Postdoc: Satellite-Based Monitoring of Shipping Emissions

As a Postdoctoral Researcher in Satellite-Based Monitoring of Shipping Emissions, you will develop innovative methods to detect and quantify emissions from individual ships using observations from space. Based in Wageningen, you will work at the interface of satellite remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, atmospheric modelling and inverse methods.

You will contribute to a research programme with strong scientific and societal relevance: how accurately can we detect individual ship plumes from space, under which atmospheric conditions, and how can satellite observations be translated into quantitative ship-level emission estimates?

Within the Meteorology and Air Quality (MAQ) group, you will work under the supervision of Prof. Folkert Boersma and Prof. Maarten Krol and contribute to the AVES II and CAMS2_53c projects. You will further develop an existing Wageningen framework that combines satellite NO₂ observations, AIS-based ship activity, meteorological information and atmospheric modelling to identify ship plumes and estimate their NOₓ emissions.

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• developing improved methods to detect and interpret ship plumes in satellite observations, including the use of plume-specific air mass factors and NO₂ profiles;
• combining satellite observations, AIS-based ship activity, meteorological data and bottom-up emission estimates to identify and attribute pollution plumes to individual vessels;
• investigating plume detectability and evolution under different wind, boundary-layer, background pollution, turbulence and photochemical conditions.
• developing and applying inverse and data-driven methods to estimate ship emissions and distinguish ship-related pollution from other emission sources;
• scaling up the analysis to large satellite and AIS datasets, contributing to automated workflows and a database of space-based ship-emission estimates, and communicating results through scientific publications and presentations.

The precise balance between these activities will depend on your expertise and interests and on the development of the projects.

Your team

You will work in the Meteorology and Air Quality (MAQ) group at Wageningen University & Research. MAQ is an interdisciplinary research group working on atmospheric composition, meteorology, atmospheric modelling and Earth observation.

You will be part of a collaborative and international research environment in which satellite observations are combined with atmospheric models, meteorological data and data-driven methods. You will interact with researchers from different disciplines as well as with academic, governmental and other project partners.

The position is supervised by Prof. Folkert Boersma and Prof. Maarten Krol and offers substantial opportunity to develop your own scientific ideas within the scope of the projects.

You are a curious, creative and ambitious scientist who enjoys tackling challenging research questions and developing new methods. You are able to work independently while actively contributing to a collaborative research environment. You communicate clearly, critically assess scientific results, and are motivated to connect scientific research with real-world environmental challenges.

You also possess: 

• a PhD in atmospheric science, remote sensing, environmental science, meteorology, physics, or a related field;
• experience working with satellite observations, preferably measurements of atmospheric composition such as TROPOMI;
• experience with inverse modelling, emission estimation, data assimilation, or related quantitative methods;
• a good understanding of atmospheric chemistry and transport, together with strong programming and data-analysis skills, preferably in Python;
• strong scientific communication skills and the ability to work effectively across disciplines and with external partners.

Experience with meteorological reanalyses, atmospheric transport or chemistry-transport models, plume analysis, high-resolution modelling, AIS data, or machine-learning/data-driven methods would be an advantage. 

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1.

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 € 4,925,- and € 6,682,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11). Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed. We initially offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the organisation’s financial situation. 

If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. 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 (WUR) is an internationally recognised university and research organisation focused on healthy food, living environments and sustainable development. Wageningen provides a highly interdisciplinary and international research environment, with excellent opportunities to connect fundamental science with societal applications.

The Meteorology and Air Quality (MAQ) group is part of the environmental sciences at WUR and brings together expertise in atmospheric chemistry, meteorology, atmospheric modelling, satellite remote sensing and data analysis.

In this position, you will work with unique combinations of TROPOMI satellite observations, AIS ship data, meteorological information and atmospheric models. The research is embedded in the AVES II and CAMS2_53c projects, providing opportunities to collaborate with academic and governmental partners and to publish your results in international scientific journals.

The position is full-time for two years, starting 1 January 2027, and is based in Wageningen, the Netherlands.

More information about the research of Folkert Boersma can be found at:
https://kfolkertboersma.wordpress.com/.

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 Folkert Boersma, Professor, via +31 6 47147950 or via email: folkert.boersma@wur.nl.
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jessa Rozema, Corporate Recruiter, via email: recruitment.ssg@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 7 December 2026. The interviews will take place in December 2026. 

Applications are reviewed regularly. Therefore, the position may be filled before the stated closing date.

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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