Systems & Data Engineer

Are you a Systems & Data Engineer? Do you enjoy building and improving technical systems, working with APIs, and making sure data runs smoothly? Then this could be your next step. You’ll join an open and collaborative team where creativity and learning are encouraged. We also offer a good salary and a healthy work-life balance.

In this role, you’ll help keep our library systems reliable and ready for daily use, while also creating new backend services and data workflows that support education and research. Your work will be varied and meaningful — every day you’ll contribute to making knowledge more accessible.

As part of a collaborative academic environment, you will:

• Maintain and enhance backend systems critical to library operations;
• Design and implement APIs to connect library platforms with campus and external services;
• Build and manage data models, and data pipelines that enable research and library analytics;
• Work with librarians, researchers, and IT colleagues to create sustainable, user-centered solutions;
• Contribute to and adopt open-source tools and standards.

Our IT department, consisting of 200 employees, is responsible for providing a modern ICT environment for education and research. We work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle current challenges in the areas of digitalization, self-service, security, data management, high-performance computing, and cloud strategy. In this rol hybrid working is possible, so partly at home and partly on campus.

As such, there are plenty of development and career opportunities available for specialists at various levels. Wageningen University & Research was elected as the best employer for IT specialist by Computable in 2024

We are seeking someone with:

• Experience in backend development, API design, and data engineering.
• You have at least three years of experience in scripting languages such as Python, PHP, understanding of SQL, database management and ETL flows.
• Familiarity with open-source practices in a Linux environment and collaborative development.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field.
• You read and speak both Dutch and English fluently.
• A willingness to learn and grow in a dynamic academic setting.

Bonus points for experience with higher education or library technologies, metadata standards, Laravel, Spark and cloud/DevOps practices.

If you’re an adaptable problem-solver with an open mindset and enthusiasm for supporting the mission of academic libraries, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us shape the future of library systems and services.

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;
• 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 8,3%;
• 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 € 3,399 and € 6,288 for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10/11). Additionally, a contract for 32 hours can be discussed. First, we offer a one-year contract with the intention of converting it into a permanent contract. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

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.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland and with your work you have a clear and positive impact on society. At WUR we work on the most pressing challenges of our time, like climate change and feeding the world in a sustainable way.

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, 7,700 employees (7,000 fte), 2,500 PhD and EngD candidates, 13,100 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.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

For more information about this position, please contact Diana Hoogeveen, manager Development, telephone 06-81182860, or by mail diana.hoogeveen@wur.nl

For more information about the procedure, please contact Leoni Gasille, HR Business Partner by email: leoni.gasille@wur.nl

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including Tuesday 24rt of November. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on as soon as possible after the deadline.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.