What is the market potential of machine learning for plant genomics? And for animal breeding? How can we develop new business models for artificial intelligence from data of remote sensing, food safety management, or environmental monitoring? What are the implications of data science for traditional business in food and agriculture? How do we involve external partners and investors in these new developments? In short: how can we explore the potential of data to improve the quality of life?

Wageningen University & Research is actively pursuing data science and its applications. We believe in a tight relation with domain expertise. Our aim is to integrate new and powerful data science methods into current research programs. The advent of big data, with ever more pervasive sensoring and increasing possibilities offered by computer science, will offer many new research possibilities. We aim to find and exploit these new opportunities. Especially at WUR, where the entire chain from farm to fork is investigated in relation to other societal challenges such as climate change and sustainability, there are many interesting multidisciplinary challenges in applied data science.

WUR has recently strengthened its efforts for data science by organizing the Wageningen Data Competence Center. The WDCC is a small team that unites competences on data science research, education, infrastructure and data management. WDCC is working closely together both internally and externally towards its mission to explore the potential of data to improve the quality of life. We are a team centrally positioned in the organization, supporting and developing the potential of multidisciplinary research involving the different Sciences Groups of WUR.

We are looking for a practical, open minded, organizational talent to initiate and support strategic business development in data science.

In this role, you are expected to:

• develop and implement a vision for creating value data and data science in the domain of WUR;
• collaborate with external partners such as companies, other research institutes, and universities to investigate application areas of data science and develop the added value of the expertise of WUR;
• explore new market opportunities, in close cooperation with the data science domain experts and business developers in the Sciences Groups of WUR;
• explore how research, education, infrastructure and data management should support value creation from data, together with your colleagues of the WDCC team.

• Strong coordination skills to organize collaboration between a diversity of partners, fostering shared developments, to create more value from data;
• Affinity and experience with developing new research and business opportunities for external cooperation;
• Scientific background related to data science and to (one of) the research domains of WUR;
• A track record in finding and creating opportunities in this area;
• Clear focus on establishing partnerships, funded research projects or programmes, or creating opportunities for cooperation with start-ups;
• Knowledge of intellectual property issues related to data is a plus;
• Preferably at least 5 years of experience in organizing research projects or programmes;
• Practical experience in initiating cooperation with institutes and companies as external partners in research projects or programmes;
• Excellent spoken and written English (a minimum of CEFR C1 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.

We offer you a meaningful job with, depending on your experience, a competitive salary from a minimum of € 3736 to a maximum of € 5608 for a full working week of 36 hours in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for the Wageningen Research (scale 12).

In addition, we offer:

• an employment contract of 0.8 - 1.0 fte;
• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural end-of-year bonus of 3%;
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours and holidays can possibly be determined in consultation so that an optimal balance between work and private life is possible;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• 171 vacation hours, the possibility to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
• the possibility to work a maximum of 40 hours per week and in this way build up a maximum of 204 compensation hours per year;
• a flexible model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
• a lively workplace where you can easily make contacts and where many activities take place on the Wageningen Campus. A place where education, research and business are represented;
• make use of the sports facilities on campus.

Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for own initiative in a learning environment.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialised research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With approximately 30 locations, 5,000 employees, and 10,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen.

For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at thespecial career site.

You will be working as a coordinator value creation in the WDCC team, where your direct colleagues work on education, infrastructure, data management for data science. The team works closely together with the Sciences Groups at WUR, as well as with the Library and IT Department. We offer a unique combination of scientific and organizational challenges with a lot of opportunity for your ideas and initiatives.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.