Postdoc PRECINUT on precision nutrition

Your job

Are you a nutrition scientist with experience in performing clinical trials and a keen interest in precision nutrition? Do you want to coordinate a large clinical trial to discover if precision nutrition works better than general dietary guidelines? Are you fluent in Dutch? Then we are looking for you!

What will you do?
The Division of Human Nutrition and Health has an opening for a highly motivated postdoc to join our team. This position is part of an established consortium focused on precision nutrition. In this role, you will manage a year-long dietary intervention trial, which is part of a larger multicenter study that will be conducted in our Human Research Unit. The work is part of a larger PPS project funded by TKI and private partners on precision nutrition (PRECINUT).
We recently demonstrated that adjusting dietary macronutrient composition based on an individual's tissue-specific insulin resistance phenotype is effective for improving cardiometabolic health in overweight or obese individuals (the PERSON study). These data support the potential of precision nutrition based on insulin resistance subgroups over a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. However, more metabolic subgroups likely exist, suggesting that dietary interventions could offer even greater cardiometabolic benefits.
In this project, we have  developed a more extensive classification of metabolic subgroups. We will assess the effectiveness of precision nutrition targeted at these subgroups in improving cardiometabolic outcomes in a long-term, multicenter field study. As a postdoc on this project, you will coordinate this 1-year dietary intervention trial at our Human Research Unit. Your responsibilities will also include data analysis and writing peer-reviewed papers based on the trial outcomes.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• collaborate closely with colleagues from the other study center, as well as with the WUR research staff;
• design personalized meal plans and operational procedures for a human dietary intervention trial together with the staff of the Human Research Unit (HRU) and with the other consortium members;
• coordinate and manage the clinical trial, including data collection, analysis and interpretation;
• contribute to the writing of peer-reviewed manuscripts on the project results;
• supervise and mentor students (e.g. MSc thesis students);
• present findings to key project stakeholders and the scientific community.

The research is embedded within the division of Human Nutrition and Health more specifically with in the chair group Nutrition, Metabolomics and Genomics. You will be supervised by Prof. Dr. Lydia Afman. You will collaborate intensively with students, as well as staff from the Human Research Unit.

Your qualities

You have:

• a completed PhD in Nutrition and Health, or a related (biomedical) field;
• proven experience and skills in coordinating research projects;
• proven ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team;
• you are a highly motivated, committed, and proactive researcher and colleague;
• affinity with working with study participants and excellent interpersonal communication skills in Dutch;
• strong analytical skills, preferably also with high-throughput data;
• excellent writing and communication skills in both Dutch and English;
• preferred but not required: Degree in dietetics and/or experience with dietary counseling.

You are both independent and a team player who enjoys achieving milestones with a research team. You thrive in a larger consortium, collaborating with experts from various disciplines. You are passionate about conducting innovative research and employing new approaches to data analysis. Your positive and energetic attitude is a significant advantage.

As you will be working with participants in a dietary intervention trial, excellent interpersonal communication skills in Dutch are essential. Additionally, in our international working environment, a high level of proficiency in English (C1 level) is required. You may need to provide an internationally recognized Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

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;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more,  per week;
• 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 of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between €3345,- and €5278,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). We offer you a contract for the duration of the project, which is 2,5 years (30 months).

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 19^th 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. Dr. Lydia Afman, chairholder, by e-mail: Lydia.afman@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 the 21^st of October 2024. We hope to schedule the first job interviews early November 2024. If we have suitable applicants earlier, we might initiate the interview process earlier than November.

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

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.

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