a PhD candidate who is enthusiastic about marine ecology and interested in developing Species-Habitat Association models. Do you want to use this expertise to advise on how human activities should operate within the North Sea, minimizing impact on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning? Then this PhD position could be for you!

During your PhD you will develop Species-Habitat Association (SHA) models to quantify the relationship between marine benthic epifauna, infauna and fish species and their biotic and abiotic environment. You will be challenged to embed these empirical data-driven models in more fundamental ecological theories, for example by attempting to derive the fundamental and realized niche of species. Within your research project you will assess how fast species disappear ("extinction debts") and re-appear ("colonization credits") in sites affected by sand extraction. Finally, you will learn how to combine these single species models into a joint species distribution model, whereby physiological, morphological, ecological and/or behavioural traits of the organism are used to describe the shape and form of species-habitat relationships. These multi-species models will be used to determine which benthos and fish species are ecologically, economically and functionally most relevant in the design of large-scale sand extractions.

As a PhD candidate you will be a member of a large interdisciplinary research project (OR ELSE) whose aim is to give recommendations for large-scale sand extraction in the North Sea. Sand is the second most extracted natural resource globally, even exceeding fossil fuels and biomass. Sand extraction volumes are expected to increase drastically for infrastructure projects and to ensure coastal protection by sand nourishments in the light of climate change. Large-scale marine sand extraction has important ecosystem effects through changes in flows and sediments and physical disturbance of benthic habitats, affecting the food web. To protect the human population against large-scale flooding, the Netherlands faces the challenge to attune to associated ecological and social effects.

• You have successfully completed an MSc degree in the field of marine ecology and/or theoretical ecology with an affinity with (spatial) statistics.
• You are skilled in quantitative ecological methods, and have excellent skills in scientific writing.
• You have a keen interest in collaborative research within a multi-disciplinary setting.
• You have excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.
• You meet all the entry requirements of the WUR PhD programme.

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

• 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 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 € 2.541,- per month rising to € 3.247,- 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.

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 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

The mission of Wageningen University & 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, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR's Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!