As a Research and Teaching Assistant you will actively support the research and teaching programs of the Laboratory of Entomology. These programs address the fundamental and applied biology of insect-plant and insect-human/animal interactions. Our research program includes behavioural, ecological, physiological, developmental and molecular aspects.
Your role will encompass the following components:
- A specific need is to support behavioural and molecular work that takes place under biological safety level-3 conditions.
- You facilitate research on various study systems that is being carried out by the teams headed by different principal investigators.
- You will have responsibilities regarding the maintenance of laboratory equipment and the general up-keeping of specific laboratories and their facilities (e.g. climate cells, windtunnels etc.).
- You provide hands-on support for insect rearing activities where necessary.
- You will be involved in practical aspects of teaching, including the preparation of materials, supervising practicals and co-supervision of BSc and MSc thesis students.
Your team
You will work with the Entomology team consisting of ecological entomologists focusing on ecological, physiological and molecular aspects of species interactions. These are also the topics of our educational programme.
Your qualities We are looking for someone who:
- Has a professional BSc degree (HBO) in biology that includes insect biology
- Is a team player who understands the needs of colleagues and facilitates research and education in the interest of the Entomology team
- Provides support and, where possible, carries out research into the behavioral biology of insects. Experience with working at BSL-2 and/or BSL-3 level is desirable.
- Provides support in the provision and organization of (practical) education, including co-supervision of BSc and MSc students
- Has general knowledge of and experience with studying the biology and behavior of insects, preferably blood-sucking insects
- Can share his/her enthusiasm with the general public, e.g. through participation in public activities, activities for scholars/students, etc.
- Has excellent communicative capacities, both written and orally in Dutch and English. 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 do not yet have this level, we will of course help you and you can go to our language center Wageningen in’to Language
- Has good organization and time management skills
We offer you:
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;
- the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
- 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 December 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 € 2.818,- and € 4.257,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 8/9). Initially, we offer you a one-year contract, which will then be extended to an open-ended contract if there is mutual enthusiasm.
Of course, we would be happy to discuss this with you if you have any questions. Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities.
We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere. You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 18th consecutive time.
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. 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 and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling. For instance under the “30% rule”, certain categories of international staff can receive tax exemption on approximately 30% of their gross salary.
Do you want more information? For more information about the contents of this position, please contact Prof. dr. Marcel Dicke, e-mail: marcel.dicke@wur.nl. For more information about the procedure, please contact Mrs. Dorien Wissink, dorien.wissink@wur.nl or Ine van’t Land, Corporate Recruiter via email; vacaturemeldingen.psg@wur.nl
Do you want 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 22 August 2023. We hope to schedule the first job interviews in the week of 28 August or the week of 4 September 2023.
Equal opportunities: Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR.
Wageningen University & Research: 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, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 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.
You will work here : The Laboratory of Entomology focusses on the ecology of insects with an emphasis on understanding ecological aspects in the context of the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms. The laboratory of Entomology consists of a team of ambitious scientists, lecturers, research and teaching assistants, Postdocs and PhD candidates. Our team and laboratory offer a diverse and open-minded environment with both scientific and social activities. We search for a research and teaching assistant to complement the scientific team at the Laboratory of Entomology.