Key Skills

Job Description

We have five positions available on the new BALANS project in the Netherlands: three PhD positions (at Radboud University (RU), the University of Groningen (RUG) and FLORON/RAVON respectively), one 4-year postdoctoral position (RU) and one two-year position for a research assistant that will become available later in 2027 (RUG). These positions are part of a larger project funded by LVVN (Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature) dedicated to the management of waterways. Waterways, such as ditches, are maintained to ensure sufficient water flow capacity, but also harbour important biodiversity. BALANS will generate knowledge on best practices for future management of waterways, searching for a balance between their practical functionality and their biodiversity. The results will be used for the revision of the new code of conduct for waterway management in the Netherlands (2029) and will be obtained by a consortium including RU, RUG, FLORON, RAVON, and Wageningen Environmental Research (WEnR), with project management by STOWA (Foundation for Applied Water Research), and guided by a committee including representatives from the Dutch water boards and species conservation NGOs. Key topics that will be investigated are the timing, frequency and spatial scales of mowing activities, and the type of machinery applied. Methodological approaches will include the analysis of available data from water boards, field monitoring, field experiments that manipulate mowing and lab-based experiments for a mechanistic understanding. Research will be carried out across different types of landscapes and waterway dimensions, and will include impacts on different species groups (fish, plants, birds, macrofauna, amphibians, mammals) for which we will apply different monitoring techniques (e.g. camera trapping, tracking, surveys). As a PhD candidate, you will combine data analyses with setting up and running ecological experiments to examine the effects of various types of waterway management on aquatic and terrestrial plant and animal species. The focus will be on field monitoring, field experiments and targeted lab experiments to unravel general mechanisms in the response of species to mowing activity and other stressors. Work will include comparing the effectiveness of sampling techniques on a diverse range of species groups. You will work at the Department of Ecology at Radboud University, collaborating with the other two PhD candidates in this project. PhD candidates will receive varied, cutting-edge research training, with ample opportunities to attend advanced courses, workshops and conferences, complemented by training in transferable skills and teaching - as standard at Radboud University. As a PhD candidate at Radboud University, you will be expected to be committed to conducting independent and original scientific research, reporting it in international publications and presentations, and presenting the results in a PhD thesis to be completed within four years. PhD candidates will be expected to contribute 10% of their overall workload to teaching. Would you like to learn more about what it’s like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. The other positions in the BALANS project can be found here: Postdoctoral Researcher at Radboud University PhD position at the University of Groningen PhD position at FLORON/RAVON Profile You have an MSc degree in biology or environmental sciences. You are highly motivated to work on ecosystem management/restoration. You have good field ecological, analytical (incl. R-Statistics) and writing skills. You have good social skills to communicate and collaborate with the (primarily Dutch) stakeholders and other team members. You have knowledge of aquatic ecology and key-species groups; experience with identification/monitoring of plants, birds, macrofauna, amphibians and/or fish is a plus. You have an affinity for applied science and if you speak Dutch (or are willing to learn) that would be a plus. We offer We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract). You will receive a starting salary of €3,204 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €4,051 in the fourth year (salary scale P). You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus. You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. Additional Employment Conditions Work and science require good employment practices. This is reflected in Radboud University's primary and secondary employment conditions. You can make arrangements for the best possible work-life balance with flexible working hours, various leave arrangements and working from home. You are also able to compose part of your employment conditions yourself, for example, exchange income for extra leave days and receive a reimbursement for your sports subscription. And of course, we offer a good pension plan. You are given plenty of room and responsibility to develop your talents and realise your ambitions. Therefore, we provide various training and development schemes. We are The Department of Ecology is a dynamic, collaborative and interdisciplinary team and is part of the Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES). We are a young and ambitious group of ecologists committed to preserving and promoting biodiversity and ecosystem health. Our department brings together aquatic and terrestrial ecologists who focus on plants, animals and microorganisms, and their interactions in a changing world. We are dedicated to conducting timely and innovative research that addresses both scientific and societal challenges. Your research will be integrated into ongoing studies in food web ecology, with opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across departments and with national and international partners. Dr Casper van Leeuwen will be the main supervisor for the project. Practical information and applying You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Casper van Leeuwen. We look forward to receiving your application. We ask you to include the following documents with your application: Your CV, including details of your bachelor's and master's degrees, work experience, other relevant skills and experience, and a list of publications (if applicable). A cover letter explaining your educational background and your motivation for applying for this position. A detailed description of your previous research and/or field experience, such as that acquired through bachelor's or master's research projects (1-2 pages). Academic transcripts. The names and email addresses of two referees who may be contacted regarding your suitability for this position. The three PhD positions differ slightly in focus, but are highly comparable. In case you are interested in more than one position, please apply to every position separately for administrative reasons, but feel free to use the same letter while mentioning that you also applied for other positions. We will take this into account during the selection procedure in which we aim to match the best candidates to the best position. The first interviews will take place online on 9, 10 or 11 December. You will preferably start your employment as soon as possible. We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.

Core Responsibilities

Conduct independent research on how waterway management practices, including mowing, affect aquatic and terrestrial species, combining data analysis with field monitoring, field experiments, and targeted laboratory experiments. Compare sampling techniques across species groups, collaborate with project partners and stakeholders, and report findings through publications, presentations, and a PhD thesis; the role also includes a 10% teaching contribution.

Requirements

Applicants must have an MSc in biology or environmental sciences and be motivated to work on ecosystem management or restoration. They should have field ecology, analytical skills including R, and scientific writing skills, as well as the ability to communicate and collaborate; aquatic ecology knowledge and species monitoring experience are advantageous, and Dutch language ability or willingness to learn is a plus.

Benefits

• Holiday Allowance
• End-Of-Year Bonus
• Additional Annual Leave
• Flexible Working Hours
• Leave Arrangements
• Work-From-Home Option
• Sports Subscription Reimbursement
• Pension Plan
• Training And Development Opportunities