The market for plant growing media (substrates) is growing strongly worldwide. Are you our new researcher rootenvironment and substrate and do you want to work on optimizing the growing conditions in the root system and further developing suitable growth media in close cooperation with the supply industry? Do you want to contribute to making greenhouse horticulture worldwide more sustainable?

As researcher growing media you will contribute to the optimization of the growing conditions in the root system and the further development of suitable growing media. You will work together in a team of experts in the field of plant nutrition, water, crop health, cultivation and greenhouse technology.

In this position you conduct application-oriented research. You deal with:

• Projects which focus on creating a healthy and resilient root environment (plant-soil/substrate- water system)
• Optimizing cultivation systems with regard to the dynamics of water, nutrition and microbial activities in the root system (e.g. physical, chemical and biological aspects)
• Inventory of circular raw materials for growing media, water, fertilizers, substrate
• Investigate and evaluate the effects of additives to growing media, such as fertilizers, biostimulants and other products
• Lead and coordinate research projects and experiments in lab and greenhouse
• Translate questions of industry into concrete research proposals
• Analyse research data and take care of written and oral reports and presentations
• Maintain contacts with customers and acquire new research

• A completed university education in the field of soil science, environmental technology, plant sciences or biosystem engineering;
• Preferably several years of work experience in a research or R&D position in this field
• Experience and knowledge of the physics, chemistry and biology of soil and growing media
• Experience in setting up and conducting experimental research and the associated data processing
• An enthusiastic and ambitious colleague who is strong in communication, who can plan and organize well, and who easily collaborates with colleagues across WUR
• Broad experience in written and oral presentation of research results, as evidenced by list of publications
• Excellent command of both Dutch and English
• Knowledge of and experience in greenhouse horticulture is an advantage
• Driving License B

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 compensation hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially 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 4%;
• 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 € 2.949,- and € 5.479,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10-11). Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE 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.
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. For instance under the "30% rule", certain categories of international staff can receive tax exemption on approximately 30% of their gross salary.

Wageningen University & Research

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!

Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture is dedicated to innovating for and with the greenhouse horticulture sector. In collaboration with the business and scientific communities and the government, we analyse issues relating to operational management and cultivation and translate them into application-oriented research and innovation procedures

Our research facilities are unlike any in the world, with greenhouses for research into sustainable crop protection, experimental energy-saving greenhouses, and measurement set-ups for research into greenhouse materials and early signalling of crop stress. The Bleiswijk location has two Innovation and Demo Centres on the Energy and Water Treatment grounds.

For more information check this video below



We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.