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 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 postdoctoral researcher, you will be coordinating the research for the whole four-year project. You will first have the role of helping the three PhD candidates with setting up their field and lab experiments, overseeing the project’s coherence together with the PIs on the project. Over time, the role will shift towards setting up and carrying out experiments, either together with the PhD candidates or on your own initiative, and ultimately to helping with appropriate data analyses and the writing of the scientific output. For this position, it is required to be able to speak sufficient Dutch, because of a coordinating task in reporting to the project guidance committee consisting of representatives from the water boards, STOWA and species conservation NGO’s (e.g. Vogelbescherming, Zodion). This position requires multitasking skills and offers the chance to build a great scientific and applied network in the Netherlands as well as achieve scientific output. You will be based at the Department of Ecology at Radboud University and will be entitled to 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 postdoctoral 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 contributing 10% of your overall workload to teaching. The other positions in the BALANS project can be found here: PhD position at Radboud University PhD position at the University of Groningen PhD position at FLORON/RAVON Profile You have a PhD 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 communication and interpersonal skills, are proficient in both Dutch and English, and enjoy collaborating with stakeholders (primarily from the Netherlands) and fellow researchers. 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. We offer We will give you a temporary employment contract of 4 year(s). Your salary within salary scale 10 depends on your previous education and number of years of (relevant) work experience. The amounts in the scale are based on a 38-hour working week. 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, master's and PhD degrees, work experience, other relevant skills and experience. 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 (1-2 pages). A list of publications. The names and email addresses of two referees who may be contacted regarding your suitability for this 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. Do you already work at Radboud University and have questions about making an internal move? Learn more about internal applications.

Core Responsibilities

Coordinate research across the four-year BALANS project, supporting PhD candidates with field and laboratory experiments and maintaining coherence across the project with the principal investigators. Develop and conduct experiments, analyze data, and contribute to scientific publications and presentations, while coordinating reporting to the project guidance committee.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a PhD in biology or environmental sciences and be motivated to work on ecosystem management or restoration. They should have strong field ecology, analytical, and writing skills, be proficient in Dutch and English, and communicate and collaborate effectively; knowledge of aquatic ecology and experience monitoring relevant species groups are advantageous.

Benefits

• Holiday Allowance
• End-Of-Year Bonus
• Additional Annual Leave
• Flexible Working Hours
• Work-From-Home Options
• Leave Arrangements
• Sports Subscription Reimbursement
• Pension Plan
• Training And Development Opportunities
• Research Training
• Opportunities To Attend Courses, Workshops, And Conferences