PhD Researcher Modelling Regenerative Farming

PhD Researcher Modelling Regenerative Farming

There is growing pressure on agriculture and the entire food system to increase global production while promoting sustainability in terms of farmers' incomes, soil health, input use, and environmental and climate impact. Together with Dutch farmers, ReGeNL is a transdisciplinary program developing a future-proof agricultural sector in which agriculture goes hand in hand with soil health and nature restoration, and a good revenue model for farmers. Between now and 2030, ReGeNL will start the transition to regenerative agriculture with 1000 farmers. The aim is to make regenerative agriculture the new standard by 2040.

You will be one of 19 PhD's recruited to support the program. Your PhD is a joint project of the Soil Geography and Landscape group and the Earth Systems and Global Change group of Wageningen University. You will be based at the Earth Systems and Global Change group at Wageningen University.

The aim of this PhD is to better understand the effect of different regenerative farming practices on various landscape aspects and conversely the conditions of the landscape for successful regenerative farming. Landscape aspects include soil health, natural elements, biodiversity and water quality. You will start your research at the landscape scale, and subsequently scale your work up to the full extent of the Netherlands. You will use, refine and add new relationships to existing empirical models, such as GLOBIO and the Natural Capital Model, to study how regenerative practices will improve nature and water quality, and to answer questions such as how much nature is needed for regenerative agriculture to function well within the landscape. In this PhD, existing monitoring network data and locally collected field data will be available for the modelling work, in addition to freely available spatial data such as satellite data. You will work alongside other PhDs on soil health, biodiversity and land use intensity assessments, from field to national scale.

Your qualities

As a PhD you will receive support and mentorship in the design and implementation of your PhD project. You will develop a training and supervision plan with your supervisory team and be part of the ReGeNL training programme. The requirements to applicants are:

You have:

• A completed master’s degree in a field related to the topic the PhD project (e.g. environmental science, agricultural science, ecology or an adjacent field)
• Proven affinity with the application of statistical methods for data analysis of spatial and temporal datasets in the domain of agronomy, ecology and environmental sciences
• Proven affinity with modeling, e.g. GAMS.
• Excellent writing and presenting skills in English (C1 level)
• Affinity with societal challenges in the domains of agriculture and food systems
• Motivation to work in a transdisciplinary project with many project partners and farmers
• Experience with or interest in quantitative research methods 
• Being a team player
• Speak or willing to learn Dutch within the first year of the PhD

You will work here:
Earth Systems and Global Change group
The Earth Systems and Global Change Group is a solution-oriented inter to trans-disciplinary research group focusing on sustainability and global change. At Earth Systems and Global Change, our research and teaching revolves around comprehensive integration. We generate knowledge across these systems, employing innovative systems analysis tools and quantitative and qualitative approaches for data collection, modelling, and integrated assessment. Our approach spans diverse stakeholders, embracing inter- and trans-disciplinarity to enact real change.

Through our work, we contribute to a better understanding of the challenges posed by Global Change but also to pioneer actionable solutions, empowering communities and policymakers to create a resilient and sustainable future for all.

The Soil Geography and Landscape group
The mission of the group is to improve and share understanding of patterns and dynamics of soils, landscapes and earth surface dynamics and their drivers, like climate change and human-landscape interactions. The group uses integrative approaches that combine biophysical and anthropogenic elements to gain insight in past, present and future system dynamics. Through this, we aim to support system-based solutions in land management and spatial planning, sustainable management of soils, landscapes and ecosystems (e.g. sandy, riverine, deltaic and urban), and protection of cultural and geoheritage.

Together with three other chair groups, the Soil Geography and Landscape Group forms the Wageningen Soil Cluster, which has an excellent international reputation in soil science.

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.

Information

• Location: Wageningen, Netherlands

Industry experience

Education: PhD

Seniority: Expert, Engineer, Consultant

Years of experience: 5 to 10 years

Taxonomy

• Agriculture
• Landscaping
• Soil
• Modelling
• Research
• Water System Modeling
• Netherlands