PhD Position in Fish Welfare Assessment in Public Aquaria (Wageningen University & Research)

Job title

PhD Position in Fish Welfare Assessment in Public Aquaria.

Company

Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Animal Breeding and Genomics Group, in collaboration with Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamse Diergaarde (Diergaarde Blijdorp) and Koninklijke Burgers' Zoo.

Description of the job

Wageningen University & Research is seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join the project "Welfare assessment of fish in public aquaria", a collaboration between Wageningen Livestock Research, Stichting Koninklijke Rotterdamse Diergaarde and Koninklijke Burgers' Zoo, funded as Public-Private Partnership by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature.

Positive animal welfare is a prerequisite for the existence of zoos and their unique role in the conservation of endangered species. After lengthy scientific debate, it has only recently been established that fish can consciously experience pain and stress, and also possess more cognitive abilities than previously thought. Therefore, there is a lot of catching up to do to determine and possibly improve the welfare of fish in public aquariums.

As a PhD student, you will contribute to research to monitor fish welfare in public aquariums, identify distinguishing characteristics, and develop concrete solutions to improve welfare. Ultimately, you will contribute to a scientifically sound welfare assessment for fish in public aquariums. The majority of the research will take place on-site at the project partners Diergaarde Blijdorp and Burgers' Zoo, under the practical guidance of experienced experts. You will also collaborate with WUR researchers from various disciplines: animal physiology, animal welfare, marine ecology, and experimental zoology.

The research is embedded within the chair Animal Breeding and Genomics, led by Prof. Roel Veerkamp. You will be co-supervised by Dr. ir. Arjan Palstra (WUR-ABG) as co-promotor and daily supervisor, Prof. dr. ir. Henk Bovenhuis (WUR-ABG) as promotor, and Prof. dr. Mario Calus (WUR-ABG). The initial contract is for 18 months, extended for the duration of the project upon good performance.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct research on fish welfare, behaviour and physiology.
• Collaborate with academic and societal partners.
• Disseminate research findings through publications, conference presentations, and research meetings.
• Contribute to teaching and supervision of students.

What We Offer:

• Partially paid parental leave.
• Flexible working hours for the best possible work-life balance.
• Sports facilities available on campus for a small fee.
• A fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%.
• Excellent pension scheme.
• A fully funded PhD position with a course program tailored to your needs.
• Support for international employees with visa procedures, dual career programme and welcome services.

Requirements

Required:

• A successfully completed MSc degree in Biology or related field.
• Expertise on fish welfare, behavior and physiology.
• Enthusiasm, creativity and affinity for the underwater world.
• The dedication to work outside office hours if the situation (experimentation, animal care, etc.) would require it.
• Social skills to communicate and collaborate with academic colleagues, zoo personnel and the public.
• English language proficiency at C1 level.

Location

Wageningen, The Netherlands (with on-site research at Diergaarde Blijdorp, Rotterdam and Burgers' Zoo, Arnhem).

Salary

€3,059 per month rising to €3,881 in the fourth year (gross, full-time 38 hours per week).

How to apply

Apply directly using the apply button on the WUR vacancy page at https://www.wur.nl/en/vacancy/phd-position-welfare-assessment-fish-public-aquaria. Submit a CV and motivation letter (max. 3 pages total for both documents). Applications exceeding 3 pages will not be considered. Additional files such as grades and transcripts are not required at this stage. For more information about the position, contact Arjan Palstra at arjan.palstra@wur.nl or Esther Ellen at esther.ellen@wur.nl.

Deadline

19/03/2026.

Disclaimer

This job post has been published by Blue-jobs based on information that is publicly available on the internet through official company websites or third-party job boards. Blue-jobs is not affiliated with the company mentioned and does not take responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or updates of the job content. If you would like to edit or remove this post, please contact us at info@blue-jobs.com.