Would you like to do research at the interface between geography, pedology and soil biology? Are you fascinated by soil organisms and how they affect their environment and soil functions such as water regulation, nutrient cycling, climate regulation or pest control? Then you could be the ideal PhD candidate to join our team!

We are hiring a PhD candidate for a 4-year project that aims to better understand soil functional biogeography. You will gain understanding on what drives the distribution of soil functional diversity, from the local to continental scale, and quantify the role of land use and land management on soil functional diversity. You will bring significant novel insights to this emerging field by modelling soil functional diversity as a function of pedodiversity and soil forming factors, mapping soil functional diversity across heterogenous landscapes, assessing the impact of agricultural land use and management on soil functional diversity and exploring pathways for integrating soil biology into ecosystem service assessments.

The project is a collaboration between the Soil Geography & Landscape and Soil Biology groups of Wageningen University, to strengthen the research line Multifunctional land evaluation, part of the Wageningen University Soil Cluster. This will be a challenging and stimulating project with many opportunities to develop new skills that will make you a well-rounded scientist. If you are a highly motivated and skilled researcher who is excited by the prospect of implementing novel methods; if you like working both independently and in a multidisciplinary team; if you are looking for a challenge, we are looking for you!

Preferred starting date is October 1st 2021.

• A completed (or about to be completed) MSc degree in soil science, ecology, agronomy, environmental science or a related field;
• Affinity with applying statistical methods in the earth and environmental sciences, for example machine learning, digital soil mapping, geostatistics and are comfortable to work with with large (ecological) datasets;
• Experience with (open source) geo-information software and programming languages, such as QGIS and the R language for statistical computing;
• Strong analytical capabilities and a sense for scientific innovation;
• Excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page;

You are a creative, communicative and intrinsically motivated colleague who takes initiatives.

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

• Paid parental leave;
• 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;
• 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 8.3%;
• Excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team. The gross salary for the first year is € 2.395,- per month rising to € 3.061,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

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 unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.
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 16th consecutive time.

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 goal of Wageningen University & Research is to deliver a substantial contribution to the quality of life. We search for answers to issues affecting society- such as sustainable food production, climate change and alternative energy. In Wageningen, we encompass the entire chain of knowledge, from fundamental research to science-based and up-scalable practical knowledge to create solutions that have impact. A coordinated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the outstanding approach of Wageningen. Every day 6,500 people work on 'the quality of life', turning ideas into reality, on a global scale. Could you be one of these people? We give you the space you need!

The Soil Geography and Landscape group (SGL) and the Soil Biology group (SBL) are part of the Wageningen University Soil Science cluster. The mission of SGL is to improve and share understanding of soil patterns and landscape dynamics. We take an integrative approach that combines biophysical and human elements to gain insight in past, present and future system dynamics, and to support sustainable land management. SBL blends expertise from the soil, plant and ecological sciences to strengthen cutting edge research and education in the areas of Fertile Soils; Soils in a Changing Climate; Functional Soil Biodiversity and Soil Biological Indicators and Land Management.