Post-doctoral researcher Dispersion Modeling (0.8-1.0 FTE)

Within the RegioDeal Foodvalley programme, the Dutch government, five regional partners (Regio Foodvalley, the provinces of Gelderland and Utrecht, LTO Noord and Waterschap Vallei en Veluwe) and four cooperation partners (Wageningen University, Wageningen Research, Utrecht University and VNO-NCW Midden) are working together on the transition to a sustainable and healthy food system. Within this programme, a large research project is started on sustainable farming, using a combination of laboratories, test farms and operational farms. Using an integral approach, the effectiveness of measures to reduce emission on air concentrations of particulate matter and ammonia and nitrogen deposition will be studied. For this project we are looking for a post-doctoral researcher. In total, 6 PhD researchers are working in this programme at Utrecht University and Wageningen University.

You will be analyzing the contribution of livestock farms to the environmental concentration of particulate matter and ammonia. The data is collected using a network of ammonia, NO2 and dust samplers/sensors, located across the Foodvalley region. This network will provide more insight into the spatial distribution and temporal variation of air-polluting component concentrations and nitrogen deposition, originating from livestock farms. The effects of alternative land use and innovative measures to reduce emission on the environmental concentrations of particulate matter and ammonia and nitrogen deposition are determined with dispersion and geospatial and statistical (land-use) modelling. As a post-doctoral researcher, you are responsible for 1) model development and testing; 2) simulating farm related emissions and concentration mapping and 3) in depth analyses of determinants of spatial and temporal variation in concentrations.

Requirements:

• You have a PhD degree in the field of life sciences, environmental sciences, computational sciences or geosciences.
• You have experience in dispersion modeling, environmental pollution (particulate matter/bioaerosols, ammonia, odor).
• Preferably you have experience with programming languages R and/or Python and geographic information systems.
• You have a proactive attitude.
• You can work independently, but are also a team player.
• You can communicate effectively with people with a variety of backgrounds and expertise.
• You are flexible and can adapt easily to different work environments.
• You have a good command of the English language.

We offer a temporary position (0.8 - 1.0 FTE) for one year in an international working environment. After positive evaluation, this can be turned into a permanent position. The gross salary - depending on previous qualifications and experience - ranges between €2,960 and €4,670 (scale 10 according to the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities) per month for a full-time employment. Salaries are supplemented with a holiday bonus of 8% and a year-end bonus of 8.3% per year.

In addition, Utrecht University offers excellent secondary conditions, including an attractive retirement scheme, professional development, (partly paid) parental leave, sports and flexible employment conditions (multiple choice model). For more information, please visit working at Utrecht University