Postdoc regreening Africa with natural regeneration

Are you passionate about restoration solutions that work for both people and nature? 

Do you aspire to contribute data-driven evidence to guide the restoration agenda? 

Then this postdoc may be the perfect opportunity for you!

We have an exciting postdoc position at the Forest Ecology and Management chairgroup (FEM) at Wageningen University and Research, in close collaboration with CIFOR-ICRAF in Nairobi. The postdoc will be part of the ERC funded project REACT: Regreening Africa with Natural Regeneration to Madelon Lohbeck (PI). The project aims to understand how, when and where natural regeneration contributes to forest and landscape restoration. This includes: what tree species regenerate under what social and environmental conditions? What restoration outcomes can be achieved and for whom?

As REACT postdoc you will:

• Synthesize insights derived from primary field data across two social ecological systems in Kenya (collected by the REACT PhD candidates).
• Scale mechanistic insights by analyzing patterns of regeneration derived from secondary-forest data (2ndFOR network on secondary succession) and citizen-science data (the regreening Africa project lead by CIFOR-ICRAF).
• Contribute to outreach, science communication and develop decision tools for stakeholders.
• Be part of the REACT research team.
• Collaborate with various research partners and restoration stakeholders and actively participate in research networks.
• Support the PI in coordinating research activities.
• Be based at Wageningen University at the start, then spend ~1 year based at CIFOR-ICRAF campus in Nairobi, and finish again at Wageningen University. This postdoc does not include primary data collection. 

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• Statistically analyze large datasets.
• Generate predictive spatial models.
• Lead the writing of multi-authored scientific publications.
• Contribute to science communication (maps, decision-support tools).
• Collaborate with research partners and participate in scientific networks.

Your team

You will be based at Wageningen University in Wageningen (the Netherlands) and at World Agroforestry CIFOR-ICRAF campus in Nairobi (Kenya). You are expected to work at least 4 days a week in the office.

You will be supervised by PI of the REACT project (Dr. Madelon Lohbeck) and the head of SPACIAL lab (Dr. Tor-Gunnar Vagen) when in Nairobi. You will be part of the REACT research team, consisting of the PI, 2 PhD students, and various researchers from across the social and environmental sciences. You will be part of the Forest Ecology and Management group of Wageningen University and of the spatial data science & applied learning lab (SPACIAL) of CIFOR-ICRAF. 

You are/have:

• A broad interest to advancing restoration with data-driven evidence.
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

You also possess:

• A PhD in ecology, environmental sciences or similar fields
• Proven experience working with large datasets, including the integration and analysis of multiple spatial datasets with different properties.
• Publication record including first authored publications.
• Experience leading scientific publications with many co-authors is a plus.

English level C1 is required.

You will work here 

The research is embedded within the chair Forest Ecology and Forest Management, which is led by Prof. Douglas Sheil and in the SPATIAL lab of CIFOR-ICRAF. You will be supervised by Dr. Madelon Lohbeck and Dr. Tor-Gunnar Vagen.

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. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.378,- and € 5.331,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended. The project is 28 months in total. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

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.

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 coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs 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 Dr. Madelon Lohbeck, Associate Professor, Madelon.lohbeck@wur.nl.
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jessa Rozema, Corporate Recruiter, via jessa.rozema-stol@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. 

To apply, please upload:

• Your CV (max 3 pages, include contact details of two references).
• Motivation letter (max 400 words, any use of AI should be acknowledged).

You can apply up to and including March 27, 2026. We aim to invite shortlisted candidates for interviews by early April. First round of interviews expected by mid April.

Preferred starting date: June 1st, 2026.

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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