PhD position on bio-optics, in the North Sea POWER (Progress in Offshore Wind Ecological Research) consortium

The Department of Estuarine & Delta Systems (EDS) - location Yerseke of NIOZ is looking for a highly motivated and proactive PhD candidate to investigate the underwater light climate around offshore wind farms in the North Sea

ROYAL NIOZ

NWO-NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is the Dutch national oceanographic institute and principally performs academically excellent multidisciplinary, fundamental, and frontier applied marine research addressing important scientific and societal questions pertinent to the functioning of the ocean and seas. NIOZ includes the National Marine research Facilities (NMF) department that operates a fleet of research vessels and the national pool of large seagoing equipment, and supports excellence in multidisciplinary marine research, education, and policy development.

THE PROJECT

As offshore wind farms rapidly expand in the North Sea, mitigating their ecological impact on marine ecosystems is critical. The North Sea POWER project addresses this challenge by filling vital knowledge gaps regarding underwater noise, biomass and water flows, and wildlife disturbance (such as seabirds and bats) to support a sustainable green energy transition. By reducing uncertainty in models and identifying effective mitigation options, North Sea POWER supports offshore wind development that protects marine ecosystems while contributing to a sustainable energy future. The project is funded through the Dutch Research Agenda (NWA), developed in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy. Led by Wageningen University & Research, the project brings together a transdisciplinary consortium of leading academic institutions, societal stakeholders, conservation organisations, and energy sector partners. More about the consortium

This position is one of twelve PhD and postdoc positions across the consortium. You will be part of a team working on shared questions, with joint meetings, fieldwork and training alongside your own project. You will be hosted at NIOZ in Yerseke, where you will study bio-optics in close collaboration with NIOZ on Texel, Deltares as well as University of Twente.

THE POSITION

Do you want to unravel how offshore wind farms (OWF’s) are transforming the underwater light environment of the North Sea? To reveal this, you will develop inversion algorithms to derive the underwater light climate and other optical water quality parameters from satellite data of the North Sea. In this PhD position, you will measure spectra, light scattering, absorption and attenuation, and concentrations of optically active substances during North Sea ship cruises and in the laboratory. Using radiative transfer and optical modelling techniques, you will develop inversion algorithms that will quantify changes in the in-water light field and biogeochemical variables. By comparing ecosystem model simulations with and without offshore wind farms against the satellite-derived observations and in-situ data, you will assess the impact of these OWFs. Your work will also support formulation of light processes in ecosystem models for understanding the ecological effects of the OWFs.

Job requirements

THE CANDIDATE

• You have an MSc in oceanography or related discipline, and experience with marine optics and ocean colour remote sensing

• Sea-going experience is an advantage

• Programming experience with Python is a must, experience with numerical modelling of marine systems and image analyses is an advantage

• You are well-organized, and are willing to learn

• You are highly self-motivated, and able to work both independently and as part of a team

• You have excellent written and oral communication skills (in English)

THE CONDITIONS

• Employment of this full-time position at Royal NIOZ is by NWO-I, for a total duration of 4 years. You start with an appointment for the duration of 1 year, that, after a positive evaluation in the 9th month (Go-No go), will be extended to the full period of 4 years.

• Salary compliant with scales for PhD candidate (OIOs) CAO-WVOI (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes).

• An appointment at NIOZ as a PhD candidate means working and learning simultaneously conform the NIOZ PhD policy.

• 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%.

• Employment benefits plan to exchange a portion of your salary for days off or vice versa, or can be used to purchase a bicycle with tax benefits.

• We offer relocation expenses for employees coming from abroad and support with finding accommodation.

• A strong on-site presence at NIOZ Yerseke is essential

NIOZ focuses on being a transparent institute with a healthy working climate and an inclusive culture, where people from diverse backgrounds and gender bring their talents and further develop these talents. We aim for inclusive decision-making processes and expect our leadership to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.

MORE INFORMATION

The deadline for applications is 4 October 2026. Interviews are planned on 21 October 2026.

For additional information about this vacancy, please contact prof.dr. Daphne van der Wal (daphne.van.der.wal@nioz.nl), dr. Marieke Eleveld (marieke.eleveld@deltares.nl) or dr. Johan van der Molen (johan.van.der.molen@nioz.nl). For additional information about the procedure, please send an e-mail to working@nioz.nl.