PhD Position ReefWatchers: Marine Ecosystem Assessment (Wageningen University & Research)

Job title

PhD Position ReefWatchers: Advancing Marine Ecosystem Assessment through Integrated Multi-Source Biodiversity Data.

Company

Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Marine Animal Ecology Group, in collaboration with the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Delft University, Boskalis, Guardline, Waardenburg Ecology, Oyster Heaven and Ark Nature.

Description of the job

Wageningen University & Research offers a PhD position within the ReefWatchers project, funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), which aims to deliver science-based knowledge and tools to advance the monitoring of marine ecosystem biodiversity and quality.

As a PhD candidate, you will work with biodiversity data collected by remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) equipped with multiple sensors, including imaging systems, acoustic devices, and eDNA sampling technologies, as well as various physical sampling tools. You will integrate diverse data streams to reconstruct trophic and food web interactions in reef food webs using techniques such as stable isotope analysis, food web reconstruction, and eDNA metabarcoding. These data will be incorporated into modelling frameworks designed to develop innovative indicators for assessing the ecological status of marine ecosystems.

You will be part of the Marine Animal Ecology group, as member of the Molecular Marine Ecology team led by Associate Professor and project PI Reindert Nijland. You will be co-supervised by promotor Marjolijn Christianen of the Coastal Experimental Ecology group at WUR, and Dick van Oevelen at the Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems at the NIOZ in Yerseke.

The work location is Wageningen, with fieldwork in Zeeland and the North Sea and regular meetings at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research in Yerseke. The initial contract is for 18 months, extended for the duration of the project upon good performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Investigate how multi-sensor biodiversity data (imaging, acoustics, eDNA, and stable isotopes) can be integrated to reconstruct marine food webs and ecosystem functioning, including ecological fieldwork in the North Sea.
• Conduct field monitoring using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and associated sampling tools from research vessels at the coastal North Sea and Lake Veere.
• Perform laboratory analyses (e.g., stable isotope analysis and eDNA metabarcoding), advanced biodiversity data processing, and quantitative modelling.
• Integrate empirical data into conceptual and quantitative ecosystem models to develop ecological status indicators.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at national and international conferences.
• Contribute to a vibrant and inclusive research culture within the research group and the broader ReefWatchers consortium.
• Mentor and supervise BSc and MSc students in thesis projects and field/laboratory activities.

What We Offer:

• A fully funded PhD position with a course program tailored to your needs.
• 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.
• Support for international employees with visa procedures and settling in.

Requirements

Required:

• A completed MSc degree in marine biology, ecology, environmental sciences, or a related field, with demonstrated experience in quantitative data analysis.
• A strong interest in coastal ecology, biodiversity monitoring, and the North Sea ecosystem.
• Excellent English communication skills (written and spoken) at C1 level.
• A driving license and willingness to conduct fieldwork at sea and complete a safety at sea training.
• Interest in the environmental impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems.

Advantageous:

• Experience with molecular techniques (e.g. DNA metabarcoding), food web analysis, underwater video monitoring, or related approaches.
• Interest in science communication or interdisciplinary collaboration.

Location

Wageningen, The Netherlands (with fieldwork in Zeeland and the North Sea).

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-reefwatchers-advancing-marine-ecosystem-assessment. 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 Reindert Nijland at reindert.nijland@wur.nl. The first interviews are scheduled for April 15th, 2026.

Deadline

02/04/2026.

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