Research assistant Vector Biology

In your role, you will be supporting the development and implementation of harmonized vector sampling protocols in collaboration with the European partner institutes. Within the Netherlands, you will perform field sampling activities in diverse urban areas across the country. Your work will involve the use of standard molecular approaches for vector identification and for assessing biodiversity indices. You are expected to report findings and contribute data to scientific reports. In collaboration with the head of the One Health Entomology group, you will contribute to national and international meetings with partner institutes and stakeholders.

Your team
The One Health Entomology group of the Laboratory of Entomology at Wageningen University and Research is looking for a research and education assistant with a background in ecology of (blood-feeding) insects.

You will join a team that consists of ambitious scientists that employ interdisciplinary approaches, both in the lab as well as in the field. The position will involve the data collection for a new European project, funded via the European Biodiversity Initiative (Biodiversa+), with partners in France, Spain and Morocco. In collaboration with these partners, you will contribute to a better understanding of the impact of urban greening on vector borne disease risks. The position is for 1 year.

You will work here
By 2050, 70% of the global population will live in urban areas, leading to increased environmental challenges such as pollution and biodiversity loss. The "greening" of cities, through green spaces and water bodies, offers a nature-based solution to promote sustainability, biodiversity, and human health, for example by reducing heat island effects, air pollution, and improving physical and mental well-being. However, they may also provide habitats for disease-transmitting vectors, such as mosquitoes and sandflies. The impact of urban greening on vector populations is expected to depend on local conditions, highlighting the need for effective surveillance and control, particularly in both public and private spaces. Wageningen University is leading a new project (BiodiveCITY) that aims to explore the relationships between public and private urban green spaces on the one hand, and diversity of blood-feeding arthropods and their implications for vector-borne disease transmission to humans and animals on the other.

The successful candidate is/has:

• A higher education or MSc degree in biological sciences, with a specialization in ecology, entomology or similar;
• Experience with (field-based) research on (community) ecology;
• Affinity with diverse molecular lab techniques;
• Good oral and written Englisch communication skills;
• A good organizer and team player;
• A driver’s license.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level B2 .

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;
• 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 year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between €3.029,- and € 3.465,-for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 6). Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Due to Dutch immigration laws, candidates from outside the EU/EFTA zone, can usually not be hired for this position. More information can be found on the website of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

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