Are you passionate about environmental processes and modelling? Do you want to make a difference as an innovative researcher and an inspiring teacher? Do you have an excellent track record in flow and transport in environmental sciences as evidenced by high impact publications in scientific journals? Do you have a university teaching qualification, or are you willing to obtain such a qualification in a relatively short time? Then this position could be a perfect fit for you!

The Soil Physics and Land Management group, which is part of the Department of Environmental Sciences at Wageningen University & Research, is keen to hire an Assistant (or Associate) Professor (0.8-1.0 fte, tenure track). The group focuses on transport processes of water, sediment and solutes over and through the terrestrial system, in particularly in relation to land use and management practices as they affects crops, vegetation, soils, and water systems. Transport of water, sediment and solutes link to overarching global environmental and societal issues, like water availability, water quality, food production, soil degradation and desertification, and ecosystem functioning. We contribute to these environmental and societal challenges by specifically focusing on the interplay between land management and soil-water interactions from a multiscale perspective.

As Assistant (or Associate) Professor, you are expected to establish an internationally leading research team on development of advanced computer simulation models using numerical and GIS-based approaches, integrating complex flow and transport processes at different spatial and temporal scales. Model application and scenario analysis in the context of externally funded projects and PhD research work will be a substantial task. Your modeling work should help people understand the numerous interactions between climate, land use and water resources, and support managers and policymakers to attain more sustainable land use.

The selected candidate will contribute to the chair group's teaching programme in soil physics, hydrology and land management at all academic levels (BSc, MSc, PhD), including its further development, and should be able to demonstrate potential to attract research funding at the national and international level, including PhD students. In addition, the new staff member will play a leading role with regard to modelling activities within the chair group, primarily focusing on flow and transport processes of water, solutes and sediment in the soil-water-plant environment. Ideally, the background of the new colleague fits or complements the group's current expertise, covering amongst others the domains of soil physics, agrohydrology, ecohydrology, groundwater, soil chemistry, soil erosion and/or sustainable land management.

• A PhD degree in hydrology, applied mathematics, civil engineering or environmental sciences.
• Passion for education and good presentation skills, willingness to acquire teaching qualifications, and being innovative in education (e.g. addressing new themes, new forms of teaching and computer practical's, online education).
• Excellent scripting and programming skills (e.g. Python, R, C++), strong conceptual and methodological knowledge of flow and transport models (e.g. MODFLOW, SEAWAT, MT3DMS, Hydrus/HP), in depth experience with geospatial modelling (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS), and affinity with advanced data analysis techniques.
• A long-term and innovative vision on the field of flow and transport modelling and its contribution to sustainable land use, regarding both research and teaching.
• Experience in writing research proposals, conducting research, and a publication record in the field of multiscale modelling.
• An active attitude to attract and supervise PhD students.
• An international academic network, and affinity to collaborate in a multidisciplinary and international environment.
• A team player attitude, fluent in English (at least C1 level), and with enthusiasm to innovate and excel in research and teaching. For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.

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

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially 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 compensation / 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 be offered a fixed-term contract which, upon positive evaluation based on criteria elaborated in the University's Tenure Track policy, can lead to a permanent employment contract as professor. The fixed term contract is 7 years for candidates who start as beginning assistant professors or shorter when candidates start at associate professor level. Salary depends on knowledge and experience and will range from a minimum of € 3.821, to a maximum of € 5.943,- (assistant professor position), and € 5.039,- to a maximum of € 7.079,- (associate professor position) based on full time employment in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11-14).

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 17th 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 therefore Wageningen 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, 6.800 employees and 12.900 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.