Are you that enthusiastic researcher that likes to work on the physiology of plants grown under fully controlled conditions?

Together with a consortium of an inter-disciplinary team of researchers and companies, we are starting a large research programme of 17 PhDs/Postdocs entitled 'Sky High: Vertical farming, a revolution in plant production'.
Vertical farming is a novel technology where plants are grown on many stacked layers with LED light. It is a secure and sustainable route to provide cities with fresh food. This program targets a revolution in the production of fresh vegetables. The ambition is a secure and sustainable vegetable supply: no pesticides, no nutrient emission, only 2-4 litres water per kg produce, at least twentyfold less land use, lower food mileage, less waste and lower energy use per kg produce compared to greenhouses. These vegetables have a greatly improved quality (taste, aroma, appearance, shelf life, nutritional value, safety) compared to conventionally produced vegetables. The Sky High programme will develop concepts for design and control of vertical farms that meet all mentioned targets on sustainability, yield, and quality, based on a research on the different components of vertical farming.
To realise these targets a fundamental understanding of the different components of vertical farming is needed. For breeders vertical farming can also be a tool to shorten the cycle from seed to seed. The aim of the here announced postdoc project is to hasten flowering and seed development in lettuce by environmental regulation (in particular by light spectra). Besides, we also aim to investigate the maximum growth rate of lettuce (biomass increase) possible in vertical farms.

The chair group Horticulture & Product Physiology
The chair group Horticulture and Product Physiology conducts high impact research and educates students providing the scientific basis required to answer questions that are of utmost importance for sustainable crop production and product quality in horticulture.
The research focus is on how physiological processes in crops, plants and plant organs interact with the abiotic environment and how this affects crop production and product quality. Questions arising from horticultural practice are translated into fundamental research topics, aiming to explain mechanisms. The research and education contributes to sustainably feeding the World with healthy high-quality products.
The chair group is an international team consisting of 14 permanent staff members, about 25 PhD candidates and postdocs and a number of guest researchers. Each year about 40 MSc students conduct their thesis study (a 6-month research) at our group. We organize and participate in a variety of courses for BSc and MSc students to transfer knowledge on horticulture (pre- and post harvest), environmental physiology and product quality.
More info about the chair group can be found at www.hpp.wur.nl

We are looking for result-driven team player with creative ideas, excellent communication skills as well as good proficiency in English (both oral and written). This position requires an excellent English language proficiency (a mininum of CEFR C1 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.

• You have a PhD in plant sciences and you have published some high-quality papers in peer-reviewed journals.
• You enjoy supervising BSc, MSc and PhD students and have excellent collaboration skills.
• You are capable to operate in an international and multi-disciplinary environment.
• You have proven experience in measuring and analysing physiological processes.
• You have a strong affinity with building setups for plant experiments under fully controlled conditions.
• Although the focus will be on environmental and experimental plant physiology, you should be well capable to translate practical vertical farming issues to underlying fundamental questions and communicate well with both the companies and fundamental researchers involved in this program.

We are offering an exciting and challenging position for 3 years. A challenging position with, depending on your experience, a competitive salary from a minimum of €2.790,- to a maximum of €4.402,- for a full working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement Wageningen University (scale 10). We offer you a temporary contract for 12 months which will be extended if you perform well.

In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• an end-of-the-year bonus of 8.3% of your annual salary
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours and holidays can possibly be determined in consultation so that an optimal balance between work and private life is possible;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• a choice model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
• a lively workplace where you can easily make contacts and where many activities take place on the Wageningen Campus. A place where education, research and business are represented;
• make use of the sports facilities on campus for a small fee.

Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with our internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for personal initiative in a learning environment. With us you get a versatile job in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere, with students and staff from over 100 countries around the world.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the "Best University" in the Netherlands for the 15th consecutive time.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of our University 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, 6.500 employees, and 12.000 students, it 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. We have been named Best Employer in Education category 2019-2020.
Click here for more information about working at Wageningen University & Research. More information about Wageningen Campus you can find here.