Public and Constitutional Law specialist for Nature and Environment

Are you a public and constitutional law specialist who would like to contribute, as a researcher, to the development of knowledge around urgent societal challenges for nature and the environment? Do you have a completed academic degree in Dutch law? And do you have an affinity with political–policy and administrative law processes in relation to ecological issues? Then read on and apply soon!

We are looking for a public and constitutional law specialist with a passion for nature and landscapes, who wants to contribute as a researcher to a nature-positive society. You will acquire applied legal–ecological research projects, carry them out in a project-based manner, and provide legal–ecological advice and support to colleagues without a legal background. You are an interdisciplinary systems thinker who can analyse complex issues in a structured way. Affinity with themes such as nature restoration, nature-inclusive agriculture, environmental policy, and political–administrative processes is an asset.

As a researcher in public and constitutional law, you will analyse relevant European and national nature and environmental legislation related to nature and biodiversity, the related case law, and ongoing discussions in policy and politics. This includes, for example, the Birds and Habitats Directives, the Nature Restoration Regulation, the Water Framework Directive, the EU Common Agricultural Policy, and the Environment and Planning Act.

Your team
You will work together with other disciplines (particularly ecology and economics), other institutes within Wageningen University & Research such as the Law Group of Wageningen University, and legal scholars from other research institutions.

Where you will work
As a researcher at the Biodiversity and Policy Team of Wageningen Environmental Research (WENR), you will have a unique opportunity to develop yourself, contribute to solutions for the most urgent challenges of our time, and work at one of the world’s leading institutes in this field.

You are curious, learn quickly, and aspire a role as a legal scholar in an exciting field of research that is at the heart of political attention.

In addition, you have:

• A completed academic degree in Dutch law, specialised in public and constitutional law, with an affinity for environmental law.
• Strong analytical skills; you are a systems thinker who can analyse complex issues in a structured way. You can translate conceptual knowledge into practice and vice versa.
• Knowledge of and/or affinity with environmental law and ecological research.
• Strong collaboration skills; you communicate easily with different target groups, act proactively, and are able to deliver agreed results on time.
• You are a positive, connecting, and curious team player who is interested in people and communicatively skilled, both orally and in writing, in Dutch and English.

You will see that there are plenty of challenges ahead of you. These challenges can also be viewed as development opportunities. Therefore, if you do not yet have the track record requested in the vacancy but do have solid work experience, we would still like to invite you to apply.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level  B2.

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 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. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between €4.045,- and €7.068,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 11 - 12). Additionally, For this role a contract for 30 hours can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. 

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.

Please be aware that good knowledge of the Dutch law and proficiency in the Dutch language, is mandatory for this position. 

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 Communitypage 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 Joke de Jong, teamlead, joke.dejong@wur.nl
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Jouke van Oostenbrugge, Corporate Recruiter, via jouke.vanoostenbrugge@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 8 June 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before 18 April 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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