Junior Researcher Plastic Pollution in Urban Water Systems

Rivers play a crucial role in the transport of land-based plastic pollution towards the ocean. However, a growing amount of observational evidence suggests that most plastics never make it into the sea. At the Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group (HWM) we try to quantify and understand where and for how long plastics are retained within the aquatic environment. In a recently funded project of the River Plastic Team we will explore the role or urban water systems as a source and accumulation zone for plastic pollution, with a main focus on the city of Amsterdam.

You will work on (1) developing plastic monitoring strategies for urban water systems, (2) collecting field data on plastic accumulation in, transport through, and emissions from urban water systems, (3) quantifying the urban plastic metabolism, and (4) providing science-based recommendations for prevention, mitigation and reduction strategies. You are expected to actively collaborate with project partners, present your results to stakeholders, and report the scientific developments in journal papers and at conferences. The project is a collaboration between Wageningen University, the AMS Institute, The Great Bubble Barrier, Noria and TAUW.

The position is initially for one year (0,9 fte), and will be extended to a 4-year PhD (1 fte) project after positive evaluation by the funding agencies.

• An MSc in hydrology, water resources management, geosciences, environmental sciences or a related field;
• Affinity with fieldwork;
• Experience with working with advanced environmental sensing technology (e.g. satellite remote sensing, (multispectral) camera imagery, drones) or citizen science approaches;
• Excellent data processing and visualization skills;
• You are creative, inventive, and enjoy solving problems;
• You have both an independent working attitude, and like to be part of a team;
• Good command of written and spoken English (C1 level);
• Command of Dutch is not required, but is preferred;
• Enthusiasm for writing scientific articles

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

• partially paid parental leave;
• 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 competitive gross salary of between €2.710,- and €3.619,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) .

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.

For more information about this position, please contact Tim van Emmerik, assistant-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 May 6th 2022. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on May 11th 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 .

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, 6.800 employees and 12.900 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.

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.