Are you passionate about understanding the ecological impact of offshore wind farms on marine bird populations? The Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics is seeking a dedicated PhD student to develop models that assess both lethal and sublethal effects of offshore wind farms on bird life history, predicting their population-level consequences.

About the Company

The North Sea POWER project, funded by the Dutch Research Agenda in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate, aims to address the ecological impacts of offshore wind farms in the North Sea. This transdisciplinary consortium includes Wageningen University & Research and various stakeholders, focusing on reducing knowledge gaps in underwater noise, biomass, and wildlife disturbance.

The Role

As part of this project, you will be based at IBED (University of Amsterdam) and work closely with Wageningen Marine Research. Your research will focus on two seabird species, the northern gannet and the common guillemot, exploring how offshore wind farms affect their populations through displacement, collisions, and ecosystem changes.

Responsibilities

• Develop mechanistic population models based on individual energetics covering the full annual cycle and life history (from egg to adult).
• Integrate sublethal effects (displacement, ecosystem change) and lethal effects (collisions) to evaluate individual and population-level outcomes.
• Account for species- and colony-specific exposure to offshore wind farms over time and space.
• Utilize physiologically structured population models (PSPMs) to link feeding, energetic costs, growth, mortality, and environmental conditions.

Requirements

• MSc degree in ecology, preferably with a focus on theoretical ecology or biology, or strong quantitative skills in population or food web dynamic modelling.
• Affinity for marine biology and seabird ecology.
• Interest in developing scientifically relevant knowledge.
• Strong computational skills.
• Willingness to engage in multidisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder meetings.
• Experience with bifurcation analysis and bioenergetic models is a plus.

What We Offer

• A temporary contract for 38 hours per week for four years, with an initial 18-month evaluation period.
• A salary of €3,204 gross per month in the first year, increasing to €4,051 in the final year, plus 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end bonus.
• 232 vacation hours per year and additional leave options.
• Opportunities for professional development through training and courses.
• Support for relocation and integration into the Netherlands, including family assistance and language courses.

If you are interested in this opportunity and meet the qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Applications should be submitted via the 'Apply' button on the vacancy webpage by September 30, 2026. Include a detailed CV, a motivation letter, and contact information for two references.

For further inquiries, please contact Dr. Floor Soudijn at Wageningen Marine Research.