Have you completed your PhD? Are you eager to enrich knowledge on biodiversity as a postdoc? Then Naturalis in Leiden is the place for you. Pursuing a postdoc at Naturalis means working on research with a truly global impact — contributing directly to biodiversity. With state-of-the-art museum collections and lab facilities, many inspiring colleagues, and access to our international network, Naturalis offers everything you need to strengthen your career as a scientist.
Postdoctoral Fellow studying climate-smart urban tree planting and soil biodiversity
As a Postdoctoral Fellow...
- You will develop guidance, frameworks, and open-source decision tools for the implementation of climate-adapted soil-smart urban tree planting and green-blue infrastructure.
- You will build valuable professional connections by participating in both the academic and social activities of our PhD- and postdoc community. Furthermore, through our collaborations with diverse partners, you will strengthen your international profile.
- You will receive strong support, with access to our dedicated Research Coordination Office.
This is what you'll be doing
Urban trees are important for the health, biodiversity, and climate resilience of cities. They provide essential ecosystem services, including cooling, carbon fixation, and water regulation, while also serving as key habitat for a diverse range of species. Yet the effective management of urban trees under changing climatic conditions is constrained by fundamental knowledge gaps, particularly regarding tree-soil interactions and the role of soil biodiversity in mediating resilience to drought stress. This postdoctoral position addresses these knowledge gaps within two nationally NWO (Dutch Research Council) funded transdisciplinary research programmes: Thirsty Cities (NWA DroBE - Drought in the Built Environment), focusing on developing action-perspectives for a climate-proof, drought-resilient, and water-sensitive built environment, and Fertile Soils (KIC MISSIE Stad en Land in Samenhang), a parallel programme developing integrated spatial strategies and governance frameworks for coherent rural-urban regions across five Dutch regions.
In this role, you will help develop a validated, open-source decision tool for climate- and soil-smart urban tree planting. By integrating species distribution models, soil microbiome data, and water management outputs, this tool will optimize tree selection, placement, and management. Additionally, you will build a toolbox to quantify the climate-adaptive benefits of green-blue infrastructure, while facilitating knowledge transfer between ecologists, urban green specialists, municipalities, and water authorities.
Here's what we have to offer
- The salary ranges from € 3,768.00 to € 4,897.00 gross per month (based on a full-time contract of 36 hours/week), depending on relevant experience.
- A one-year contract (36 hours/week) with possible extension until March 2030 after a positive evaluation.
- End-of-year bonus of 3.4% of your gross annual salary and 8% holiday pay.
- Time off thanks to 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.
- Laptop and phone allowance. Nice extras such as discounts on software 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 centres, 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
You will join the BUGS (Biodiversity Under Global Stress) research group, working closely with Dr. Leon Marshall. This group investigates how species interact across both natural and human-dominated ecosystems and documents the impacts of global stressors on these communities. You will also be connected to the Understanding Evolution group, collaborating with Prof. Vincent Merckx. This team explores how ecological interactions determine evolutionary processes across the Tree of Life, integrating genomics, ecology, and AI-driven approaches. Between these two groups, you will work in an open, collaborative, and international environment where fundamental ecological and evolutionary science is translated into practical tools.
You will also be part of our PhD- and postdoc 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. And of course, for those interested, there are plenty of social activities outside of work as well.
What you bring to the table
You have a passion for biodiversity and are capable of conducting independent research, working in an organized manner, and structuring your approach effectively. At the same time, you know when to seek help when necessary. You enjoy collaborating with colleagues and external partners, and you actively maintain both your internal and external networks. You are skilled at identifying opportunities and engaging others with your ideas. You can translate complex topics into compelling narratives, making them accessible even to those outside of the scientific community.
In addition, you have:
- A PhD degree in a relevant discipline, including but not limited to ecology, biology, data science, statistics, environmental science, or computer science.
- Demonstrated strong quantitative and computational skills, including experience with predictive modelling, machine learning, or statistical analysis of complex ecological or environmental datasets or expertise in soil biodiversity, tree-soil-microbiome interactions, and/or plant ecology.
- Experience with or demonstrated interest in stakeholder engagement and co-design methodologies.
- Experience in publishing and disseminating research findings via scientific publications, lectures, conference presentations, or teaching.
- Excellent command of the English language (written and verbal). Knowledge of Dutch is required given the national orientation of both programmes.
Become our new Postdoctoral Fellow
Applicants are invited to submit their application via the application button in one pdf, including:
- A motivation letter (max. 2 pages)
- Your CV (max. 3 pages)
- The names and contact details of two referees
The deadline for application is September 25th, 2026, 12:00 PM CEST. The interviews will probably be held on October 8, so keep this day available if possible. Want to know more about the position before you apply? Send an email to leon.marshall@naturalis.nl or vincent.merckx@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.
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