Junior Researcher Animal nutrition related to systems biology and gastrointestinal microbiome

Do you oversee how nutrition interacts within the gastrointestinal microbiome in animals? Would you like to study mechanisms underlying basic cellular processes that modify biological responses? And how metabolic biomarkers can be used to monitor and improve animal health and nutrient use efficiency? Are you eager to explore how digestive physiology and metabolic processes are integrated in the animal's overall biological system? Then we might be looking for you, as the right candidate to start a research career in the Animal Nutrition Department of Wageningen Livestock Research.

To strengthen our team we are looking for you as Junior Researcher who has a background in preferably systems biology or computational biology, who is keen to apply these skills in animal nutrition research. Ruminants, pigs, poultry and farmed fish can be the species of interest.

Your job:

• You will develop and perform research, primarily in the area of animal nutrition, health and nutrient use efficiency.
• You will perform data analysis to unravel biological mechanisms from complex data using bioinformatics, mathematical and computational tools, at all integration levels. Most studies will have an interdisciplinary set-up, and will require close collaborations with other researchers or partners.
• You collaborate with:
  • researchers within Wageningen University & Research and from (inter)national knowledge institutes
  • innovation centres, research facilities and labs
  • partners in the industry, end-users and stakeholders
• You use your skills as communicator. This includes publications in peer reviewed scientific journals, contributions to technical magazines, news items at websites and social media, presentations at seminars and international conferences.

• A result-oriented and enthusiastic researcher at MSc, PhD or DVM level.
• Expertise and ideas on systems biology or computational biology, acquaintance of handling and analysing data arising from molecular techniques in the ~omics domain like genomics (e.g. 16S amplicon sequencing), transcriptomics, proteomics, and/or metabolomics; preferably experience in handling ~omics data arising from more than one of the mentioned domains.
• Affinity towards animal nutrition, (gastrointestinal) microbiome, animal health, digestive physiology and metabolism.
• A passion for science-based applied research.
• Ability to work and connect across disciplines.
• Proactive attitude and good communication skills.
• Fluency in English and preferably Dutch language.

In this role you can express and further develop your key competences: pro-active, analytical, collaborative, flexible, client and result oriented.

• A meaningful job in an international setting with varied work and plenty of opportunity for personal development in a pleasant and open working environment.
• An initial 1-year contract, with a possibility for extension, depending on your performance and our future research portfolio.
• Depending on experience, the salary is based on scale 10 (min. €2.722 - max. €4.438), of the collective labour agreement of Wageningen Research on full-time basis (36 hours).
• We offer 23 days of leave for a full-time position of 36 hours per week, with the option of accruing another 25 extra days (compensation leave) for a 40-hour working week.
• 8% holiday allowance and a fixed 3% end-of-year bonus.
• The arrangements for special leave, parental leave and sick leave are above average, as is the employer's pension contribution.
• You can arrange the optimum balance between work and private life.
• We offer good training and education opportunities.
• Sports facilities at reduced prices are at your availability.

This position is based at Wageningen Campus.

Wageningen University & Research

Will you join Wageningen Livestock Research - Partner in livestock innovations?
Wageningen Livestock Research develops knowledge for a sustainable and profitable livestock sector, translates this into practice-oriented solutions and innovations, and ensures that this knowledge is disseminated. Together with our clients, and on the basis of practical experience, we integrate our scientific know-how in the areas of livestock systems and of the nutrition, genetics, welfare and environmental impact of farm animals to produce livestock concepts for the 21st century.

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialised research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With approximately 30 locations, 5,000 employees, and 10,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen.

For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at thespecial career site.