In an agricultural/food system that is changing from linear to more circular, focussing on the reuse, remanufacturing and recycling of 'waste'-streams, it is of utmost importance to not only regard the potential benefits, but also to be prepared for potential issues regarding food, feed and waste safety and quality. Clearly, a prerequisite of a circular system is that not only all individual processes, but also the system as a whole is safe. Issues regarding safety include chemical residues (resulting from use of drugs/medicines/biocides/feed additives), physical particles (e.g. plastics) and biological hazards (following from concentrations of viruses/bacteria/zoonoses). Chemical and biological hazards are introduced at various places and move through the system in different ways. The project is part of the Wageningen UR investment theme Connected Circularity.
Within this project a semi-quantitative safety assessment tool will be developed and applied to the flow of hazards in scenarios in which waste is optimally reused. High risk processes in the circular scenario will be restricted or, in case these are highly important processes in the system, the process itself and correlated/related processes will be redesigned to diminish the risks. In this project, you will be responsible for:

• Building a stock and flows model of waste streams in agriculture
• Expanding this model based on new insights
• Simulate the impact of novel scenarios for waste stream management, aimed at minimizing risks for human, animal and environmental health

You will closely collaborate with another junior researcher who is responsible for identifying the different hazardous substances and will investigate their behaviour in a dynamic environment. You will be part of a research team of professionals with the involved disciplinary backgrounds.

We are looking for a highly motived and ambitious junior researcher with:

• A university degree (MSc) in environmental sciences or GIS;
• Affinity with agricultural land use systems, and genuine interest in the sustainability challenges of this domain;
• Knowledge of and experience in (spatial) modelling (e.g. R, Python);
• A proven scientific ambition, proven performance in scientific writing, and strong ambition to publish future work (candidates are invited to provide 1 or 2 examples of their written work);
• Ability to communicate effectively with different scientific disciplines;
• Ability to manage your own sub-project within the Connected Circularity project (time, money, cooperation, publications);
• Ability to function as a team member, participate in project meetings and discussions;
• The ambition to obtain a PhD.

You will be situated within the Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Group at Wageningen University. Our research addresses present and future environmental challenges by means of planning and design. These challenges include climate mitigation and adaptation, sustainable water management, ecological networks, urbanisation, and the energy transition. Our specific competence is to analyse complex and dynamic landscape systems at various scale levels, and to propose inspiring and meaningful planning and design solutions. We are a dynamic team consisting of a Full professor, Associate professors (3), Assistant professors (10), Postdocs (5) and PhDs/junior researchers (11). We are embedded in the department of Environmental Sciences of Wageningen University, which provides fundamental research and academic education on our living environment. We are member of the Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK) and of the Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS).

We offer a contract from November 1st 2019 for two years for 38 hours per week with a possibility to extend to 4 years. Depending on your expertise and experience a salary from a minimum of € 2325,- (gross) to a maximum of € 2972,- (gross) based on fulltime employment.

In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• 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;
• 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
• a flexible working time: the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra and thereby to build up extra leave;
• a choice 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.
  

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Research
Delivering a substantial contribution to the quality of life. That's our focus - each and every day. Within our domain of good and safe food & food production, food security and a healthy living environment, we search for answers to issues affecting society - such as sustainable food production, climate change and alternative energy. Of course, we don't do this alone. Every day, 5000 people work on 'the quality of life', turning ideas into reality, on a global scale.

We are the Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Group at Wageningen University. Our research addresses present and future environmental challenges by means of planning and design. These challenges include climate mitigation and adaptation, sustainable water management, ecological networks, urbanisation, and the energy transition. Our specific competence is to analyse complex and dynamic landscape systems at various scale levels, and to propose inspiring and meaningful planning and design solutions. We are a dynamic team consisting of a Full professor, Associate professors (3), Assistant professors (10), Postdocs (5) and PhDs/junior researchers (11). We are embedded in the department of Environmental Sciences of Wageningen University, which provides fundamental research and academic education on our living environment. We are member of the Wageningen Institute for Environment and Climate Research (WIMEK) and of the Wageningen School of Social Sciences (WASS).