Senior Marine Ecologist, benthic and shellfish ecology

As an experienced Senior Marine Ecologist at Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) in Yerseke, you will lead a team of dedicated researchers who are working together on a range of ecologically relevant issues of societal importance in the South-Western Delta.

As a Senior Marine Ecologist, specialized in benthic organisms and shellfish, you will use your knowledge and experience to carry out research in the South-Western Delta. You will lead a team of enthusiastic fellow ecologists with whom you will carry out research focusing on the effects of human activities such as fishing and sand replenishment, and the consequences of climate change on marine benthic fauna. You will contribute to nature conservation through the active restoration of shellfish beds in the North Sea and the Delta. You have an affinity for applied research and working in complex policy and stakeholder environments. You will initiate new research, including securing funding for it, and lead major projects.

Your duties and responsibilities include: 

• to act as a leading figure in the field of benthic ecology in contacts with (potential) clients and the media;
• to manage and carry out large-scale and complex research projects;
• securing new research and drafting multidisciplinary research proposals;
• maintaining and expanding the national and international network in the field of delta- and benthic ecology and the restoration of shellfish beds;
• presenting the research findings to the business community, sector organizations, civil society organizations, government bodies and fellow scientists.

Your team

Based at WMR’s site in Yerseke, you will work alongside various project teams of differing compositions. As a project leader, you will provide substantive and project-related guidance to field staff, junior and mid-level researchers, enabling them to carry out their work efficiently and thoroughly.

You will work here 

Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) is one of the nine institutes that form part of Wageningen Research. WMR is a leading, independent research institute with sites in Yerseke, IJmuiden and Den Helder, which focuses on strategic and applied marine ecological research. Products and services are delivered on a project basis and are diverse in nature: field research, realistic-scale experiments, exploratory laboratory-scale studies, data management and modelling. The institute has modern research facilities and is ISO 9001 certified.

Your area of work will primarily be the south-western Delta, but other parts of the Netherlands, such as the North Sea and the Wadden Sea, as well as international projects, are also possibilities.

You are proactive, results-oriented and have excellent communication and organizational skills. You are able to maintain an overview of complex processes, work with precision and feel at ease in an environment where different interests and disciplines come together.

You also possess: 

• relevant university degree and PhD in Marine Ecology;
• extensive work experience as a researcher and project leader in the field of benthic ecology;
• entrepreneurial spirit, decisiveness, the ability to take the initiative, good teamwork skills, and a customer- and results-oriented approach;
• a good command of the Dutch language is a strong advantage.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level B2. If you haven’t yet reached this level, we will of course help you, and you are welcome to visit our language centre, Wageningen in’to Language.

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;
• 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 € 4,938.- and € 7,337.- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 12). Additionally, for this role a contract for 24 to 36 hours hours can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended. 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.

If you are an internal employee, your current contract serves as the starting point; please ask your HR Business Partner about your specific situation. We encourage development and mobility within our organization. Our recruitment and selection policy outlines the specific conditions that apply to you as a (former) employee.

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 Jeroen Wijsman, Researcher Marine Ecologist, via phone number: +31 317-487114 or via email: jeroen.wijsman@wur.nl.
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Dax Teunissen, Corporate Recruiter, via email: recruitment.asg@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 Monday 26 October 2026.  Internal candidates are preferred to apply before 1st  October 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.

Wageningen Marine Research
Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) is a leading independent research institute with locations in IJmuiden, Den Helder and Yerseke. The institute focuses on strategic and applied marine ecological research. Its products and services are delivered on a project basis, with more than 400 research projects carried out annually, ranging from field studies and full-scale experiments to exploratory laboratory studies, data management and modelling. The institute is equipped with modern research facilities and is ISO 9001 certified. Wageningen Marine Research is organisationally part of Wageningen University & Research. Research within our institute focuses on understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of individuals, populations, ecosystems and socio-ecological systems. This includes accounting for changing environmental conditions, climate change and human activities in marine and freshwater environments. We work with a wide variety of species, ranging from corals and fish to marine mammals and birds, across both benthic and pelagic ecosystems. In addition, we investigate human behaviour, for example that of fishers. To achieve this, we make use of experimental field and laboratory data, mathematical models and computer simulations.

​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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