The department of Earth Sciences is now looking for highly motivated applicant to join us in a postdoctoral research position on 'Modelling water quality of the Ganges/Brahmaputra’.

Your job
The study is part of a collaboration project between the Netherlands and India called 'Co-creating Sustainable Agri-Water Use in the Hindon Sub-Basin – A Multi-Scale Participatory Approach'. The focus of the whole project is the Hindon sub-basin, part of the Gangetic Plain, which suffers from water depletion and pollution due to over-extraction and emissions of nutrients and pesticides. The contribution of agriculture and other sectors to reduced water quantity and quality will be determined by monitoring and modelling. Alternative agricultural management options to improve water use efficiency and to reduce emissions by agriculture will be identified. These will be evaluated and visualised at the levels of fields, farms, landscapes, and the whole sub-basin. A vision of future development will be formulated and steps for its implementation will be identified and started.

The current position aims to investigate water quality (nutrients and pesticides) for future decades for the whole Ganges/Brahmaputra basin through modelling with the Integrated Model to Assess the Global Environment (IMAGE) - Dynamic Global Nutrient Model (DGNM) framework fed with data from other partners in this project. Work will consist of development of a new model for transport of pesticides from land to sea for India. Next to model development, applying a more local water quality model for simulating the effect of changes in the agricultural sector on water quality should be performed. You are expected to construct the model, run the model for historic and future scenario’s. All has to result in scientifical output, e.g. papers - in Open Science - and presentations.

The research team members include Professor Lex Bouwman and Dr Arthur Beusen at the department of Earth Sciences. The research will be performed at Utrecht University, The Netherlands.

The successful candidate should be ambitious and have a PhD degree in Earth, Environmental or Agricultural Sciences, ultimately obtained by the time the position starts.

A theoretical background as well as practical experience in modelling and model development is important. A broad interest in Geosciences and the willingness and capacity to interact in a multidisciplinary team are essential. You are willing to work on an interdisciplinary project, travel abroad (e.g. to India), and to expand your knowledge of modelling techniques.

Additionally, you are proficient in English and have excellent scientific writing and presenting skills. You are an enthusiastic team player and have good communicational skills.

We offer:

• a position as a postdoctoral researcher for 23 months;
• a working week of 38 hours and a gross monthly salary between €3,720 and €4,332 (salary scale 10.3 – 10.7 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University has a number of schemes and facilities of its own for employees. This includes schemes facilitating professional development, leave schemes and schemes for sports and cultural activities, as well as discounts on software and other IT products. We also offer access to additional employee benefits through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage our employees to continue to invest in their growth. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

Universiteit Utrecht

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Utrecht University’s Faculty of Geosciences studies the Earth: from the Earth’s core to its surface, including man’s spatial and material utilisation of the Earth – always with a focus on sustainability and innovation. With 3,400 students (BSc and MSc) and 720 staff, the faculty is a strong and challenging organisation. The Faculty of Geosciences is organised in four Departments: Earth Sciences, Human Geography & Spatial Planning, Physical Geography, and Sustainable Development.

The Department of Earth Sciences conducts teaching and research across the full range of the solid Earth and environmental Earth sciences, with activities in almost all areas of geology, geochemistry, geophysics, biogeology and hydrogeology. The department hosts a highly international tenured staff of over 50 scientists and more than 110 PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers. Our research programme spans four intertwined themes: Climate & Life, Earth interior, Earth materials, and Environmental Earth Sciences. We house or have access to a wide variety of world-class laboratories.

The department and its facilities are located at Utrecht Science Park. Utrecht is the fourth largest city in the Netherlands with a population of nearly 360,000 and forms a hub in the middle of the country. Its historical city centre and its modern central station can easily be reached from the Science Park by public transport or by a 15-minute bicycle ride. Utrecht boasts beautiful canals with extraordinary wharf cellars housing cafés and terraces by the water, as well as a broad variety of shops and boutiques.