PhD Developing green façades for building insolation & enhancing urban diversity

BIO-SKIN (Bio-Inspired Outer Surfaces to Kool, Insulate and Nurture) is developing bio-based, waste-derived, and circular façade systems that integrate plant growth. The project goal is to help bio-based facade panels that keep buildings cool, insulate, support biodiversity, and contribute to more sustainable urban environments. We work in a team of people with backgrounds in design, materials, biomaterial chemistry, architecture, biology, engineering, sustainability, and the built environment.

In this position, you will investigate how plant-soil-insect interactions develop in ecosystems with shallow soils and translate these ecological insights into design principles for next-generation green façades. Your research will contribute to a better understanding of how ecological communities establish and function in constrained urban environments, while helping to develop façade systems that support biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.

As a PhD candidate, you will combine fundamental and applied research to develop innovative green façade concepts that enhance ecosystem complexity and deliver key ecosystem services, including thermal insulation, carbon sequestration, microclimate regulation, and habitat provision for insects and other arthropods. This involves designing and setting up mini-ecosystems in minimal soil/vertical environments at various Living/Field Lab locations, and monitoring their performance, biodiversity and impact for energy efficiency. You will design the façade-panel experiments in close collaboration with a postdoctoral researcher, analyse ecological and physiological data, and contribute to scientific publications.

The project offers a unique opportunity to connect ecology, ecophysiology, urban greening, and green façade design.

We are looking for a candidate who enjoys working in interdisciplinary teams. You will bring strong botanical expertise to a collaborative group of researchers, designers, and material developers, and partners from companies that produce green façades, jointly creating innovative green façade solutions that contribute to sustainable construction and healthier urban environments.

Your activities include:

• Investigating plant species performance, community assembly and plant-insect-soil interactions in shallow-substrate systems (drawing on insights from literature as well as field studies);
• Year-round monitoring at various Living/Field Lab locations on the impact of plant species for enhancing energy efficiency and biodiversity by green façade panels;
• Analysing ecological and ecophysiological datasets;
• Publishing results in peer-reviewed journals and presenting findings at scientific conferences;
• Collaborating with academic and non-academic partners to translate scientific insights into practical applications;
• Teaching in courses and supervise BSc and MSc students in biodiversity-themed research.

You will work here

The research is embedded within the Biosystematics Group and the Laboratory of Entomology. You will be supervised by dr. ir. Casper Quist and Prof. Bregje Wertheim. As a member in the BIO-SKIN team you will work one day a week together with the other BIO-SKIN PhDs and Post-docs at the AMS institute in Amsterdam. In addition, you will be embedded in the PE&RC graduate school (Home | PE&RC), which will allow you to follow a wide variety of training courses and provide support during your academic journey.

Requirements

For this project, we are looking for an enthusiastic, highly motivated and curious PhD candidate, who can translate botanical and ecological expertise into successful designs of biodiverse, climate-resilient, aesthetically attractive and multifunctional green facades.

You have or are:

• A successfully completed MSc degree in forest- and nature conservation or biology
• Extensive knowledge of the Dutch flora, able to accurately identify plant species in the field
• A strong interest in ecological interactions, including relationships between plants, insects, and soil organisms
• Interest in and initial experience with interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary collaboration, and the ability to engage with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including design, engineering, education, and ecology.
• Excellent communication skills in Dutch and English and experience with teaching and scientific writing.

For this position your command of the English and Dutch language is expected to be at C1 level. Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here.

Conditions of employment

Fixed-term contract: 18 months.

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 € 3.204,- per month rising to € 4.051,- 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.

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.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment.

Employer

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, 7,600 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.

Additional information

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.

Join us and come work at WUR

At Wageningen University & Research, you work at improving the quality of life. Together with your colleagues, you seek to answer the challenges within our domain 'healthy food and living environment.'