We are looking for a food data scientist who wants to help to solve impactful problems. A data scientist who is on top of the newest technologies and knows how to apply these to real problems. A data scientist who understands the promise of big data and artificial intelligence and has a genuine passion to improve the quality of life with these technologies. A data scientist who is thrilled to be working with the worldwide leading researchers in food safety.
Are you ready to join us and help to improve the safety of our food and thereby improving public health?
What will you be doing?
You will be part of the research group that researches the impacts of the global and societal changes on food safety in the food supply chain. You will contribute to the development and implementation of risk-based assessment, decision support, and monitoring tools to predict and prioritize known and unknown hazards in the food supply chain.
You will use big data techniques and machine learning technologies to develop quantitative prediction models. You will work in different ongoing research projects involving deep learning and image data processing, food chain analysis, and predictive modelling. You will also initiate and contribute to the writing of new project proposals and to write and contribute to scientific publications. You will help to answer scientific questions and provide insights to food safety authorities and other stakeholders we work with.
We offer an interesting and dynamic position as a scientific researcher, covering different food safety topics, within a team of highly skilled, enthusiastic, multicultural, and engaged colleagues. Above all, we offer you the environment to develop your skills and learn from the best.
The planet must produce more food in the next four decades than all farmers in history have harvested over the past 8,000 years! Multiple transitions are needed to achieve a sustainable, affordable, trustworthy and high-quality food system in the next decade or two that will fulfil the needs of a diverse and growing world population. We need to transit to more circular food systems and a biobased economy taken into account the changing climate. All these changes will have an impact on the current food system and on food safety. Food safety problems will occur at other places in the supply chain and new food safety problems are expected to appear. We should be prepared for such changes to support the safety of the food we consume.

• An MSc or PhD in food science, computer science, data science, machine learning or statistical modelling.
• Expertise in quantitative analyses of complex data originating from different sources with machine learning skills, deep learning, imaging processing, and Bayesian Network modelling.
• Affinity with food production and food safety, understanding of the food production chain.
• Good communications skills in English, both written and verbally, and the ability to work in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams and projects.
• Solid scientific basis with the ability to identify relevant issues and formulate practical recommendations and solutions.
• Good writing skills, with a proven track record.
• The willingness to invest in learning the Dutch language.

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;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 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 €2861,- and €4549,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 9-10). Additionally, a contract for 28 hours can be discussed.
Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a multi-faceted position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Coming from abroad
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. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Research The mission of Wageningen University and 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, 6.500 employees and 12.500 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen's unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020. These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.