Key Skills

Job Description

Your job Due to the upcoming retirement of the current chair holder, a vacancy has arisen for a Full Professor and chair in the Laboratory of Food Chemistry, part of Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The group has an outstanding international reputation in research and education in the field of food chemistry. The mission of the Laboratory of Food Chemistry is to understand, harness, and expand nature’s potential for the production of food and food ingredients while educating and training future generations of food scientists and technologists, and lay the basis for industrial and societal value creation. The group’s research focuses on understanding food raw materials and ingredients at the molecular level, by establishing structure-function and structure-reactivity relationships of carbohydrates, lignin, proteins, lipids, phytochemicals, plant bioactives, and flavor compounds. A central element is the research on and application of enzymatic and mild chemical modifications to tailor the functionality, stability or bioactivity of food components. Through these activities, the group contributes to the development of stable, tasty, healthy, digestible, and/or bioactive food ingredients, as well as sustainable industrial bioprocess optimization. The group has strong expertise in analytical food chemistry, which is enabled by substantially investing in and utilizing a state-of-the-art analytical platform (e.g., various (HP)LC systems, LC-HRMSn, cIMS, MALDI-TOF-MS, various GC-MS systems, and NMR facilities), in addition to wet chemical and microbial (ML-II) lab facilities. This core analytical food chemistry research is complemented by molecular and predictive modelling. The group is responsible for 12 courses in the BSc and MSc study programs of food technology, biotechnology, and human nutrition (and contributes to 12 more courses from other groups) and supports about 15 BSc theses, 30 MSc theses and 40 industrial internships yearly. Educational innovation and digital learning material development are top priorities for the group. The position of chair of the Laboratory of Food Chemistry offers you the opportunity of creating synergy and strengthening the group’s scientific focus and visibility, while also developing your academic leadership profile. In this role, you are responsible for both the academic and operational management of the group. Your responsibilities will include setting up the research strategy together with your team, guiding a diverse team of scientists, lecturers, and support staff, in addition to further expanding the group’s national and international network. In addition, you will contribute to high-quality education at the BSc, MSc, and PhD levels and help drive innovation in teaching, supporting WUR’s strong reputation in higher education. You will contribute to the Food Sciences and Technology Cluster at Wageningen University, comprising the five chair groups Food Process Engineering, Food Physics, Food Quality and Design, Food Chemistry and Food Microbiology. The Food Cluster vision is to create novel mechanistic understanding and to invoke new principles to pro-actively enable our society to tackle the challenges of turning the world’s harvests into safe, healthy and enjoyable foods for our changing populations, for decades to come. The Laboratory of Food Chemistry harbours 1 Chair Holder, 6 Assistant and Associate Professors, 4 Lecturers, 2-3 Postdoctoral Researchers, and approximately 20-30 PhD candidates. The group is supported by a shared team of professionals including 6 technicians, and 1 secretary. The group is divided into 6 themes: Carbohydrates, Lignin and Enzymology, Proteins, Lipids, Phytochemicals, Plant Bioactives, and Flavor Chemistry. More information on the group can be found on the website (https://www.wur.nl/en/chair-groups/food-sciences-and-technology/food-chemistry) and LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fchwur/about/). Your qualities As a successful candidate, you will bring the following qualities and experience: You hold a PhD degree and have an internationally recognized scientific track record in Food Chemistry, Food (Bio)chemistry, Analytical Food Chemistry, Food Technology, or a closely related discipline. You are able to define a clear long-term vision for research, teaching, and group development that aligns with or complements the strengths of the Laboratory of Food Chemistry. You have a broad (inter)national network across academia, societal organizations, policymakers, and a wide (food-) industrial network, and are committed to strengthening the visibility and impact of the field, the chair group, and WUR through strategic, industry collaborative, public-private and academic research, education, and outreach. You are an experienced and inspiring educator who enjoys engaging students from diverse backgrounds in learning and has contributed to curriculum and course development at Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD levels, preferably including the use of innovative teaching approaches. You have proven experience in leading multidisciplinary teams, using an empathic and inclusive leadership style, in which you create a team culture in which everyone feels heard and diverse perspectives are valued, and you stimulate professional development, team building, and social cohesion. You have proven experience in financial and personnel management and are capable of taking responsibility for the strategic, financial, and organizational leadership of a chair group. We offer You will be working for an inspiring international organisation actively engaged in a large number of interdisciplinary projects all over the world. The scientific quality of Wageningen University & Research is affirmed by the prominent position we occupy in international rankings and citation indices. We offer you a position as Full Professor and Chair of the Laboratory of Food Chemistry. Besides a competitive salary (maximum gross salary for starting chair holders is scale H2 step 13 € 10.815,- per month), we offer a number of additional benefits, such as an end-of-year extra month’s salary, a holiday allowance and a pension plan with the Dutch pension fund for government and education. International candidates moving to the Netherlands may benefit from a special tax relief, by which a part of their salary is exempt from tax for several years. Working hours can be discussed to optimize the work-life balance (32-38 hours per week). Coming from abroad We are a globally leading university in the 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.The university’s highly qualified team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family. Furthermore, WUR offers a dual career programme (https://wcfv.nl/en/home/global/our-services/happy-landing-and-living/special-programs/dual-career-program/) for partners to assist your partner in finding a job or starting a business in the Netherlands. Furthermore, we assist you in finding schools for your children and advise you on finding housing in the region or elsewhere in the Netherlands. The Wageningen University & Research (WUR) International (https://www.wur.nl/en/International-staff.htm) Community page (https://www.wur.nl/en/International-staff.htm) contains practical information about what we do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Important information Further information about the position can be acquired from Prof. Dr Annemiek ter Heijne, chair of the Appointment Advisory Committee. E-mail: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) For more information about the procedure you can contact Ineke Ammerlaan, Secretary of the Appointment Advisory Committee. Email: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) Application You Are Invited To Address Your Application To Ineke Ammerlaan And Upload It Via Our Website. The Application Should Include (as Pdf Documents) An application letter with curriculum vitae, A separate list of publications, Your vision on research and education in the domain of the chair (Max 2 pages), A statement on your leadership style and experience (Max 2 pages). The closing date of the vacancy is 3 January 2027. The Committee will inform you about the status of your application no later than 21 January 2027. The Committee will interview selected candidates for this position on 2 and 4 March 2027. The Committee will thereafter invite short-listed candidates for a second interview and a public lecture on 5 April 2027. 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

Lead the Laboratory of Food Chemistry, setting its research strategy and overseeing academic, operational, financial, and personnel management while guiding a diverse team and expanding national and international networks. Contribute to high-quality BSc, MSc, and PhD education, advance teaching innovation, and strengthen the group’s research visibility and impact through academic, industrial, and societal collaboration.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a PhD and have an internationally recognized scientific track record in food chemistry, food biochemistry, analytical food chemistry, food technology, or a related discipline. They should bring a clear vision for research and education, broad academic and industry networks, experience in teaching and curriculum development, and proven inclusive leadership and financial and personnel management capabilities.

Benefits

• End-Of-Year Extra Month’s Salary
• Holiday Allowance
• Pension Plan
• Potential Special Tax Relief
• Flexible Working Hours
• Immigration and Visa Application Support
• Dual Career Support for Partners
• School-Finding Assistance
• Housing-Finding Advice