A PhD candidate who has a keen interest in mechanistic understanding of vegetation-sediment interactions in response to anthropogenic activities on beach and foredune and applying this knowledge to predict dune development in a changing climate.

As a PhD student you will work closely together within a NWO funded WUR-University of Twente project ReAshore with two PhD's and one postdoc. ReAshore aims at understanding the coupled socio-bio-physical dynamics of anthropogenic shores and translating this knowledge into guidelines to manage and (re)direct emerging development of multi-functional Nature Based Solutions (NBS) after their implementation.

Within ReAshore your task will be to assess the impact of human activities, management interventions and variation in natural boundary conditions on the development of vegetation and its consequences for topographic evolution and functionality of the anthropogenic coastal landscape. To do this you will develop hypotheses, and design and conduct field experiments and perform field observations. You will assess parameters related to dynamics of sediment, soil moisture, vegetation and human activities using a combination of both land-based and UAV-based techniques. You will translate the data collected into probability density functions that can be used in the existing DUBEVEG dune development model to model dune development in response to human activities.

You have received an MSc degree in ecology, (coastal) geomorphology or a related discipline less than 2 years ago and you:

• are a team player who can also work well independently;
• can easily communicate science in English and Dutch, both orally and in writing;
• can organise and plan field work efficiently and have experience in setting up experimental field research;
• are familiar with statistical software (R) and spatial analyses software (ArcGis);
• are familiar with multidisciplinary research;
• are familiar or have great affinity with aeolian and coastal dune research

We offer a PhD position for a period of 48 months which is divided over two periods: a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended with 30 months if both sides are positive about the progress. Salary will increase from € 2191 gross per month in the first year up to € 2801 in the last year, based on a full-time appointment (38 hours per week).

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 stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for own initiative in a learning environment.
We offer a versatile job in an international environment with varied activities in a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Wageningen University & Research

Wageningen University & Resear The mission of our University 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, 6,000 employees, and 12,000 students, it 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.

The chair group Plant ecology and Nature conservation (PEN) and the chair group Soil Physics and Landscape Management (SLM) work together around this project. PEN studies and teaches the processes and underlying mechanisms that link biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and service delivery and applies these insights to design effective conservation and management strategies for resilient ecosystems. SLM focusses on soil physical and hydrological processes at different temporal and spatial scales, and their central role in sustainable land and water management. PEN and SLM are embedded in the department of Environmental Sciences (ESG) of Wageningen University. ESG provides fundamental research and academic education on our living environment: biodiverse systems, water, sustainable land management, green cities.

More information about PEN can be found here: https://www.wur.nl/en/Research-Results/Chair-groups/Environmental-Sciences/Plant-Ecology-and-Nature-Conservation-Group.htm

More information about SLM can be found here: https://www.wur.nl/en/Research-Results/Chair-groups/Environmental-Sciences/Soil-Physics-and-Land-Management-Group/About-us.htm

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. Furthermore, given our active policy to be as inclusive as possible as employer, we explicitly invite women and international candidates to apply.