Research Analyst in Data & Artificial Intelligence

As a Research Analyst in Data & Artificial Intelligence, you’ll play an important role in turning data into practical solutions that support diagnostics, research, and innovation in animal health and scientific progress at WBVR.

You will apply existing AI/ML techniques, manage data pipelines, and perform routine to advanced computational analyses that contribute directly to diagnostics and research projects.

You will collaborate with experts who value curiosity and teamwork, and together you’ll turn complex data into insights that push innovation forward.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

AI & Data Analysis

• Develop and execute reproducible machine-learning and data-analysis workflows as support to researchers and bioinformaticians.
• Carry out feature engineering, dataset preparation, and model evaluation following established protocols.
• Run, test, and document ML pipelines used for diagnostics, surveillance, and research.
• Maintain reproducible computational environments (e.g., Conda, Docker, Git).

Data Management & Workflow Support

• Prepare datasets for modelling, including quality control and harmonization across sources.
• Support ongoing monitoring and automation of AI-based tools used in diagnostics or research contexts.

Technical Implementation & Infrastructure

• Support deployment and maintenance of computational workflows in collaboration with IT, Bioinformaticians, Epidemiologists.
• Assist in integrating AI workflows with existing systems (e.g., LIMS, HPC, sensor data pipelines).
• Report and solve routine technical issues (e.g., broken pipelines and data inconsistencies).

Collaboration & Communication

• Collaborate with researchers and project leaders to translate their needs into structured computational tasks.
• Provide clear documentation of workflows, parameters, and results.
• Participate in team discussions on workflow improvements, automation, and data quality.

Your team
You'll join a multi-disciplinary team composed of experienced researchers in bioinformatics, epidemiology, and data science. In this role, your core focus will be contributing to impactful projects and helping to build efficient, reproducible workflows. While securing external funding is not a requirement now, your experience may lead to future opportunities to shape project scope and grant applications.

You are an accurate, structured, and collaborative professional. You thrive in a team environment, adhere strictly to established procedures, and produce clear documentation. You are highly curious and motivated to advance your skills in AI/ML and data workflows.

You also possess:

Education

• An MSc degree (or a relevant HBO degree combined with proven professional experience) in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Biology, or a related field.

Technical Skills

• Experience with Python and R for data analysis.
• Basic knowledge of machine-learning concepts (classification, regression, cross-validation).
• Familiarity with ML libraries (e.g., scikit-learn, PyTorch or TensorFlow).
• Familiarity with SQL or structured data management is a plus.
• Understanding of Linux environments and reproducible workflows (Conda, Docker, Git).
• Knowledge with omics analyses and/or modelling epidemiological data is considered a plus.
• Experience with standard data-science tooling (Jupyter, RStudio, VSCode).

In our international working environment, there is an increasing amount of communication in English. We expect candidates to possess strong professional English skills (written and spoken), corresponding to a B1+ level or higher.

You will work here

The Department of Epidemiology, Bioinformatics & High-Tech Animal Models is WBVR’s hub for data, modelling, and translational innovation. We integrate multidisciplinary sciences to deliver evidence-based insights and tools that safeguard animal and human health within a One Health framework. The department works across WBVR units and with external partners (ministries, regulators, diagnostics institutes, academia, and industry) to turn data into actionable intelligence and prevention-focused solutions.

WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an “orientation year” in the Netherlands or a visa as a “knowledge migrant”.

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;
• 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. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between € 3.399,- and € 5.478,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10). Additionally, for this role a contract for 32 hours can be discussed. We offer an contract based on your current 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.

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, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 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 and watch the video below 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.

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.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

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 coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.