Scientist Soil Ecology

Make an impact to sustainable soil and plant health.

Are you an ambitious scientist with expertise in soil ecology and plant-soil interactions? Do you enjoy acquiring and leading research projects and collaborating with partners across science, industry, farmers, and government? Then this position could be the perfect next step in your career.

As a Soil Ecology scientist at Wageningen Plant Research in Wageningen, you will contribute to understanding the role of soil organisms and translate these findings into practical management in diverse ecosystems, including agriculture, grasslands and more urban systems. You will play a key role in initiating, coordinating, and conducting (fundamental up to more applied) research projects together with multidisciplinary teams and external partners.

In this position, you will have a high degree of independence and responsibility. You will cooperate in running projects, identify new research opportunities and initiate/acquire new projects, lead and manage research projects, contribute to knowledge development and sharing, and work closely with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders from both the public and private sectors. We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative scientist with experience in the fields of soil ecology and plant health.

You will be based in Wageningen and collaborate with experts from related fields such as (meta)genomics, biocontrol, plant breeding, microbiome, phytopathology, bacteriology, nematology, entomology and diagnostics.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• acquiring, coordinating, leading, and conducting research projects on soil ecology within multidisciplinary teams;
• reporting research outcomes through reports, scientific publications, trade articles, presentations, newsletters, and online communication channels;
• supervising project staff, interns, and students;
• building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and translating their questions into relevant and feasible research projects;
• translating research findings into practical recommendations and applications for clients and other stakeholders.

You will join Wageningen Plant Research, part of Wageningen University & Research. You will work together with colleagues who are dedicated to understand the role of soil ecology in diverse ecosystems and to developing innovative and sustainable solutions for diseases and pests in agriculture and horticulture.

While current crop protection agents reduce yield losses, they often may have a negative impact on people and the environment. Wageningen Plant Research develops solutions such as biological crop protection and resilient cropping systems, offering opportunities for sustainable food production worldwide. The interaction between plants, soils and diseases & pests is the focal point of our research.

We study the interactions between plants and harmful or beneficial organisms, including insects, fungi, viruses, and bacteria, both above and below ground. In addition, we develop advanced diagnostic methods to detect harmful organisms throughout the production chain.

The team is based in Wageningen and works closely with national and international partners from science, industry, and government.