Water Quality Researcher

We are seeking a motivated and versatile researcher to contribute to our work on water quality monitoring in marine ecosystems in both the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean. This position focuses on the integration of water quality monitoring, ecological indicators, and policy-relevant environmental assessments.

The successful candidate will play an important role in strengthening ongoing collaborations with local nature organizations, and policy stakeholders. The position combines fieldwork, data analysis, scientific assessment, and stakeholder engagement, offering a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable marine management.

As a researcher, your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• prepare, conduct and process water quality measurements (including work on board of small research vessels);
• conduct advanced data management, statistical analysis and modelling of ecological and environmental stressor data using R, including OSPAR’s Harmonised Regional Seas Assessment Tool (HARSAT), to assess contaminant levels, biological effects, spatial and temporal trends, and environmental status. Experience with GIS and an affinity for additional programming languages, analytical tools and data-visualisation software are considered an advantage;
• report and present research findings;
• knowledge of eutrophication and water-quality processes in marine ecosystems, including their key drivers, ecological effects and interactions with chemical stressors, is also desirable;
• maintain and strengthen relationships with stakeholders and contribute to clear communication of scientific findings.

The Environmental Chemistry and Tropics teams aim to strengthen scientific knowledge and provide advice on contaminants in environmental matrices, such as water and sediment, as well as on internal contaminant concentrations in aquatic organisms. We seek to expand this expertise to tropical ecosystems, where ecological indicators must be integrated with measurements of chemical stress. A key focus of the position is therefore understanding and combining chemical, ecological and environmental data, including the factors that influence contaminant exposure, bioavailability, accumulation and ecological effects. By combining field measurements, laboratory analyses, data interpretation, and assessment methodologies, the team provides scientific support for environmental policy, ecosystem management, and the protection of aquatic ecosystems in the Netherlands.

Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) in IJmuiden conducts applied scientific research to support the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems. Our research provides knowledge and advice for governments, industry, and society on topics such as fisheries, biodiversity, water quality, ecosystem functioning, and climate change. Working closely with national and international partners, WMR combines field observations, monitoring programmes, data analysis, and innovative research to address environmental challenges in marine environments.