PhD position: Effectiveness of freshwater wetlands as climate buffers for biodiversity gain and ecosystem services Wageningen • Wageningen University & Research

Are you passionate about the role of freshwater wetlands in climate adaptation and biodiversity? Join a vibrant research team focused on these ecosystems as a PhD candidate. Dive into analyzing biodiversity data and ecosystem services, exploring wetlands as climate buffers. Enjoy flexible working hours, partially paid parental leave, and access to campus sports facilities. Benefit from a fixed year-end bonus and a tailored course program. Embrace a unique opportunity for growth at a leading university. Read on to discover how this opportunity can transform your career.

Your job

Are you interested in studying the effectiveness of freshwater wetlands as climate buffers for  biodiversity gain and ecosystem services and do you have the necessary analytic skills?

We are looking for a motivated PhD candidate to join our research team on wetland and wildlife ecology with a focus on understanding how effectively climate buffers in the form of freshwater wetlands, are as a nature-based solution, for climate change adaptation, biodiversity gain, and other ecosystem services to people.

Key responsibilities:

• Analyse biodiversity data of birds, plants and insects from newly created freshwater wetlands in The Netherlands to investigate their contribution to biodiversity recovery in relation to their specific properties; collect additional biodiversity data where necessary;
• Conduct research to determine the ecosystem services that these freshwater wetlands are providing, from a diversity of resources, including databases, administrative documents, satellite imagery, interviews with stakeholders and field measurements where necessary;
• Integrate empirical data analysis including ecological, sociological and economic parameters into a synthesis of the effectiveness of freshwater wetlands as climate buffers to provide biodiversity recovery and ecosystem services; conceptualize these as ecosystems of the future and investigate the opportunities and constraints on scaling up the application of freshwater wetlands as climate buffers elsewhere at the national and international level;
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present them at national and international conferences;
• Mentor BSc/MSc students.

About NL2120
NL2120 is a program in which science, business, nature organizations and education work together to gain knowledge about natural solutions (Nature-based Solutions) and  about how to scale them up. The ambition of NL2120  is to stimulate the use nature (Nature Based Solutions) as a solution for social challenges, such as climate adaptation and multiple claims on scarce land.

As one of the largest public-private partnerships in the field of Nature-based Solutions in the world, NL2120 works on gathering and scaling up knowledge, connecting theory and practice and drawing up feasible future perspectives. So that organizations, including governments, water boards, provinces, (construction) companies and ultimately also individual citizens, know how they can put nature-based solutions into practice.

We analyse and answer questions from different perspectives:

• Physical-ecological: How effective are Nature-based Solutions and how can they be applied in a changing climate?
• Socio-economic: What are the costs and benefits of (large infrastructural) Nature-based Solutions for society and broad prosperity?
• Institutional: How do we ensure good cooperation between sectors and integration in regulations when applying Nature-based Solutions?

Your qualities

About your NL2120 subproject
The objective of this PhD is to investigate the effectiveness of freshwater wetlands to provide simultaneously biodiversity recovery and ecosystem services while providing a nature-based solution to adapt to climate change. Freshwater wetlands have been developed in particular as a response to flooding risks in The Netherlands and they serve to store water in times of a water surplus. This has resulted in an increase in the area of freshwater wetlands in The Netherlands, while wetland biodiversity is one of the few groups that did not decline nationally, but actually improved over the last decade. Presumably, this is a result of the development of new freshwater wetlands as climate buffers. Indeed, several iconic freshwater wetlands are now existing for almost ten years and are known as hotspots for bird watching. However, a systematic study into this new phenomenon is lacking and the success of these wetlands is largely anecdotic. With ongoing climate change the need for climate buffers will increase and therefore, freshwater wetlands may be a nature-based solution that can be applied to a much larger extent in the future, both for buffering in times of flooding, but more recently, also for storing water for drought periods.
In this project, we investigate the effectiveness of freshwater wetlands as climate buffers and their contribution to multi-functional landscapes. More specifically, the PhD project will focus on the following research questions: Do freshwater wetlands contribute to net biodiversity gain and for which groups of biodiversity? What ecosystem services do these wetlands provide? What are the enablers and constraints in scaling up the application of freshwater wetlands as nature-based solution (inter)nationally? What properties should these wetlands have to optimize climate change adaptation, biodiversity recovery and ecosystem services? This study includes the analysis of freshwater wetlands as climate buffers at the national scale as well as in-depth analysis of several selected iconic wetlands that are considered biodiversity hotspots in The Netherlands.

Your qualifications:

• A Master’s degree (or will graduate before appointment date) in Ecology or Environmental Science;
• Strong statistical analysis and technical skills;
• Proficient in the application of spatial analysis in R;
• Familiar with socio-ecological systems;
• Interested in collaboration with stakeholders;
• Motivated to work in an interdisciplinary team;
• A proactive, inquisitive, enthusiastic, creative and self-reliant mind-set;
• Strongly motivated to obtain a PhD degree;
• Excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page;
• Fluency in Dutch language.

You will work here
The position is available within Wageningen University & Research at the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group (WEC) led by Professor Frank van Langevelde. The organisation has good and flexible employment conditions, including good education and training facilities for PhD students.
We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• 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 receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.901,- per month rising to € 3.707,-  in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad
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. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, 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.
Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Prof. Liesbeth Bakker (via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.w) or prof. Frank van Langevelde (via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.).

For more information about the procedure, Edgar Tijhuis, corporate recruiter, via de button "Solliciteer nu" op deze pagina.  

For further information about working at Wageningen University & Research, take a look at .

Ready to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including August 4th 2025. We aim to schedule the interviews Wednesday 27 August (first interview) and Wednesday 3 September (second interview).

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.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.