Postdoc studying birds on islands

Have you completed your PhD? Are you eager to enrich knowledge on biodiversity as a postdoc? Then Naturalis in Leiden is the place for you. Pursuing a postdoc at Naturalis means working on research with a truly global impact — contributing directly to biodiversity. With state-of-the-art museum collections and lab facilities, many inspiring colleagues and access to our international network, Naturalis offers everything you need to strengthen your career as a scientist.

As a postdoctoral fellow at Naturalis
You will have ample opportunities to showcase and share your research and results widely, through publications, presentations, or with partners in our international network.

You will receive strong support, with access to our dedicated Research Coordination Office, which will assist you in developing new project proposals.

You will build valuable professional connections by participating in both the academic and social activities of our PhD- and postdoc community. Furthermore, through our collaborations with diverse partners, you will strengthen your international profile.

This is what you'll be doing
You will be working on a NWO-funded project led by Dr. Luís Valente, which aims to study the biogeography, population genomics and evolution of bird species on land-bridge islands around the world. The project has a global focus, but it will also zoom-in on the bird fauna of the tropical island of Bioko (Equatorial Guinea). You will perform bioinformatic, macroecological and morphometric analyses. For the bioinformatics, you will analyse sequence-capture genomic data (ultraconserved elements, UCEs) from museum specimens of birds. For the macroecological analyses, you will compile a new global database and use it to investigate global patterns of avian diversity on land-bridge islands. For the morphometric analyses, you will measure museum specimens and analyse them in combination with the UCE data.

Beyond the scientific components above, the project involves an educational and conservation programme on the island of Bioko, in collaboration with the National University of Equatorial Guinea, and the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (NGO). You will contribute to this by engaging with our partners in Equatorial Guinea, as well as local students from the island of Bioko. The project does not involve fieldwork on birds, but you will have the opportunity (if you so wish) to join field expeditions to the tropical rainforest of Bioko as part of our monitoring and educational program.

Together with your dedicated supervisor (Luís Valente), you will have the opportunity to organize all aspects of your postdoctoral trajectory. You will actively share your findings through scientific publications and presentations. Additionally, you'll have the chance to teach or mentor students if you wish. Through our programs and collaborations with universities, you'll not only deepen your own expertise but also contribute to the development of young researchers.

Here's what we have to offer

• A gross monthly salary of € 3,768.00 to € 4,897.00 gross/month for a full-time contract (36 hours).
• End-of-year bonus of 3.4% of your gross annual salary and 8% holiday pay.
• Time off thanks to 27 days of leave per year with full-time employment. Plus 1 extra day that you can use for a holiday that is important to you.
• Travel allowance. Are you travelling by public transport, bicycle or on foot? Then you get €0.21 per kilometer. For commuting by car you get €0.125 per kilometer.
• Pension scheme via PFZW, where Naturalis pays 60% of your premium.
• A focus on your work-life balance. You can work partly from home (in NL) and flexibly schedule your workday between 07.00 and 19.00.
• Plenty of development opportunities. We support your growth and give you unlimited access to the online training platform Goodhabitz.
• Fascinating knowledge events. These help you stay up to date on the latest developments in both your own field and outside it, such as our lectures and gatherings on various (scientific) topics. You can also attend – or take part in – the fascinating internal information session Naturalis Draait Door.
• Nice extras such as discounts on software and hardware for private use, collective health insurance plans, and a bicycle scheme. You’ll also enjoy discounts in our museum restaurant and unlimited free access to our award-winning museum for you and your family.
• Fun team outings. We also get together for drinks every month, organise an annual BBQ and a fantastic New Year's party. Not your scene? That's fine too, of course. All team activities are voluntary.
• A unique work environment in a state-of-the-art building where you will feel proud to work every single day – we guarantee it!

The world lies at your feet!
Literally. Whatever your role may be, you contribute to the preservation of our planet on a daily basis. Naturalis Biodiversity Center is the national research and knowledge institute and a key player in biodiversity data and infrastructures. It houses one of the largest natural history collections in the world and welcomes 500,000 museum visitors per year. Naturalis collaborates with universities, expertise centres and museums around the world. It has a staff of diverse colleagues in various functions and with many different nationalities, with whom you will work together in an informal atmosphere.

This is your team
Within the research group Biodiversity Hotspots, you will work closely with Dr. Luís Valente. You will also work together with Dr. Martim Melo (FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, South Africa) and Prof. Sonya Clegg (University of Oxford, UK). The project is a collaboration with Prof. Liliana D' Alba (Naturalis), Prof. Maximiliano Fero (University of Equatorial Guinea), the Bioko Biodiversity Protection Program (BBPP) and Dr. Luke Powell (CIBIO, Portugal). At Naturalis, you will be part of our PhD- and postdoc community — a close-knit group of around 50 PhD candidates and postdocs with whom you can share experiences and participate in training sessions and workshops. And of course, for those interested, there are plenty of social activities outside of work as well.

What you bring to the table
You have a passion for biodiversity and interest in avian biology, genomics, biogeography, and macroecology. You are capable of conducting independent research, working in an organized manner, and structuring your approach effectively. At the same time, you know when to seek help when necessary. You enjoy collaborating with colleagues, supervisors, and external partners, and you actively maintain both your internal and external networks. You are skilled at identifying opportunities and engaging others with your ideas. Additionally, you can translate complex topics into compelling narratives, making them accessible even to those outside of the scientific community.

In addition, you have:

• A completed PhD in Life Sciences, such as Biology.
• Experience in bioinformatic analyses of high-throughput genomic data (particularly relevant is analysis of sequence-capture datasets, or related approaches).
• Experience or interest with macroecological and macroevolutionary analyses.
• Interest in avian biology, tropical biodiversity, biogeography, population genomics and conservation biology.
• Experience in publishing your research findings — whether through scientific papers, lectures, conferences, or teaching.
• Strong proficiency in English.

Become our new postdoctoral fellow
Upload your CV and motivation letter via the application button no later than 05 June 2025. Keep an eye on your inbox or phone: you will receive a response within 2 weeks.

Want to know more about the position before you apply? Send an email to luis.valente@naturalis.nl.

For more information about the application procedure, you can send an email to our colleagues in the HR department via sollicitaties@naturalis.nl.