We are looking for
Honey bee biology and health are key issues in ensuring a sustainable beekeeping sector and pollination of crops underpinning food security and ecosystem functioning. Honeybee health is multifaceted and is affected by environmental resources, disease and pest pressure, beekeeping management, and evolutionary biology context.
We are looking for a new colleague who is a teamplayer with the ambition to develop this field of honey bee health and biology further.
One of the projects you will be responsible for is the natural selection for resilience of honey bees towards the parasite Varroa destructor and its co-occurring and co-evolving virome. This research is strongly embedded in International co-operation through the Coloss network. The project is funded by industry and charity foundations, and builds on earlier research commissioned by the Dutch government.
We ask
The job encompasses:
- Performing and supervising research in a team setting, both in the field and laboratory environment. This includes practical handling and research activities with honeybee colonies.
- Publishing and communication of the research scientifically as well as for beekeepers, agriculturists, industry, government and laymen.
- Keeping up with all relevant scientific and societal literature that helps to perform and reach out our research.
- Translating results of scientific research into practical recommendations for stakeholders, including some extension to beekeepers.
- Initiating new research and write proposals to acquire funding from government, funding bodies, industry and charity foundations.
- Supervising students and trainees involved in the research.
- Building and maintaining a relevant national and international network.
We look for an ambitious scientist holding a PhD degree in Biology/agricultural sciences who has (practical) experience with beekeeping or bee research.
We appreciate proven interest in
- Honey bee health.
- Honey bee biology.
- Evolution, Ecology and Genetics.
- Virology.
- Agriculture.
We look for a candidate with:
- Competences to be a supportive team player.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Interest to acquire research contracts.
- Project management skills.
- Excellent talents for writing and presenting.
- Good networking competences.
- Ability to speak or to learn Dutch.
We offer
- A versatile job in Wageningen as part of a team working within an international scientific and professional setting.
- A fixed-term contract for a period of one year with the possibility of extension.
- The job is scaled under job profile ‘WR Scientist’, which is linked to scale 10 or 11 (depending on education and work experience) at a minimum of € 2.722,= and a maximum of € 5.057,= gross a month, based on a 36-hour workweek (1 FTE).
In addition, we offer:
- 8% holiday allowance; a structural end-of-year bonus of 3%;
- excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
- excellent pension plan through ABP;
- 171 vacation hours, the possibility to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
- the possibility to work flexible to balance work and life;
- a flexible model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
- a lively workplace where you can easily make contacts and where many activities take place on the Wageningen Campus. A place where education, research and business are represented;
- make use of the sports facilities on campus.
Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for own initiative in a learning environment.
More information
If you interested and have additional questions, contact Willem Jan de Kogel, Business Unit Manager, via willemjan.dekogel@wur.nl or +31 317 480 654.
Please send your letter and CV before October 14, 2019.
You can only apply through the website of Wageningen University & Research: link
We are
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialised research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.
With approximately 30 locations, 5,000 employees, and 10,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen.
For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at the special career site.
Wageningen Plant Research is part of Wageningen University & Research. The Biointeractions & Plant Health business unit focuses on solutions for diseases and pests in agriculture and horticulture. Although current crop protection agents reduce yield losses, they often have a negative impact on people and the environment. Biointeractions & Plant Health develops solutions such as biological crop protection and cropping systems which are so robust that they repel diseases, pests and contaminations with human pathogens, offering opportunities for safe and sustainable food production worldwide.
Within Biointeractions & Plant Health the sub-unit Bees@wur works mainly on bee health, but also on bee biology and ecology (including pollination of crops), thereby sustaining the Dutch and international beekeepers and agriculturists.
