"Full Professor and Chair of the Human and Animal Physiology Group"

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) is recruiting a full professor to lead the Human and Animal Physiology (HAP) chair group, part of the Animal Science Group of Wageningen University & Research (WUR).

The Human and Animal Physiology (HAP) chair group conducts cutting-edge physiological and molecular physiological research to advance fundamental and mechanistic understanding of energy and substrate metabolism, as well as mitochondrial function, in both health and disease. Our work focuses on humans and animals, with the ultimate goal of improving health and quality of life. We generate our results through experimental research conducted in humans, model animals (including invertebrates), organs, tissues, and cells. This research integrates state-of-the-art physiological, functional, computational, biomolecular, and bioanalytical tools.

Our teaching covers both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, offering courses in mammalian physiology, biomolecular physiology, morpho-functional physiology, and experimental research across a broad range of academic disciplines. We aim to educate highly skilled academic professionals ready to tackle societal health challenges.

The position of chair of the Human and Animal Physiology group offers you the opportunity to shape and expand your own research lines in synergy with the group’s scientific focus, while also developing your academic leadership profile. In this role, you will share responsibility for the academic and operational management of the group. Your responsibilities will include setting the research strategy, guiding a diverse team of scientists, lecturers, and support staff, and further strengthening the group’s national and international standing. In addition, you will contribute to high-quality education at the BSc, MSc, and PhD levels and help drive innovation in teaching, supporting WUR’s strong reputation in higher education.

Requirements: You hold a PhD degree and have an internationally recognized scientific track record in the field of molecular human and animal physiology, in particular related to regulation of energy metabolism and mitochondrial functioning; you are familiar with biomolecular methodology, have affinity with a fundamental mechanistic scientific approach, and in vivo expertise in model animals and/or humans; you have a clear long-term plan for research, teaching, and group development that aligns with or complements the existing strengths of the Human and Animal Physiology group; you have experience in building and maintaining a broad (inter)national network across various sectors, including academic institutions, societal organizations, policy makers, and industry partners; you have a successful track record in securing research funding from a variety of sources; you are an experienced and inspiring teacher who enjoys engaging students in learning. You have supervised students from diverse backgrounds and contributed to curriculum innovation and the development of courses at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD levels including the use of innovative teaching methods; you have proven experience in leading multidisciplinary teams. Your leadership style is empathic and inclusive – you actively listen, value the perspectives of others and foster a culture in which everyone feels heard and appreciated. You focus on professional development, team building and creating synergy within the group.

Your team: The chair group HAP consists of 43 members, of which 11 scientific staff members, 25 PhD candidates and six research assistants. Each year around 35-50 students complete a Master thesis within the group. More information on the group can be found here. HAP is part of the graduate school WIAS (Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences) and VLAG (Biobased, Biomolecular, Food and Nutrition Sciences). HAP is one of the 12 chair groups within the department of Animal Sciences of WUR, which is in turn part of the Animal Sciences Group (ASG). HAP teaches and collaborates with many chair groups across Wageningen University with complementary expertise. Within the department of Animal Sciences we particularly collaborate with Experimental Zoology (EZO), Cell Biology and Immunology (CBI) and Host Microbe Interactomics (HMI). Within the University, most collaborations are with the Nutrition and Food technology groups and Systems and Synthetic Biology (SSB). We collaborate with molecular physiology groups in the Netherlands and across Europe and have strategic collaborations with Radboud UMC (Mitochondrial Physiology) and the University of Exeter (Sport and Health Sciences).

Conditions of employment: You will be working for an inspiring international organisation actively engaged in a large number of interdisciplinary projects all over the world. The scientific quality of Wageningen University & Research is affirmed by the prominent position we occupy in international rankings and citation indices. We offer you a position as Full Professor and Chair of the Human and Animal Physiology group. Besides a competitive salary (maximum gross salary for starting chair holders is € 10.441,- per month), we offer a number of additional benefits, such as an end-of-year extra month’s salary, a holiday allowance and a pension plan with the Dutch pension fund for government and education. International candidates moving to the Netherlands may benefit from a special tax relief, by which a part of their salary is exempt from tax for several years. Working hours can be discussed to optimize the work-life balance (32-38 hours per week).