We seek to strengthen our team with an outstanding postdoc with expertise on soil nutrient cycling. The successful candidate will focus on the cycles of nutrients (including, but not limited to, nitrogen and phosphorus), especially with respect to soil fertility and environmental losses. The role of soil organisms (especially soil fauna) in these cycles should be a major focus of the research. Furthermore, the research will contribute to developing more sustainable agroecosystems.
The portfolio for this position will be split into four key areas;

1. Education - 20% of the time will involve teaching with a focus on nutrient cying in agroecosystems.
2. Externally funded research - join existing research projects for 35% of the time, focussed on the role of soil organisms in elemental cycles.
3. Development of new project proposals - The post-doc will be encouraged to develop new proposals with the support of the Soil Biology group, this will utilise 35% of the time.
4. Contribute to the Soil Biology Group discussions and activities (10%).

Existing research projects related to this position include topics such as the use of novel circular fertilizers (e.g. struvite), the effects of earthworms on soil P availability and weathering, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from dairy peat systems.
The Soil Biology group integrates knowledge on soil biota across a range of scales from the microbe to the globe. Our mission is to use soil processes driven by soil biota to develop and maintain sustainable agro-ecosystems. We have four core themes in which we focus our research:

1. The role of soil biota in nutrient cycling to enhance plant soil interactions and associated ecosystem services;
2. The species richness and community composition of soil biota coupled with soil functions (nutrient provision, carbon management, pest and disease resilience and resistance, water regulation and purification) in (agro)ecosystems;
3. How soil and land management can enhance soil health and the beneficial soil functions provided by soil biota;
4. The influence of climate change on soil life, and the controls that soil life exerts on greenhouse gas emissions from the soil.

• a PhD in soil biogeochemistry, soil science, soil ecology and/or agronomy, with a strong soil-related background, and experience related to nutrient cycling at scales ranging from microcosms to the field, including innovative laboratory- and field methodology (e.g. spectroscopic techniques)
• the ability to develop new ideas and approaches to investigate nutrients in the soil, employing both lab- and field-based methodology;
• a strong interest in teaching and educational developments;
• the potential to become an inspiring and innovative lecturer, supervisor and mentor for students from a diverse group of backgrounds;
• experience with publishing in high-ranking scientific journals and communicate through technical and popular communication channels;
• experience in managing (European and other) projects from an administrative as well as a scientific point of view;
• affinity with interacting with target partners such as farmers, policy makers and industry (e.g., waste recycling);
• the ability to attract external funding to support the continuity of research activities;
• excellent communication and writing skills in English.

Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate their experience with concrete examples from their work in and outside academia.

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• 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 December 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 we offer a salary of between €2.790,- and €4.402,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10).

We encourage internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering an outstanding position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the "Best University" in the Netherlands for the 16th consecutive time.Coming from abroad WUR is the #1 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. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University and Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to find solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.500 employees and 12.500 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. A coordinated approach to problems and the cooperation between various subject areas are at the heart of Wageningen's outstanding approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR

The Soil Biology Group blends expertise from the soil, plant and ecological sciences to strengthen groundbreaking research and education in the areas of Fertile Soils; Soils in a Changing Climate; Functional Soil Biodiversity-and Soil Biological Indicators and Land Management.
Our multi-disciplinary team includes expertise in soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics, soil communities and biological processes, plant-soil interactions and feedbacks, trait-based ecology of soil biota, soil biological indicators and biofunctionality of carbon. The Soil Biology Group is supported by four laboratories, including; a soil biology lab, microscopy lab, microbiology lab and molecular ecology lab. We also work in close collaboration with soil chemistry laboratories and with a soil physics lab.