Postdoc: A toolbox to analyze behavioral phenotypes

Your job

Are you a postdoc-level researcher and passionate about developing and applying analysis tools to understand animal behavior? Then this could be the right opportunity for you!

The WUR Animal Sciences Group (ASG) focuses on finding answers to major societal challenges, including those related to animal welfare, human and animal health, food security, climate change and biodiversity. A pivotal role plays the understanding of animal behavior. However, changes in behavioral patterns, which can arise from various factors, ranging from genetic mutations to environmental conditions, might be subtle and hard to detect. In this project, you will explore and develop analysis tools to reveal behavioral phenotypes in model organisms such as C. elegans. You will be involved in all parts of the project from conducting the experiments and recording animal behavior to the theoretical analysis.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Perform experiments, which includes the rearing of the animals, genetic manipulations, the design of behavioral assays and the recording of animal behavior
• Develop and apply analysis approaches to identify variations in behavioral patterns
• Compose a manuscript to publish your results in an internationally recognized journal

Your team
You will be supervised by Steffen Werner, who’s lab is performing behavioral research with nematodes and flatworms. The project takes place in collaboration with the group of Greg Stephens (VU Amsterdam), who has an expertise in developing advanced analysis tools for behavioral data.

Your qualities

You have a passion for applying theoretical analysis approaches to biological systems. You are a team-player with a creative mind, and you are well-organized.

You also possess:

• A PhD in biology or related fields;
• Work experience in working with nematodes as well as the recording of animal behavior and the application of image and data analysis approaches;
• a hands-on mentality to design and perform experiments;
• has worked with at least one of the relevant data science software languages such as Python or Matlab.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C2 .

Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate their experience with concrete examples from their work in and outside academia.

You will work here
The Experimental Zoology Group (EZO) is part of the Department of Animal Sciences. Our mission is to combine physics, engineering, molecular techniques and modelling in a quantitative systems analysis to solve fundamental problems in biology. We aim to use the resulting insights to provide solutions for practical problems with societal relevance. EZO has an excellent track-record in research, scientific impact, and teaching, primarily in the topics of biomechanics, developmental and evolutionary biology, and biomimetics.

The Department of Animal Sciences is involved in research and education related to the health and welfare of animals and people. The primary focus is on the functioning of animals, both from a curiosity-driven and an applied perspective. 

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;
• 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. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.378,- and € 5.331,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). We offer you a temporary contract for the duration of 5 months.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 programs.
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 center 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.

Do you want more information?

For more information about the position, please contact Steffen Werner, assistant professor, via email: steffen.werner@wur.nl.

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with 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 until May 4th, 2025

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.