PhD to study shelled zooplankton in a changing Arctic Ocean

natural history objects, dedicated mentorship, and access to our broad international network, this position offers everything you need to thrive as a scientist.

As a PhD student you will find yourself in a unique research environment, inspired by passionate scientists from a wide range of disciplines (e.g., taxonomy, evolution, ecology, and oceanography). You will receive dedicated supervision from an experienced researcher and work closely with several international experts and collaborators with whom you'll regularly exchange ideas about your research. This will help you to develop a strong academic profile. You will build valuable connections by participating in both the academic and social activities of our PhD community.

This is what you'll be doing

In this PhD project, you will investigate the role of shelled zooplankton (planktonic snails or pteropods) in the biological carbon pump in a changing Arctic Ocean. You will assess the contribution to carbon fluxes and the tropic role of shelled pteropods by collecting depth-stratified samples on expeditions to the Arctic Ocean with a large scientific vessel and analyzing time series samples from the Long-Term Ecological (LTER) observatory HAUSGARTEN operated by the German Alfred-Wegener Institute (AWI). You will use a combination of state-of-the-art morphological and molecular techniques to quantify carbon fluxes as well as the ecology of current and past populations of shelled pteropods.

You will be working within an international team of Dutch research institutes (University of Amsterdam, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, and the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research) and the German Alfred-Wegener Institute (AWI) for Polar and Sea Research on an ambitious larger project including three positions (two PhD students and one Post-Doc): Plumbing the biological pump: Linking missing carbon flows between pelagic and benthic ecosystems in a changing Arctic Ocean (C-CONNECT).

The global biological carbon pump mediates the cycling and storage of carbon in our ocean and helps to regulate Earth's climate. Arctic waters are amongst, if not the most, rapidly changing in terms of temperatures, sea-ice cover, and acidification. However, our understanding of climate-change impacts that affect the Arctic carbon pump's size and speed of flows remains incomplete.

The main aim in C-CONNECT is to perform plumbing to the Arctic biological carbon pump by connecting important missing parts, e.g., shelled zooplankton and benthic faunal communities to the carbon cycle. C-CONNECT will improve the ability to project how future Arctic carbon cycling evolves under continued climate change and will provide essential information on Arctic ecosystem services to aid (policy and management) decision making.

This PhD position in the C-CONNECT project is funded by NWO (Dutch research council).

Here's what we have to offer

• A gross monthly starting salary of € 3,567.00 for a full-time contract (36 hours).
• A contract of one year, to be extended by 3 years after successful evaluation.
• End-of-year bonus of 3.4% of your gross annual salary and 8% holiday pay.
• 27 days of leave per year with full-time employment. Plus 1 extra day that you can use for a holiday that is important to you.
• Commuting allowance depending on your means of transport.
• Pension scheme via PFZW, where Naturalis pays 60% of your premium.
• Plenty of development opportunities. We support your growth and give you unlimited access to the online training platform Goodhabitz.
• Fascinating knowledge events. These help you stay up to date on the latest developments in both your own field and outside it, such as our lectures and gatherings on various (scientific) topics. You can also attend – or take part in – the fascinating internal information session Naturalis Draait Door.
• Nice extras such as discounts on software and hardware for private use, collective health insurance plans, and a bicycle scheme. You'll also enjoy discounts in our museum restaurant and unlimited free access to our award-winning museum for you and your family.
• Fun team outings. We also get together for drinks every month, organize an annual BBQ and a fantastic New Year's party. Not your scene? That's fine too, of course. All team activities are voluntary.
• A unique work environment in a state-of-the-art building where you will feel proud to work every single day – we guarantee it!

The World Lies at Your Feet!

Literally. Whatever your role may be, you contribute to the preservation of our planet on a daily basis. Naturalis Biodiversity Center ...

• is the national research and knowledge institute and a key player in biodiversity data and infrastructures.
• houses one of the largest natural history collections in the world.
• welcomes 500,000 museum visitors per year.
• collaborates with universities, expertise centers, and museums around the world.
• has a staff of diverse colleagues in various functions and with many different nationalities, with whom you will work together in an informal atmosphere.

This is your team

Within your research group Marine Evolution and Ecology at Naturalis, you will work closely with Dr. Katja Peijnenburg. The project C-CONNECT will consist of collaborators from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), as well as from the German Alfred-Wegener Institute (AWI) for Polar and Sea Research. You will also be part of the Naturalis PhD community — a close-knit group of around 50 PhD candidates and postdocs with whom you can share experiences and participate in training sessions, workshops, and peer review meetings.

What you bring to the table

You are capable of working independently while also proactively seeking collaboration — whether with your supervisors, fellow researchers, or external partners. You're known for your systematic and accurate approach, driven by strong perseverance. You are confident in asking critical questions to further your research and you identify opportunities, effectively engaging others with your ideas. You are a team player and eager to disseminate your research findings, whether through public lectures or publications.

In addition, you possess:

• A completed Master's degree in a relevant field, such as biology, oceanography, (molecular) ecology.
• Experience with genetic methods (DNA barcoding, metabarcoding) and/or sampling on oceanographic expeditions.
• Some knowledge of statistics and computer language, like R.
• Strong proficiency in English.

Become Our New PhD student

Upload your CV (max 3 pages) and motivation letter (max 1 page), including the contact details of two referees in one PDF via the application button no later than October 29 CET, 2026.

Want to know more about the position before you apply? Contact Katja Peijnenburg via email to katja.peijnenburg@naturalis.nl.

For more information about the application procedure, you can send an email to our colleagues in the HR department via sollicitaties@naturalis.nl.

We are managing the recruitment for this vacancy ourselves; unsolicited acquisition is therefore not desired.