites. After the growing season, you will contribute to data analysis, report writing, and help with the creation and updating of protocols.

Your tasks and responsibilities as a research assistant are:

• Observing diseases, pests, and weeds across a range of crops according to protocol.
• Entering the collected data into automated systems.
• Contributing to the initial analysis of the data and assisting in the report writing process.

The Team:
You will work in the Crop Health research team, which consists of 24 colleagues focused on finding sustainable solutions for crop protection issues in arable farming and field vegetable cultivation. We are working on developing integrated crop protection systems using warning and monitoring techniques, cultural practices, biological control, and a balanced application of chemicals. By combining these strategies in new and existing cropping systems, we offer solutions for managing fungal diseases, nematodes, insect pests, and weeds. Within the team, you will work closely with a group of 5 other research assistants.

Full Professor and Chair of Phytopathology

Wageningen University & Research is looking for a full professor (0.8-1.0 fte) to lead the Phytopathology chair group. Our chair group conducts interdisciplinary and discovery research on molecular, ecological and evolutionary interactions between plant pathogens and their biotic environments aiming at improving plant, crop and seed health. Specifically, the group studies the genetic and environmental cues that determine pathogen lifestyle and lifestyle switches, the dynamics of microbial genomes and populations, and how these lead to new disease outbreaks. Our research spans a vast biological space that includes fungal, bacterial, and oomycete plant pathogens and at all stages of the plant lifecycle. We use our multidisciplinary know-how in strong internal and external collaborations to contribute to sustainable plant disease management through fundamental and applicable discoveries. As a group, we contribute to multiple BSc and MSc programmes. A key objective of our education is to train future scientists to solve phytopathological problems in plants and crops, many that are critical to worldwide food security.

We are excited to recruit a new professor and group chair who will bring an inspiring vision on the future of phytopathology research and education within the domains of Wageningen University. The position of chair of the Phytopathology group provides you with the opportunity to further develop your own research track and your leadership profile with a diverse team of talented researchers, lecturers, and support staff. Together with other staff members, you are responsible for the academic and operational management of this chair group. Of primary importance to Wageningen UR is an inclusive and safe working environment for all employees and students, and the new chair must be willing to foster an inspiring and creative academic climate for all members of the chair group.

The new chair of the Phytopathology group evidently should have a deep knowledge of phytopathology and a passion for education. Our strategic plan aims at maintaining high-level expertise in multiple disciplines while working as a coherent and collaborative team as our group expands. Leading this dynamic team requires stimulating, inclusive and visionary leadership.

More information about our research projects, education and publications can be found at the website. A virtual tour on WUR’s green and sustainable campus can be taken here.

The Phytopathology chair group is currently composed of five tenured and non-tenured scientific staff, six technicians, two lecturers, one postdoctoral researcher, one researcher/data analyst, 15 PhD candidates and three support staff. The Phytopathology chair group is embedded in the Plant Sciences Group, one of five departments at Wageningen University & Research, which has state-of-the-art instruments and facilities. The Plant Sciences Group comprises 20 chair groups and one institute, Wageningen Plant Research. The chair group Phytopathology is affiliated with the graduate school Experimental Plant Sciences (EPS) The new chair will contribute to the leading role of the chair group and the wider collaborative research and impact environment at WUR.

Reviewer / Invigilator

As a Reviewer / Invigilator within the review team of the Exam Office, you will contribute to supervising physical exams on campus and checking online exams via digital video systems, with a keen eye for irregularities and fraud.

Your team
You will work together with the other reviewer and the timetable team/exam office. The review work will primarily be done at home (due to privacy aspects), but a workplace with the scheduling team is also available. Surveillance work is always on campus in Wageningen. The scheduling team/exam office works closely with the digtal examination team.
As a Reviewer / Invigilator , you will check exams for fraud both physically on campus and online.

What are your tasks and responsibilities?

Reviewing online exams/checking for fraud:

• Monitoring exams via digital video and surveillance systems.
• Identifying suspicious activity and detecting possible fraud.
• Reporting incidents by drawing up detailed and clear English reports.
• Working with digital systems for monitoring recordings, including accelerated video playback and accurate analysis of behavior.

Physical invigilation on campus:

• Supervising and supervising exams and inspection moments that are physically taken on campus.
• Ensuring a calm and orderly exam environment and checking the identity of students.
• Compliance with the exam rules
• Identifying and reporting suspicious activities or irregularities.
• Answering any questions students may have and handling situations in a professional manner.

Your primary task is to review where you supplement the time with invigilation. There are busy weeks, (32-40 hours) and quiet weeks (possibly no work at all). The average is a working week of 16 hours. The review team is part of the timetable team/exam office within the Quality and Strategic information (QSI) section. Section QSI is part of the Education and Student Affairs staff department