Junior Researcher Desk study Mineral transport by large herbivores

What you will be doing
You will perform a desk study on the capacity of large herbivores to transport minerals towards and within demineralised soils of the Dutch Veluwe area, consisting of the following aspects:

- You will perform a literature study to establish the transport capacity of selected species of large herbivores that occur in the Veluwe area.

- You will search for and collect data on the mineral status of Veluwe soils. You will perform indicative calculations of the potential of large herbivores to supply these minerals and the densities needed to achieve this.

- You will calculate scenarios of different combinations of mineral-poor and mineral-rich soils in the Veluwe area and the role of herbivores transporting minerals in the resulting landscape.

- You will write a report in Dutch with the information in a style that is useful for policymakers. 

What we are looking for
We are looking for a highly motivated researcher with a MSc degree in wildlife ecology or biogeochemistry, or a related discipline. You should be strong in open communication, work well with other researchers and nature managers and policymakers. Ability to work with incomplete datasets, good writing and presentation skills and fluency in Dutch are essential. Experience with nutrient cycling in ecosystems, knowledge of the Veluwe ecosystem, literature review and synthesis and data extraction from literature is an advantage.

What do we offer?
A 1.0 fte junior researcher position of 5.5 months. The preferred starting date is 15 July 2026. The department of Terrestrial Ecology (TE) and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) organise weekly seminars to stimulate scientific discussion and exchange ideas.

Your workplace
You will be based at the department of Terrestrial Ecology (TE) at NIOO-KNAW, consisting of a dynamic, interactive and collaborative group of researchers from diverse backgrounds. You will share an office space with other PhD and postdoc candidates in the department and join an active community of researchers, postdocs, PhDs, research assistants and internship students. In TE, we aim to understand, predict, and mitigate effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and land use change in terrestrial ecosystems. Our research focuses on interactions between plants, microbes, and (in)vertebrates, in the soil and aboveground. Our approach is conceptual-experimental, and ranges from evolutionary adaptation to community interactions and ecosystem processes. NIOO-KNAW has state-of-the-art research facilities.

More information
Please contact: Liesbeth Bakker, Senior Researcher, l.bakker@nioo.knaw.nl.
More information about the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and the department of Terrestrial Ecology can be found at the website: http://www.nioo.knaw.nl

Application procedure
For the application, please include a cover letter summarizing motivation and experience, a CV, and contact details of two professional referees (name, address, telephone, and email). Deadline for application is 7 July 2026. Applications received later than this date will not be considered. Interviews will be held in person or online, depending on the location of the candidate, and are scheduled on the 13th of July.

About NIOO
The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) is a national research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). At NIOO we perform ecological research on biodiversity, climate change and sustainable use of land and water. We stimulate ecological research in the Netherlands and share our ecological knowledge with society. Everyone in our organisation is passionate about contributing to a sustainable world from their own area of expertise.

Terms of employment
Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is € 3.382 and the maximum salary is € 4.484 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale 8 cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment).  

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: werken bij de KNAW.

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.

Diversity & Inclusion
The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.

We will not respond to any supplier enquiries based on this job advertisement.