Postdoctoral Researcher Seagrass Restoration
Postdoctoral researcher leading seagrass restoration science and coordination within the REBORN project.
Leads pilot experiments, develops restoration frameworks, and manages a regional knowledge database.
Requires a PhD in a related field and experience in active marine restoration.
Omschrijving
As a postdoctoral researcher within the REBORN project you will take a leading scientific and coordination role focused on restoration ecology, field-based experimentation, and knowledge transfer across a transnational consortium, and you will join the Govers Lab Group.
Functie eisen
- PhD in Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, Nature Management, or a closely related field (obtained or PhD thesis submitted at the start of the appointment).
- Experience in active marine restoration, including planning, practice, monitoring, and analysis.
- Strong scientific writing and reporting skills with a publication record commensurate with career stage.
- Experience presenting research findings at scientific conferences, workshops, or stakeholder events.
- Good quantitative and analytical skills.
- Fluent in English, both oral and written.
- Ability to facilitate learning and to identify and foster opportunities for collaboration and impact.
- Collaborative mindset and strong team player, with the ability to work independently.
- Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively in an international, transdisciplinary team.
- Holistic, transdisciplinary, and practical thinker able to connect science, policy, and practice.
- Enthusiastic, driven, and goal-oriented, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
- Willingness to travel for fieldwork, consortium meetings, and events across North-West Europe.
- Willingness to engage with local communities and diverse stakeholders.
- Willingness to co-supervise MSc and/or PhD students.
- Desirable: experience with seed-based or shoot-based seagrass restoration techniques.
- Desirable: familiarity with remote sensing tools for coastal vegetation mapping (satellite or drone-based).
- Desirable: experience with ecosystem service quantification or natural capital accounting.
- Desirable: experience working in large, multi-partner European research projects (e.g. Interreg, Horizon Europe).
- Desirable: experience with goal setting, coaching, or mentoring junior researchers.
Taken
- Run and coordinate pilot and lighthouse seagrass restoration experiments across North-West Europe.
- Co-develop seagrass restoration experiments in collaboration with consortium partners.
- Contribute to the co-development and testing of the REBORN Restoration, a transnational, replicable framework for large-scale seagrass restoration.
- Develop and maintain a North-West Europe seagrass restoration knowledge database.
- Organise and lead REBORN working groups on restoration science, methodology, and cross-border knowledge exchange.
- Contribute to the joint development of a transnational strategy to scale up seagrass restoration in line with EU Nature Restoration Law targets.
- Share knowledge through scientific publications and non-scientific outputs such as policy briefs and outreach materials.
- Actively contribute to project communication activities, including social media, newsletters, and public engagement.
- Represent the lead partner at Interreg NWE meetings and at national and international events.
- Co-organise the annual REBORN Agora networking events and present results at conferences, workshops, and stakeholder events.
Werkomstandigheden
- Temporary appointment of 0.8–1.0 FTE for 34 months, ending 30 June 2029, with no possibility of extension.
- 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek, with the option to work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours (for example: a 40-hour week saves 96 extra free hours; a 36-hour week reduces free hours by 96).
- End-of-year bonus and holiday allowance.
- Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
Beschrijving van de organisatie
REBORN is an Interreg North-West Europe project addressing large-scale seagrass restoration governance, practice, and capacity-building across multiple countries. Seagrass meadows are critical coastal ecosystems that historically provided substantial ecosystem services, and many hectares in the region are degraded and in urgent need of restoration. The lead partner and Work Package 2 leader is responsible for developing and testing a novel, replicable restoration framework across five pilot sites, including a lighthouse pilot in the Oosterschelde. The Govers Lab Group has been pioneering seagrass restoration since 2014 and works to develop knowledge to scale restoration across the region. The role is affiliated with interdisciplinary marine biology and conservation ecology expertise groups that conduct research in marine conservation ecology and contribute to interdisciplinary teaching and collaboration with industry, government, and society.