Do you want to work on a key challenge for the future of the circular economy? Do you have a drive for performing fundamental research that leads to technological innovations? Are you interested in working in an interdisciplinary team on environmental technologies for nitrogen conversions in water, soil, sludges, and other organic wastes?

The department of Environmental Technology is looking for a new tenure tracker to strengthen and expand our research on the nitrogen cycle. Active nitrogen is the environmental problem that exceeds our planetary boundaries the most, according to the Stockholm Resilience Centre. Active nitrogen is connected to our highly productive and energy consuming society, and is emitted in wastewater, agriculture, industry and traffic. Nitrogen has many forms, like NH3, NOx, N2O in the atmosphere, and NH4+, NO3- in water streams. New approaches are needed to deal with reactive nitrogen in our nitrogen saturated world.

We are looking for an environmental process engineer with an affinity for system engineering to join our research group for this topic. The research will focus on what knowledge, and technical and system innovations are needed to reduce the effects of active nitrogen to fit within the planetary boundaries. The topics of research will be on removal and recovery of nitrogen from waste streams and preventing nitrogen pollution through system engineering. This will include the development of advanced bioreactors, the contribution of natural systems such as soils and wetlands in urban and rural settings to store and deactivate nitrogen, as well as design, modelling and testing the technical and infrastructural measures to realize circular nitrogen systems, focused on recovery and reuse with minimal reactive nitrogen emissions.
Within our ETE group, you will collaborate with several researchers on these topics. You will become our central nitrogen expert in the lead of this research topic.

In this challenging career trajectory as Assistant/Associate Professor in the field of Nitrogen Efficiency:

You will:

• be responsible for the organization, implementation and coordination of new research activities in the field of nitrogen conversion technologies;
• be building up a leading national and international position;
• teach and supervise BSc, MSc and PhD students, both in class and individually;
• develop and redesign teaching courses within the Environmental Technology.

Tenure Track is a career path for scientists who pursue to excel in education and research. We seek to attract scientific talent and to stimulate and support their development.

You are as an Assistant/Associate Professor an ambitious and enthusiastic scientist and a team player, devoted to research and education in Environmental Technology.

You have:

• a successfully completed academic study (MSc level; recognised in The Netherlands) in a field related to Environmental Sciences or Environmental Engineering;
• a PhD in Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Biobased Sciences or similar;
• knowledge and expertise in biological nitrogen conversions and (waste)water treatment;
• affinity with translating fundamental research into technological innovation;
• enthusiasm for teaching and didactic qualities for working with (under) graduate students;
• several years of engineering experience;
• a broad network in the (waste)water sector;
• experience in modelling (bio)technological processes;
• ample experience with management of complex projects;
• experience in acquisition of independent research funding;
• excellent communication skills;
• the ability to speak and write Dutch fluently, or willingness to learn Dutch to C1 level.

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, 7 year 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. Depending on your experience and start level, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 4332,- and € 7305,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) .

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 18th 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.

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

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.

Environmental Technology (part of AFSG) develops and evaluates innovative environmental technologies and concepts based on processes from nature, to recover and reuse essential components and maintain and recreate a viable environment. Our education inspires students to develop their talents. We impact society by innovation through top science and focus on applicability.

The Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group (AFSG) is part of Wageningen University & Research where fundamental and applied sciences complement each other. As an important international player, we carry out top-level research and work alongside authoritative partners within the international business world as well as the government on “Healthy food in a biobased society”. We have a crucial role in innovations within the market. Entrepreneurship and professionalism are what define us. In short, we are an interesting, international employer of stature.

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

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