Postdoc in Soil Biodiversity and Land Management

Do you want to contribute to understanding how grassland management shapes soil biodiversity, and what the implications are for the conservation of soil biodiversity in Europe? Do you want to understand how grassland soils respond to multiple global change factors, and what the role of soil biodiversity is in this response? Do you love field work as well as running mechanistic experiments?

We are looking for a postdoc within the large European Biodiversa project “Monitoring the contribution of European grasslands to the conservation of soil biodiversity and ecosystem function under multiple global change stressors”, of which the part at the University of Amsterdam is led by Prof. Franciska de Vries.

This project will investigate how grassland management and conservation status affect soil biodiversity its functioning. This will be done by sampling 300 grasslands across Europe under different management practices and conservation status and assessing their soil biodiversity status and functioning, as well as testing their ability to withstand a range of global change stressors. These data will be used to model future soil biodiversity and function in European grasslands under different land cover scenarios. In addition, we will perform targeted, mechanistic experiments to assess how different types of natural grasslands respond to global change. The Biodiversa project is led by Prof. Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, and involves scientific partners and stakeholders from Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, and The Netherlands. We are looking for a postdoc with a strong theoretical and practical background in assessing soil biodiversity and functioning, with a focus on soil microbial communities, and with experience in relevant techniques for studying these, such as plant and soil nutrient and carbon analysis, and DNA-based techniques for microbial community analysis, as well as experience in, and affinity for, field work.

What are you going to do?

You will actively participate in the planning and execution of the wider project goals, together with the project partners and stakeholders. You will participate in the cross-European field sampling and analyse the resulting samples in the laboratory. In addition, you will perform mechanistic experiments assessing grassland soil response to multiple global change factors, and what the role of soil biodiversity is in maintaining soil functions under these stressors. You will be responsible for analysing the resulting data, communicating results via presentations and publications in leading journals, and writing reports to the funder. You will work closely together with the project team, give input to the scientific direction of the project, and communicate research plans and findings with project partners and stakeholders. You will determine the priorities of these activities in close consultation with the project PI. You will also be expected to:

• Actively read the literature relating to (and around) the project;
• Be an active member of the Plant-Soil Ecology lab group, and show willingness to contribute to the work of others in the lab by offering practical and intellectual help, including technical staff and post-graduate students;
• Take an active part in group meetings, and to give presentations at these when required;
• Supervise postgraduate and undergraduate students, if and when requested;
• Plan and manage your own research activity in collaboration with others.

What do you have to offer?

• A PhD in Ecology, Soil Science, or Environmental Sciences, or a related discipline;
• A thorough understanding of between soil (microbial) communities, their activities, and environmental parameters;
• Experience in field work and setting up controlled-environment experiments;
• Experience in analysis and interpretation of experimental data, including statistical analyses of large and complex datasets;
• Excellent computational, quantitative analytical and statistical skills, including proficiency in the use of programming languages such as R;
• Experience in the use of sequencing methods for characterising microbial communities, including processing and interpretation of the resulting data;
• Publication record appropriate to stage of career including recent first authored research publications in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals;
• The ability to present information in an accurate and appropriate format, and to communicate effectively with a range of groups including scientists and stakeholders with interests in soils and their management;
• Good written and spoken English;
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to work with colleagues at all levels;
• You value a diverse team and are willing to contribute actively to our inclusive and collaborative working culture;
• Full driving licence valid in The Netherlands (Dutch or EU).

Ideally, you also have experience in vegetation surveys.

Our offer

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week, initially for a period of 12 months, which can be extended for another 19 months based on positive evaluation. The preferred starting date is 1 April 2024.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,226 to € 5,090 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime) and extra holidays between Christmas and 1 January;
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• multiple courses on topics such as time management, and an online learning platform with 100+ different courses;
• 7 weeks birth leave (partner leave) with 100% salary;
• partly paid parental leave;
• the possibility to set up a workplace at home;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with registration at UvA- Housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad.

Are you curious to read more about our extensive package of secondary employment benefits, take a look here .

About us

The University of Amsterdam is the Netherlands' largest university, offering the widest range of academic programmes. At the UvA, 30,000 students, 6,000 staff members and 3,000 PhD candidates study and work in a diverse range of fields, connected by a culture of curiosity.

The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain.

The Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics  is one of eight research institutes of the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam. The research at IBED aims to unravel how ecosystems function in all their complexity, and how they change due to natural processes and human activities. At its core lies an integrated systems approach to study biodiversity, ecosystems and the environment. IBED adopts this systems approach to ecosystems, addressing abiotic (soil and water quality) and biotic factors (ecology and evolution of plants, animals, and microorganisms), and the interplay between those. The IBED vision includes research encompassing experimental and theoretical approaches at a wide variety of temporal and spatial scales, i.e. from molecules and microorganisms to patterns and processes occurring at the global scale. The University of Amsterdam has excellent high performance computing facilities . Furthermore, IBED has a dedicated computational support team with specialized knowledge of bioinformatics, (geo)database management and scientific programming. IBED also works with non-academic partners to deliver transdisciplinary science for society. 

The current position will be based in IBED's Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics , which covers a breath of research that focusses on the functioning and dynamics of abiotic and biotic components of (geo)ecosystems across landscapes in time. You will be part of the Plant-Soil Ecology laboratory, led by Prof. Franciska de Vries, a vibrant research group that actively values and promotes inclusivity, equity, and diversity. We study the mechanisms through which plants and soil organisms interact, how these interactions are affected by global change, and what the consequences are for ecosystem functioning. We use a range of experimental approaches and techniques, and study natural and managed ecosystems. 

Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact:

•            Prof. Franciska de Vries, [email protected]

Job application

If you feel the profile fits you, and you are interested in the job, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online via the button below. We accept applications until and including February 11, 2024.

Applications should include the following information (all files besides your cv should be submitted in one single pdf file ):

• a detailed CV including the months (not just years) when referring to your education and work experience;
• a letter of motivation;
• a list of publications;
• the names and contact details of 2-3 referees (these will only be contacted after an interview)

Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.

The interviews will be held in the course of late February/ early March.

A knowledge security check can be part of the selection procedure.

(for details: National knowledge security guidelines )

The UvA is an equal-opportunity employer. We prioritize diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for everyone. We value a spirit of enquiry and perseverance, provide the space to keep asking questions, and promote a culture of curiosity and creativity.

No agencies please