Postdoc Plant and soil community dynamics in natural grasslands NIOO-KNAW - Wageningen

What you will be doing

The department of Terrestrial Ecology has a long-term research line on understanding plant and soil community dynamics in semi-natural grasslands on the Veluwe (the Netherlands). With more than 25 years of data and several ongoing field experiments, we now have the unique opportunity to study long-term responses of plant and soil communities to land management, ecosystem restoration and global changes, which can help to develop novel research directions for the future.

With your expertise in plant or soil ecology and experience in analysing large-scale or long-term data sets, you will contribute to building a strategy for future long-term field research in the department of Terrestrial Ecology at NIOO-KNAW. You will make current datasets FAIR, analyse these data from new angles, write scientific publications, and develop project proposals for funding future work. You will present your research at conferences and scientific meetings.

What you will be contributing

We are looking for a talented researcher with strengths in open communication that can work well within a team of researchers and has creative ideas for building a research strategy for the future. The candidate should have a PhD in plant or soil ecology, a good overview of conceptual developments in the research field and a keen interest in studying human impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. Extensive expertise with statistical analyses of large data sets, good writing and presentation skills and fluency in English are essential. Experience with acquisition of funding would be an advantage. The candidate should be willing to integrate into the department by being open to collaboration and knowledge exchange with colleagues.

What do we offer?

A two-year position (1.0 FTE) in the dynamic department of Terrestrial Ecology, with a preferred starting date in June 2025. Working 0.8 fte is a possibility.

Your workplace

You will be working at the department of Terrestrial Ecology, consisting of a dynamic and collaborative group of researchers from diverse backgrounds. 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.

More information

Please contact:
Ciska Veen, Head of department, c.veen@nioo.knaw.nl
Koen Verhoeven, Senior scientist, k.verhoeven@nioo.knaw.nl

Justine Lejoly, Tenure track researcher, j.lejoly@nioo.knaw.nl
Information about the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) 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 two professional referees (name, address, telephone, and email). Deadline for application is 16th of March 2025. 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 will be scheduled during the week of the 24th of March.

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.

Conditions of employment
Depending on education and experience, the salary will amount to a minimum of 3.378 and a maximum of 5.331 gross per month for full-time employment (scale 10  Collective Agreement for Dutch Universities/Academy). This is exclusive of 8% holiday allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, Internet and home-working allowance, and pension accrual with the (Dutch) General Pension Fund for Public Employees (ABP). 
The Academy offers its employees an excellent package of fringe benefits, which meets their different needs depending on their stage of life, lifestyle, or career ambitions. By working an extra two hours a week, for example, employees can increase their number of holiday days from 29 to 41 days a year (in the case of full-time employment).

A full overview of the conditions of employment can be found at: Work for the Academy.

Diversity & Inclusion
The Academy attaches great importance to a working environment where everyone feels welcome and valued, where individual talent is nurtured, and where development opportunities are paramount. Together, we aspire to an inclusive culture that embraces differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates whose background and experience will help us to achieve our goals. Where two or more applicants are equally qualified, preference will be given to the candidate who contributes most to diversity at the Academy in this respect.
 

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