Junior Researcher High resolution mapping of urban climate for trees as climate adaptation tools

We are looking for

Climate change and urbanization put the environmental quality of cities under pressure. Urban trees are important contributors to urban climate adaptation. However it is currently unclear which three species will be the best to play this role in future climate conditions. Therefore it is crucial to quantify and renew the knowledge about the meteorological conditions under which trees have to function. Within the context of the CSI Trees project you will develop two climate maps (for The Netherlands and for Europe) representing the winter hardness conditions for trees using recent micrometeorological observations and the local climate zone classification. You will document the results in a journal paper.

We ask

• A (recent) MSc in Meteorology or Environmental Sciences 
• Affinity with urban micro-climate 
• Programming skills (e.g. Python) and GIS 
• Good communication and collaborative, including English writing and speaking (C1 level)
• Strong drive to publish in the academic literature. 
• Knowledge of Dutch is a plus.

We offer

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment . A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• 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 December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a six months contract with a gross salary of between €2.979,- and €4.093,-a for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the

Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU)

(scale 9).

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University ” in the Netherlands for the 17th consecutive time.

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. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief , known as the 30% ruling. 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 page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

More information

For more information about this position, please contact Dr. G.J. (Gert-Jan) Steeneveld, associate professor, [email protected]

For more information about the procedure, please contact Edgar Tijhuis, corporate recruiter, [email protected]

Do you want 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.
This vacancy will be listed up to and including 18 July 2022.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusivity page . A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment .

We are

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University and 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, 7.200 employees and 13.200 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

The Meteorology and Air Quality (MAQ) department contributes to the further understanding of atmospheric processes and their relevance for weather, air quality and climate. MAQ is part of the Environmental Sciences Group (ESG) of Wageningen University. ESG provides academic education and research on our living environment: the atmosphere, soil, water, nature, landscape and land usage. Knowledge is applied for adaptation to climate change, ocean management, competing claims on space, biodiversity and the sustainability of management and production. Wageningen University is part of the Wageningen University and Research Centre.

Read the 

5 reasons

why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch

this video

 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.