Researcher Water Issues Animal Farming Systems

As a researcher on water issues within the Animal Farming Systems department of Wageningen Livestock Research, you will study water-related challenges in sustainable land-based livestock farming.

In this role, you will connect water-related issues in land-based livestock farming (dairy farming), such as drought, peatland issues, and salinization, to grassland management, roughage production, and dairy farming. You will apply your knowledge of soil and hydrology and integrate it with grass and crop growth.

Your Tasks and Responsibilities as a Researcher:

• Conducting research projects in collaboration with project teams;
• Initiating and setting up new research proposals;
• Preparing project proposals, conducting measurements, collecting data, analyzing research results, and reporting findings;
• Engaging in discussions with fellow researchers, industry representatives, and government bodies;
• Presenting research outcomes to farmers, industry stakeholders, government officials, and fellow scientists;
• Developing scenarios and assessing potential trade-offs.

Team
Within the Animal Farming Systems department, you will collaborate with a research team of 25-30 highly motivated project leaders, researchers, and project assistants. Our team is known for its innovative and integrated approach to analyzing, evaluating, and developing the sustainability of livestock systems. You will work alongside colleagues from your own team and other departments or research institutes within project-based teams.

The Research
Our food system is a complex system with many challenges in making it more sustainable as a whole. Our research focuses on the role and impact of animals in our current and future food systems. We are dealing with climate change, the environmental impact of animal production, and biodiversity loss. At the same time, urbanization, a growing global population, increasing demand for (animal) protein, and the pursuit of humane livestock farming play significant roles in debates and discussions about how to feed the world.

Wageningen Livestock Research (WLR) investigates the role of animals in this food system and aims to improve the quality of life for people, animals, and nature. We develop scientifically based solutions for an economically, ecologically, and socially sustainable livestock, insect, and aquaculture sector. Together with our clients and partners, we integrate scientific knowledge and practical experience to develop concepts and solutions for livestock farming for future generations. WLR conducts fundamental and applied research in areas such as animal production and food security, system innovations, economics, circularity, ecosystem services, environment, grass & feed systems, aquaculture, animal nutrition, breeding & genetics, and animal health & welfare.

You are proactive and decisive, enabling you to take on and develop new projects. You also use your creativity to identify opportunities and propose new research initiatives.

Additionally, you possess:

• A relevant higher education or academic degree, such as in animal science, agro-hydrology, or environmental science;
• Knowledge of land-based livestock farming, grass growth, soil, and hydrology;
• Demonstrated affinity with research;
• Excellent command of Dutch and English;

Furthermore, you thrive in an organization that values reliability, entrepreneurship, development, customer orientation, trust, and flexibility. We work in an international environment and prioritize inclusivity; you align with these core values.

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 and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• 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 €3.234,- and €6.008,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10). Additionally, a contract for 32 hours can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

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.