Assistant / Associate Professor in the field of data sciences for food microbiology

Your job

Do you want to contribute to our team of Food Microbiology ? We are expanding our activities at Wageningen University & Research and as part of this development we invite applications for a tenure-track position Assistant / Associate Professor in the field of data sciences for food microbiology.

You will be responsible for leading the research team on food microbiology data sciences, comprising PhD students and post-docs. Data sciences will be applied from genome scale to global scale: omics, physiology, ecology, food chains, epidemiology and global trends (e.g. effect of climate change). With your research you will consolidate our leading international position in which you will contribute to:

• developing predictive microbiological models and quantitative risk assessments;
• implementation of data sciences and mathematical/statistical tools in food microbiology to understand, correlate and predict behaviour of known and emerging food-borne pathogens in food systems and in global food chains.

Quantitative decision support systems, quantitative models, big data, text mining, and artificial intelligence are domains of attention. In this position you will also be motivating and teaching students and developing new courses. Training and coaching is provided for the Assistant Professor to accomplish all this.

You will have the opportunity to grow to more senior functions within the group as part of the academic career framework. Promotion is based on an evaluation of research, teaching, project acquisition, outreach, and academic services. The Academic Career Framework is the successor of Tenure Track and is a tailor made careerpath and aims to assure an excellent work-life balance where you can grow vertically and in depth on your research topic. Wageningen University and Research is one of the first Universities in the Netherlands that implements this framework.

You will work here
The research is embedded within the chair Food Microbiology which is led by Prof. Zwietering.



In this challenging career trajectory:

• you acquire, lead and implement innovative and creative(inter-) national research projects in Food Microbiology;
• you collaborate with colleagues and supervise PhD students, BSc and MSc theses and you develop and teach courses;
• you contribute to the further development of the research domain Food Microbiology.

Your qualities

You are an ambitious and enthusiastic scientist, devoted to research and education and with an impressive track record of work and publications. You are adept at working in a multicultural organisation. Proficiency in English is a requirement. Good writing skills, good oral communication skills, the willingness to explore new fields in collaboration with others, are all essential competences. Also you possess didactic skills and are eager to (learn to) teach. Some experience in industry or as post-doctorate fellow abroad would be appreciated.

You also possess:

• a completed PhD in (food) microbiology or biotechnology or data sciences;
• relevant and well-evaluated teaching experience.

We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will be offered a fixed-term, 18 months contract which, upon positive evaluation, can lead to a permanent employment contract as professor. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 4.492,- and € 6.148,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11).

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling.

Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact prof. Marcel Zwietering, by phone: 31-317-482233 or by email: marcel.zwietering@wur.nl.

For more information about the procedure, please contact Rutger Voorrips, corporate recruiter, by e-mail: rutger.voorrips@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 15th of January 2025. We hope to schedule the first job interviews by the end of January 2025.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!



We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.