Water Quality Researcher

The successful candidate will play an important role in strengthening ongoing collaborations with local nature organizations, and policy stakeholders. The position combines fieldwork, data analysis, scientific assessment, and stakeholder engagement, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable marine management.

As a researcher, your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• prepare, conduct and process water quality measurements (including work on board of small research vessels);
• conduct advanced data management, statistical analysis and modelling of ecological and environmental stressor data using R, including OSPAR’s Harmonised Regional Seas Assessment Tool (HARSAT), to assess contaminant levels, biological effects, spatial and temporal trends, and environmental status. Experience with GIS and an affinity for additional programming languages, analytical tools and data-visualisation software are considered an advantage;
• report and present research findings;
• knowledge of eutrophication and water-quality processes in marine ecosystems, including their key drivers, ecological effects and interactions with chemical stressors, is also desirable;
• maintain and strengthen relationships with stakeholders and contribute to clear communication of scientific findings.

The Environmental Chemistry and Tropics teams aim to strengthen scientific knowledge and provide advice on contaminants in environmental matrices, such as water and sediment, as well as on internal contaminant concentrations in aquatic organisms. We seek to expand this expertise to tropical ecosystems, where ecological indicators must be integrated with measurements of chemical stress. A key focus of the position is therefore understanding and combining chemical, ecological and environmental data, including the factors that influence contaminant exposure, bioavailability, accumulation and ecological effects. By combining field measurements, laboratory analyses, data interpretation, and assessment methodologies, the team provides scientific support for environmental policy, ecosystem management, and the protection of aquatic ecosystems in the Netherlands.

Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) in IJmuiden conducts applied scientific research to support the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems. Our research provides knowledge and advice for governments, industry, and society on topics such as fisheries, biodiversity, water quality, ecosystem functioning, and climate change. Working closely with national and international partners, WMR combines field observations, monitoring programmes, data analysis, and innovative research to address environmental challenges in marine environments.

Requirements

We are looking for a candidate with:

• a completed MSc degree in Environmental Sciences, Earth Sciences, Marine Sciences, Water Management or a related field;
• experience with one or more water-quality monitoring techniques, such as CTD profiling, nutrient and phytoplankton sampling, or comparable field and laboratory methods. Knowledge of marine biota, including their biology, ecology and responses to environmental stressors, is also desirable;
• willingness to travel regularly to conduct field sampling and monitoring activities in the North Sea and the Caribbean Netherlands;
• strong scientific writing and communication skills, with the ability to interpret, report and present complex chemical, ecological and statistical results clearly to both scientific and non-technical audiences;
• experience with data analysis and interpretation, including the use of R, GIS, Python, or comparable analytical tools;
• strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken Dutch and English;
• knowledge of Papiamento and/or Spanish is highly desirable and considered a strong asset;
• the ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

In our international working environment, communication is increasingly conducted in English. For this position, a B1 level of English proficiency is required. If you have not yet reached this level, we will of course support you, and you can make use of the courses offered by our language centre, Wageningen in'to Languages.

As you can see, there are plenty of challenges awaiting you. These challenges can also be viewed as opportunities for professional development. Therefore, even if you do not yet have the exact track record requested in the vacancy, but do have solid relevant work experience, we would still very much like to encourage you to apply.

Conditions of employment

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8,3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between € 3,554.- and € 5,698.- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10). Additionally, for this role a contract for 30 hours can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended, if possible within (company) organizational circumstances, on good performance.

If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

Employer

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

Additional information

WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an “orientation year” in the Netherlands or a visa as a “knowledge migrant”.

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Join us and come work at WUR

At Wageningen University & Research, you work at improving the quality of life. Together with your colleagues, you seek to answer the challenges within our domain 'healthy food and living environment.'