Project Manager Sustainable Soil Management (0.4 FTE)

Are you interested in soils and how to foster sustainable soil management to enhance ecosystem health and sustainable food production? Can you motivate researchers with different fields of expertise, innovators and other stakeholders to work together on challenges in this area? Do you enjoy managing complex projects? Then we are looking for you!

EU-funded projects are prestigious and operate at the frontiers of science while creating societal impact also. Operational management is important for the success of such international and complex projects. As project manager you will contribute to two Horizon Europe projects coordinated by the Soil Physics and Land Management Group, PHITO and SOILPROM. 

The PHITO project develops a farmer-centered app to support small and medium-sized farmers with digital advice to bridge the divide with larger producers who already widely adopt digital solutions. The app is co-created with farmers and other users from the outset, ensuring that it responds to real needs and practical challenges. The app is built around three features: geo-data integration for farming advice, townsquare for community and market linkages, and a library offering guidance on transition pathways towards sustainable farming practices.

The SOILPROM project delivers upgraded and integrated models for pollutant transport and assess the impact of soil pollution on soil functions and ecosystem services to support local stakeholders towards sustainable land management policies for healthy soils. SOILPROM considers a selection of pollutants that are considered to have a high risk to the environment and humans.

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• Play a central role in day-to day management of the PHITO and SOILPROM projects by supporting the project coordinators in closely monitoring project progress and risks to ensure projects timely achieve their goals.
• Organizing (virtual) project meetings, recording and following up on agreements and compiling periodic project reports to the EU.
• Serve as the first point of contact for the project partners, e.g. regarding financial and staffing issues, and participating in regular project coordination meetings.          
• Contribute to overall communication and dissemination activities within the two projects.

Your team

You will work from Wageningen where you are part of the coordination unit of the PHITO and SOILPROM projects. Within Wageningen, these teams entail the research leaders, postdocs, PhD students and a project administrator. The projects are pan-European and involve multiple partner organisations. 

You will work here 

The research is embedded within the chair Soil Physics and Land Management (SLM). The SLM group advances understanding of soil physical processes and their role in supporting soil functions and addresses sustainable soil and land management to support global societal challenges of climate, water and food security. You will work under the supervision of Dr. Luuk Fleskens (PHITO) and Dr. Mahrooz Rezaei (SOILPROM). You work from Wageningen, with occasional project meetings taking place in various European countries, usually including field days to understand the research and local context. 

You have a proactive attitude and are a clear communicator who ensures that agreements are recorded and adhered to. You have strong organizational skills and excellent communication skills, orally and in writing. You are a team player, capable to inspire and motivate project staff, and obtain consensus where needed. You enjoy supporting complex management challenges and can work with a high level of confidentiality.

You also possess: 

• Relevant training at HBO/WO level, for example in the field of communication/media, project management or subject matter.
• Experience in managing or supporting (international) research projects; experience with EU projects and reporting deliverables to Horizon Europe is a plus.
• Demonstrable experience with modern means of communication (including social media platforms).
• A strong sense of prioritization and monitoring progress.

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 €3.546,- and €5.538,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). As for your contract, we offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance for the duration of the project (2,5 years total). 

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.

Due to Dutch immigration laws, candidates from outside the EU/EFTA zone, can usually not be hired for this position. More information can be found on the website of the Dutch Immigration and Naturalization Service.

For more information about the position, please contact dr. Luuk Fleskens, Chairholder a.i. Soil Physics and Land Management Group, via email: luuk.fleskens@wur.nl.
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jessa Rozema, Corporate Recruiter, via jessa.rzoma-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.

You can apply up to and including 4 May 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before 11 April 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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