荷兰瓦赫宁恩大学植物科学博士后职位

We are looking for

Introduction of new agricultural pests into the European territory is of increasing concern because of its economic consequences. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has asked for the development of probability models to enable quantitative pathway analysis of pest introductions (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/tendersevaluation/tender/cftefsaplh201103.htm). In this project, five pathway models will be developed and delivered to EFSA; two pathway models for forestry pests (Douglas fir beetle and pinewood nematode) and three models for horticultural pests (Thrips palmi, Xiphinema americanum, and PSTVd).
For this project, we are looking for an ambitious bio-mathematician/statistician with an interest in ecology, epidemiology or plant science, and affinity for working with stakeholders to collect data, develop appropriate models, and discuss model application and interpretation.

Success in this challenging project requires a combination of skills: (1) sound background knowledge of ecology, epidemiology or plant science, (2) strong theoretical background and applied skills in mathematics and statistics, and model fitting with likelihood methods, and (3) an aptitude to engage with people to obtain the data necessary to fit models, get feedback from experts in the field to choose reasonable candidate models, and interact productively with the model end user, EFSA. The postdoc will collaborate in a small core team with three scientists at Wageningen University and two at INRA Station to Zoologie Forestière in Orleans, France. Furthermore, (s)he will engage with the Dutch Plant Health Agency to obtain direct feedback from experts within this organization.

The postdoc will be placed in the Crop & Weed Ecology Group of Wageningen University, Plant Sciences. Within this group research is conducted on the ecology and management of crops, diseases, and weeds. We study plant form and adaptation, and ecological processes from plant to landscape scale that determine productivity, resource use efficiency and crop health. The postdoc will contribute to the quantitative ecology theme of the group, and particularly to the area of spatial ecology. This area of work is elaborated in collaboration with other units in Plant Sciences.
 

We ask

The project is formulated in the context of invasion biology. It requires strong mathematical/statistical skills and an ability to engage with other team members as well as professionals in the plant health field who are data owners. They are also experts on what models may make sense, and they are ultimately the intended model users. The suitable candidate therefore has knowledge on ecology, epidemiology or plant science, has a strong background (both theory and applications) in mathematical statistics and model fitting with likelihood methods, and (s)he has good communicative skills enabling him/her to engage productively with owners of data, EFSA, and professionals in the plant health field.

Furthermore, the suitable candidate has strong leadership and project/time management skills enabling him/her to engage efficiently with team members and plant health experts, and deliver intermediate and end products to EFSA in time.

The candidate will strengthen our work on spatial ecology, biomathematics and plant health economics by contributions to team meetings and collegial engagement within our team. We expect the candidate to aim for publication of results in high impact journals.

Regular international travel to Orleans and Parma (EFSA HQ) is required.


We offer

36 - 42 months, depending on salary and full time or part time appointment.
Wageningen

Don't email directly to the people mentioned above but use the website to apply. Please send us only your motivationletter and C.V. and not all kind of big documents like copies of certificates etc.

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Wageningen UR (University & Research centre)

Delivering a substantial contribution to the quality of life. That's our focus each and every day. Within our domain, healthy food and living environment, we search for answers to issues affecting society such as sustainable food production, climate change and alternative energy. Of course, we don’t do this alone. Every day, 6,500 people work on ‘the quality of life’, turning ideas into reality, on a global scale.

Could you be one of these people? We give you the space you need.

For further information about working at Wageningen UR, take a look at www.jobsat.wur.nl.