Early Career Postdoc: Seagrass nursery-plant ecophysiology and biogeochemistry for ecosystem restoration

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About the Department of Coastal Systems

The Department of COS studies integral coastal ecosystems and their populations of fish, birds, and other marine animals in the North and Wadden Seas as well as on a global scale. The department focusses on key physical, chemical and biological processes that determine the productivity and the ecological functioning of coastal areas.

The role

The Department of Coastal Systems (COS) at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ-Texel) is looking for a highly motivated early career postdoctoral researcher to help develop a pilot-scale seagrass nursery that will support long-term, large-scale ecosystem restoration. Seagrass meadows have largely disappeared from the Dutch Wadden Sea. Active restoration is now producing promising results, yet further upscaling is constrained by the availability of seeds and plants from natural donor populations. To overcome this bottleneck, NIOZ and partners are developing a pilot-scale seagrass nursery in Lauwersoog, a 160-m² nursery producing seeds and plants of Zostera marina and Nanozostera noltei for restoration in the Wadden Sea.

You will take a leading scientific role in developing and optimizing seagrass cultivation in the pilot nursery. Through experiments ranging from aquaria to large outdoor cultivation units, you will unravel how nutrient availability, inorganic carbon, light and environmental cues affect seagrass growth and reproduction, and how these factors can be manipulated to optimize cultivation. You will work closely with NIOZ researchers, technical staff and external project partners, and translate your findings into practical cultivation protocols for producing seagrass restoration material at scale.

Qualifications and experience

• You hold a PhD in a relevant discipline, such as plant physiology, plant ecophysiology, aquatic plant biology, marine botany, biogeochemistry or aquatic ecology, and have experience with hypothesis-driven experimental research.
• Previous experience with seagrasses is an advantage but is not essential.
• You are comfortable working hands-on with living plants, cultivation systems and monitoring equipment.
• You are able to analyse and interpret experimental data and communicate your findings clearly in English.
• An affinity with ecology and ecosystem restoration is essential.

Salary and benefits

• Employment for 40 hours a week at Royal NIOZ (NWO-I) for a duration of 3 years.
• Salary compliant with CAO-WVOI (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes) scale 10 depending on relevant experience.
• 338 annualized holiday hours for a full-time 40-hour work week.
• Pension scheme via ABP, 8% holiday allowance and a year-end bonus of 8.33%.
• 2nd class public transportation travel is reimbursed 100%.
• Relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation.

Location and schedule

On-site, ‘t Horntje, Texel, Noord-Holland, Netherlands.

Deadline and how to apply

Closing date for this vacancy is 15 October 2026. Apply through the NIOZ careers page with a CV, cover letter and two references. NIOZ aims to invite suitable candidates for an interview in November 2026. For additional information contact Prof. Dr. Ir. Tjisse van der Heide (tjisse.van.der.heide@nioz.nl).