Marine Restoration Ecologist

Are you a marine ecologist driven to understand and restore marine ecosystems? In this dynamic research role, you will design and carry out restoration pilots and field experiments, monitor ecosystem responses, and analyse data to uncover what drives biodiversity recovery.

Working at the intersection of science and policy, you translate your findings into advice for policymakers, NGOs, and the offshore industry. Your work contributes directly to major nature policy frameworks and programmes, including the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and Natura 2000.

With a solid background in restoration ecology and a broad perspective on ecosystem management, you connect science, policy, and practice. Collaboration comes naturally to you, as you work with colleagues and partners on projects ranging from field studies and experiments to data analysis and scientific publications.

We offer a dynamic research position for a marine ecologist with a general interest in biodiversity, ecosystems, and their management, protection and restoration. You will design and monitor restoration pilots, analyze data and provide advice to policy makers, NGO’s and the offshore industry. You are curious about the interactions within ecosystems and are committed to contribute to the protection and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems. You have the ambition to bend the curve of biodiversity loss. Supported by your ability to look at the broader perspective you will be operating on the science-policy interface. You have a solid background in restoration ecology and good understanding of nature policy, legislation and ecological measures required to meet legal obligations. You naturally connect with others and value the contribution of each team member to the project result. 

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• working on projects related to major nature policy frameworks (e.g. the Nature Restoration Regulation, Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Birds and Habitats Directives and Natura 2000, Program Nature Regeneration North Sea, Nature Inclusive Design in offshore wind farms, and protection and management of Natura 2000 areas such as the North Sea Coastal Zone and Wadden Sea. This may also include participation in international OSPAR and/or ICES working groups. In the future this could be expanded to other projects as well;
• contributing to a wide variety of literature studies, data analyses, field experiments and restoration pilots;
• leading and managing projects from acquisition through to delivery, including reports and scientific publications. Responsible for timelines, quality and effective collaboration within colleagues, clients and partners with administrative support provided;
• reporting and presenting research results to clients, attending conferences, and participating in workshops.  

You will work here

Wageningen Marine Research
WMR is a leading, independent research institute with locations in IJmuiden, Den Helder and Yerseke that focuses on strategic and applied marine ecological research.
Products and services are executed on a project basis (more than 400 research projects annually) and vary from field research to experiments on a realistic scale, exploratory studies on lab scale, data management and modelling. The institute has modern research facilities and is ISO 9001 certified. Wageningen Marine Research is an organisational part of Wageningen University and Research, conducting research for both national authorities and specific research programmes, international RTD programmes and contract research for private, public and NGO partners.

Within Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) you will become part of our team in Den Helder surrounded by motivated and driven colleagues with whom you will collaborate regularly. Part of your job will be to ensure that projects are effectively conducted from start to finish. You will work in a challenging and varied environment with the opportunity to contribute to essential research regarding conservation, protection and sustainability of our seas and marine wildlife. The culture within WMR is professional and engaging with many opportunities for personal development.

You are results-oriented, constructively critical yet realistic and able to deliver results under time pressure. In addition, you are a team player and have good communication skills, enabling you to achieve the right cooperation with colleagues and stakeholders. 

You also possess:

• a completed education at least at university level in a field relevant to this position and preferably a PhD in a relevant field;
• at least 2 years and ideally 5 to 10 years of work experience as a marine or coastal ecologist preferably in a project organization and with applications in the North Sea or Wadden Sea;
• expertise in ecological restoration, biodiversity policy and laws, such as Natura 2000 (EU Birds and Habitats Directives), the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive and Water Framework Directive;
• you have the ability to translate ecological knowledge into policy-relevant insights and to interpret these legal and policy frameworks in an ecological context to inform conservation and restoration actions;
• preferably you have expertise in conducting field work in a marine environment;
• experience in leading research or consultancy projects;
• an excellent command of English, both spoken and written. Good professional command of Dutch would be an asset.

In our international work environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position you need language level C1. If you have not reached this level yet, we will help you, and you can access our language center Wageningen in'to Language.

WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an “orientationyear” in the Netherlands or a visa as a “knowledge migrant”.

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

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• there is a strong focus on vitality;
• 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 € 3,399.- and € 5,478.- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 10). Additionally, for this role a contract for 32 hours can be discussed. You will start with a one-year contract, which we aim to extend based on good performance and the opportunities within the organization.

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.

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.

For more information about the position, please contact Oscar Bos, marine ecologist, via +31317487071 or via email: Oscar.bos@wur.nl.

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Ine van’t Land, Corporate Recruiter, via email: ine.vantland@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 MondayMay 18, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before April 27, 2026.

We review applications on a rolling basis, including before the closing date. As a result, the vacancy may close earlier than indicated.

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.

​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.

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