Researcher sustainable pig nutrition

Your job

As a researcher in sustainable pig nutrition within the Animal Nutrition Department of Wageningen Livestock Research, you utilize your knowledge of nutrition and feeding strategies to mitigate climate change and nitrogen losses.

You engage in multidisciplinary research projects that focus on the role of animal nutrition in building a sustainable pig production sector in collaboration with our stakeholders. Depending on your expertise and interests, these projects may involve topics such as utilizing by-products as feed ingredients, reducing ammonia and methane emissions, understanding the importance of nutrition for manure quality, or improving animal health. Some projects result in confidential reports, while others lead to scientific papers as the final outcome.

We work on a project basis for national and international companies in animal nutrition and feed additives, the Dutch government, the Dutch pig sector, and NGOs.

Your main responsibilities as researcher include:

• Project leadership and active involvement as a scientific researcher;
• maintaining close contacts with policy makers, stakeholders and potential clients in the pig production sector;
• reporting and presenting research findings to either a practical or scientific audience;
• developing our existing research agenda as well as new research areas.

Within the Animal Nutrition Department (comprising approximately 40 people), you will collaborate with four direct colleagues focusing on pig nutrition. You will work together with colleagues from your own team as well as colleagues from other departments or research institutes in multidisciplinary project teams.

Your qualities

You are a result-oriented and enthusiastic researcher with a passion for scientifically applied research and a network in the Dutch pig production sector. Your proactive attitude and excellent communication skills enable you to work across disciplines and foster connections.

Additionally, you possess:

• Experience as a researcher with expertise in pig nutrition;
• relevant education at the MSc, PhD, or DVM level;
• proficiency in both English and Dutch languages.

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 year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between € 3.234 and € 6.831 for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 12). As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. 

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

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. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.

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 coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account 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 Rosalinde Goselink, teamleader Pet Food, e-mail rosalinde.goselink@wur.nl or Alfons Jansman, Researcher Pig Nutrition, e-mail: alfons.jansman@wur.nl 

For more information about the procedure, please contact recruitment.asg@wur.nl.

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

You can apply until April 13, 2025. 

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure

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

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.