Fish Nutritionist (Assistant or Associate professor)

As a leading fish nutritionist you are committed to the sustainable development of fish, crustacean and shellfish aquaculture. You embrace our ambition to integrate studies on nutrient requirements and feed intake regulation by studying the physiological processes underlaying optimal fish performance in aquaculture systems. You recognize that nutritional physiology is a core element of the One Health approach to aquaculture that connects fish nutrition and physiology with waste management, welfare, health and environmental performance.

The Aquaculture biology and Fisheries ecology group (AFI) at Wageningen University & Research is hiring a new staff member with a quantitative approach to fish nutrition in aquaculture. If you are an ambitious scientist specialized in the nutritional physiology of aquatic animals, and you are able to strategically integrate your expertise with ongoing research on feed intake regulation and waste management, then you are the person we want to team up with. 

We welcome applications from both experienced senior scientists ready to lead for impact and high-potential early-career researchers aiming to grow into such a role. For both profiles we see a bright future ahead within the chair group. Depending on your experience and track record, you will be appointed at Assistant or Associate Professor level within our Academic Career Framework.

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• Develop or contribute to an ambitious physiology-based research line on nutrient requirements in aquaculture;
• Coordinating the nutrition team’s research into a financially-sound unit, supported by strong collaboration with industry partners;
• Teaching on fish nutrition-related topics at BSc, MSc and PhD level;
• Sharing the responsibility for managing the AFI group;
• Actively sharing the ambition of the Wageningen – Aquaculture Research & Education (W-ARE) initiative to work on sustainable aquaculture.

This position is part of the Academic Career Framework (ACF) at Wageningen University & Research.  The aim of this ACF is to achieve a new balance in recognising and valuing academics where both team collaboration and the unique talent of individual scientists are seen, by creating more differentiation in career paths, putting the emphasis on the quality of work and less on quantitative results, doing justice to the individual qualities and ambitions of academics as much as to team performance, promoting all aspects of open science and encouraging high-quality leadership in the academy. We foresee that you will move forward in your career towards the professor path of the ACF.

You will work here

The research is embedded within the chair Aquaculture biology and Fisheries ecology, which is led by Prof. Geert Wiegertjes.

In this challenging career trajectory:

• you acquire and/or support innovative and creative (inter-) national research projects in aquaculture nutrition;
• you develop and teach curricular courses and (co-)supervise Bsc, Msc, and PhD theses with colleagues close to you;
• you contribute to the further development of the Aquaculture biology and Fisheries ecology chair group as a whole.

You have a proven expertise in experimental approaches to fish nutrition and physiology. You are independent but like to work in collaboration with the rest of the team. You like to inspire and take the lead, and have the ambition to make an impact and make the difference in your field of expertise. You enjoy training others, communicate well, and have proven ability to pro-actively reach out to international collaborators from both, academia and industry.

You also possess: 

• a completed PhD in biology, animal sciences, or related field;
• at least 2-4 years of post-doctoral experience;
• proven success with project acquisition including academic subsidies and industry funded research
• relevant and well-evaluated teaching experience and student supervision;
• English proficiency at CEFR level C1 or higher;
• Proven ability to work across different cultures.

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 be offered a fixed-term, 18 months contract which, upon positive evaluation, can lead to a permanent employment contract. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary from € 4728 to  € 7904- a month for a full-time working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11-13). This maximum applies to the senior scientist profile.

We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. 

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.

For more information about the position, please contact Geert, Wiegertjes, Chair holder AFI, via telephone +31 317 482 732 or email: geert.wiegertjes@wur.nl .
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, via noorien.abbas@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 up to and including 31 May 2026. The first interviews are scheduled for 9 June 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before 7 May 2026.

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.

​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.

​