Key Skills

Job Description

Your job Are you interested in spatial ecology, species distributions, and plant functional traits? Do you want to contribute to understanding global patterns of plant diversity, and plant responses to environmental change? Conserving biodiversity in a rapidly changing world requires understanding why some species occupy vast geographic ranges while others remain restricted to small areas. Traditionally, efforts to answer this question have focused on understanding and predicting the distributions of individual species. However, recent advances in biodiversity and trait datasets have expanded our capacity to incorporate the functional characteristics of species, allowing us to go beyond the species concept and better capture the variation in biota using functional traits across different levels of biological organisation. Responsibilities This PhD position explores how functional traits influence global patterns of plant biodiversity and plant responses to environmental change. The project focuses on three different levels of organisation, ranging from broad functional forms that capture major ecological plant strategies (e.g. tree, epiphyte, shrub), to finer levels of organisation among species (inter-specific variation) and within species (intra-specific variation). As a PhD candidate, you will make use of large trait databases like TRY and BIEN, and be responsible for setting up a greenhouse experiment similar to that of a provenance trial set-up (i.e. growing seeds collected from across a species’ native geographic range under varying environmental conditions). Specifically, your duties and responsibilities include: Collating plant distributions, functional traits, and environmental data from various sources Setting-up and conducting a greenhouse experiment to assess variation in plant phenotypic plasticity under simulated environmental conditions Publishing your research in peer-reviewed journals and presenting your research at (inter)national conferences Mentoring BSc/MSc students You will work here The research is embedded within the Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation group (https://www.wur.nl/en/chair-groups/plant-ecology-and-nature-conservation), which is led by Prof. David Kleijn. You will be supervised by Dr. Coline Boonman and Dr. Amanda Taylor. Prof. David Kleijn is the promotor. Your qualities You Have The Following Personal Competencies And Skills A successfully completed MSc degree in ecology, environmental sciences or a related field Experience handling large biodiversity datasets and environmental data Highly proficient in data analysis in R and strong quantitative and statistical expertise Excellent oral and written communication skills in English The ability to work independently and collaboratively For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level (https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale). Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here (https://www.wur.nl/en/education/phd-programme/admission-requirements). We offer Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment (https://www.wur.nl/en/jobs/conditions-of-employment). A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include: Partially paid parental leave; working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance; 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 receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team. The gross salary for the first year is € 3.204,- per month rising to € 4.051,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (https://www.universiteitenvannederland.nl/en/collective-labour-agreement-of-dutch-universities) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. Coming from abroad Wageningen University & Research is the university and research 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. Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands 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 (https://www.wur.nl/en/jobs/expats-new-international-staff) page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center (https://wcfv.nl/en/home/global/our-services/happy-landing-and-living/) can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands. Important information For more information about the position, please contact Amanda Taylor, assistant professor, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jessa Rozema, Corporate Recruiter, via [email protected] Ready to apply? You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered. To apply, please send the following documents (max. 3 pages in total ): Complete and up-to-date curriculum vitae (max. 2 pages); Motivation letter (max. 1 page). The maximum length of the documents must not exceed 3 pages. If it exceeds, applications will not be considered. Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required during this stage and will not be considered. You can apply up to and including 25 October 2026. We will hold interviews on November 4th, and you will be notified if you are selected for an interview one week in advance. Additional Information Form For this position, you must fill in a mandatory form which will allow us to have a comprehensive view of your qualifications and better assess your fit for it. You can access the form using the link below: PhD position: Trait-based drivers of global plant distributions – Fill out form (https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/M5SGrmpW3T) Your prompt response will ensure that your application continues to move forward in the evaluation process. We assure you that the information provided will be kept confidential and used solely for this application process. Welcome, safe, and valued Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization. We are 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 (https://www.wur.nl/en/Jobs/Why-choose-WUR.htm) 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.

Core Responsibilities

Investigate how plant functional traits at different levels of biological organization shape global plant biodiversity patterns and responses to environmental change, using large trait and distribution datasets. Set up and conduct a greenhouse experiment, publish and present research, and mentor undergraduate and master's students.

Requirements

Applicants must have a completed MSc in ecology, environmental sciences, or a related field, experience handling large biodiversity and environmental datasets, and strong quantitative and statistical expertise with high proficiency in R. Excellent spoken and written English at C1 level and the ability to work independently and collaboratively are expected.

Benefits

• Partially Paid Parental Leave
• Flexible Working Hours
• Campus Sports Facilities
• Year-End Bonus
• Pension Scheme
• Fully Funded PhD Position
• Tailored Training Program
• Immigration and Visa Application Support
• Potential Tax Exemption