PhD position: soil biodiversity for sustainable tree cultivation (English text)

What you will be doing

Cultivation of road-side trees is increasing rapidly, because cities demand large numbers of trees for improving biodiversity and climate regulation. However, cultivation of these trees often has detrimental impacts on the environment and the quality of surface water. Enhancing soil biodiversity and functioning is essential to improve sustainable tree growth, because functional soils can reduce the need for pesticides and artificial fertilisers and the leakage of such compounds to the environment. But how to improve soil functioning in road-side tree cultivation is still an open question.

In the SolidTree project you will work in a transdisciplinary consortium with tree growers, social scientists, data scientists and engineers to develop and test actionable management practices and a decision support tool to enhance soil biodiversity in road-side tree cultivation. This will help tree growers to make nature-inclusive management decisions that reduce the impact of tree growing on the environment. You will be responsible for performing field sampling at tree growers, controlled experiments and laboratory work (e.g., measurements of chemical and biological soil parameters) and downstream data analysis to gain knowledge on the impact of management practices on soil community composition and functioning in road-side tree cultivation. Together with other PhDs, you will contribute your data, findings and expertise to the consortium as a base for developing management strategies and a decision support system for sustainable tree growing. You will learn how to publish your findings in a PhD thesis and peer-reviewed publications and give presentations at (international) conferences, scientific meetings and (consortium) meetings with stakeholders.

What are we looking for

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with an MSc degree in soil (microbial) ecology, plant-soil interactions, or a related discipline. You have a strong learning mindset and actively seek out new skills and knowledge. You thrive in a transdisciplinary environment and have a strong aptitude for clear and concise communication. You will collaborate closely with tree growers and researchers across diverse disciplines. Affinity with writing and presentation of results is essential. You should be fluent in English and have a driver’s license B. Experience with carrying out field sampling, controlled experiments in the greenhouse, chemical and molecular work in the laboratory, or (multivariate) statistical analysis and bioinformatics is an advantage, as is speaking Dutch.

What do we offer

A fully-funded PhD position, with an initial appointment for 1 year, which will be prolonged with 3 year after a positive go/no go evaluation (i.e, total appointment of 4 years (1.0 fte)). Working 0.8 fte (i.e., five years in total) is a possibility. The preferred starting date is May 2026. You will become a member of the graduate school PE&RC (https://www.pe-rc.nl/) through which you can follow courses on ecological subjects, research methods, statistical analyses, and transferrable skills. In addition, the department and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) organise weekly seminars, science lunches and journal clubs to stimulate scientific discussion and exchange ideas.

Your workplace

You will be based at the department of Terrestrial Ecology (TE), consisting of a dynamic, interactive and collaborative group of researchers from diverse backgrounds. You will share an office space with other PhD candidates in the department and join an active community of researchers, postdocs, PhDs, research assistants and internship students. In TE, we aim to understand, predict, and mitigate effects of climate change, biodiversity loss and land use change in terrestrial ecosystems. Our research focuses on interactions between plants, microbes, and (in)vertebrates, in the soil and aboveground. Our approach is conceptual-experimental, and ranges from evolutionary adaptation to community interactions and ecosystem processes. NIOO has state-of-the-art research facilities. Within your project, you will collaborate closely with HAS Green Academy for field sampling and Utrecht University for bioinformatics.

More information

For more information, do not hesitate to contact:

Dr. Ciska Veen, Head of department, NIOO, c.veen@nioo.knaw.nl

Dr. Basten Snoek, Associate Professor, Utrecht University, l.b.snoek@uu.nl

More information about the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and the department of Terrestrial Ecology can be found at the website: http://www.nioo.knaw.nl

Application procedure

For the application, please include a cover letter summarizing motivation and experience, a CV, and contact details of two professional referees (name, address, telephone and email). Deadline for application is 1st of March 2026. Applications received later than this date will not be considered. Interviews will be held in person or online, depending on the location of the candidate, and are scheduled on the 16th or 17th of March.

About NIOO

The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO) is a national research institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). At NIOO we perform ecological research on biodiversity, climate change and sustainable use of land and water. We stimulate ecological research in the Netherlands and share our ecological knowledge with society. Everyone in our organisation is passionate about contributing to a sustainable world from their own area of expertise.

Terms of employment

Depending on education and experience the minimum salary is €3.059 and the maximum salary is €3.881 gross per month for a full-time appointment (scale P cao Nederlandse Universiteiten/KNAW). This is exclusive of 8% vacation allowance, 8.3% year-end bonus, travel allowance, internet allowance, home working allowance and pension accrual with ABP.

The KNAW offers its staff an excellent package of secondary benefits. A package that meets the different needs of employees depending on their stage of life, lifestyle or career ambitions. For example, by working an extra two hours a week, it is possible to increase the number of days off from 29 to 41 days a year (with full-time employment).  

For a complete overview of the terms of employment, please refer to the web page: Work for the Academy.

Applying for a Certificate of Good Conduct can be part of the employment procedure.

Diversity & Inclusion

The KNAW considers a working environment in which everyone feels welcome and appreciated of great importance. A working environment in which attention is paid to individual quality and where development opportunities are paramount. Together we strive for an inclusive culture in which we embrace differences. We would therefore like to invite candidates who want to contribute to this through their background and experience. In the event of equal suitability, preference will be given to the candidate who thus enhances diversity within the Academy.