Researcher in Precision Agriculture

Do you enjoy working as a researcher at the intersection of arable farming and innovation? Would you like to contribute to the practical application of precision agriculture, such as AI and robotisation? In Lelystad, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside farmers, start-ups and companies on the future of arable farming. Are you firmly rooted in the sector and do you thrive on collaboration and innovation? Then this is your chance.

Within Wageningen Plant Research, in the open-field cultivation knowledge domain in Lelystad, we are looking for a driven precision agriculture researcher. You will work on innovative applications at the intersection of field research, data-driven crop optimisation and smart agricultural technology. In this role, you will contribute to the development, evaluation and implementation of smart implements, sensor technology and AI-driven solutions that align with Wageningen University & Research’s mission to realise sustainable and future-proof agricultural systems. 

You will work closely with fellow researchers, companies and arable farmers to translate research results into practical applications in the field. In open-field crops, we often distinguish ourselves through the scale at which we operate and the practical readiness (high TRLs) of the applications. To this end, we collaborate with companies, innovators and research institutions on new solution pathways. 

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• developing and testing new precision farming applications in collaboration with the research team;
• collecting, analysing and reporting data, with a focus on integration into the arable farmer’s business system;
• supporting projects to enable farmers to work with precision farming techniques, such as NPPL, AGROS, NxtGEN;
• demonstrating and testing techniques and transferring knowledge to groups of farmers;
• organising workshops, open days and other knowledge-sharing activities;
• contributing ideas on solutions to regional issues and setting up projects based at demonstration farms in Lelystad, Valthermond, Vredepeel, Westmaas and Randwijk.

Your team

You will be working with the Precision Agriculture team in Lelystad. This is a small team of five researchers and a group leader. You will join an enthusiastic team where collaboration, knowledge-sharing and innovation are key, and where people have the courage to try new things. We therefore offer you an inspiring, innovative and supportive working environment, in direct contact with arable farming practice. You will be given the opportunity to further develop your expertise and contribute to research that has a direct impact on that practice. The post is based in Lelystad, but this team also regularly works at one of the other regional locations (e.g. Vredepeel, Valthermond, Randwijk), on the campus in Wageningen, and sometimes from home. 

You will work here 

The precision agriculture team is part of Wageningen Plant Research in Lelystad. The team in Lelystad works on developing new strategies in areas such as cultivation techniques for arable farmers, horticulturalists, suppliers and customers in the agri-food industry, government bodies and civil society organisations. There are approximately 200 staff members. Research is carried out at the central site in Lelystad, but also partly at regional research sites (Randwijk, Vredepeel, Valthermond and Westmaas) and on commercial farms. The precision agriculture team offers you an inspiring and supportive working environment within a leading research institute at the forefront of innovative agricultural sciences.

For this role, we expect you to identify with many of the following aspects; please note that we are open to candidates with either higher professional education (HBO) or university (WO) qualifications.

You also possess: 

• You have an agricultural background and are able to integrate precision technologies into future-proof agriculture, whilst keeping abreast of developments in the arable farming sector and communicating effectively with businesses in this sector;
• you have an interest in (and possibly experience with) DL/AI applications;
• you recognise new opportunities and enjoy contributing ideas to turn these into new projects.
• You demonstrate good listening skills towards customers (and colleagues), think creatively, and use your strong communication skills to ensure we build long-term partnerships;
• you are someone who is curious, proactive, and versatile, and has the courage to try new things;
• you hold a Category B driving licence and can communicate in Dutch (minimum level C2) and English (minimum level B2). 

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;
• 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 € 3,482.- and € 5,478.- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 9 or 10). Additionally, for this role a contract for 32 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.

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”.

For more information about the position, please contact Kasper van Tilburg – colleague researcher in precision agriculture kasper.vantilburg@wur.nl, or via telephonenumber: +31627553282.

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 May 1, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before Monday May 11, 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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