Postdoc position Deep-sea prey and environment

The Department of Coastal Systems (COS) at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ) is looking for a highly motivated postdoc to join a research team exploring the deep-sea predatory interactions between cetaceans and their prey. You will be part of the team working with Dr. Fleur Visser on the NWO-Vidi project “Tracing top predator-prey interactions into the deep sea”. The postdoc will be employed and based at NIOZ (Texel Island, the Netherlands).

THE INSTITUTE

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 DEPARTMENT

The department of COS is one of the 4 research departments of NIOZ. The COS department integrates state-of-the art laboratory, field, and modelling studies to better understand the dynamics of marine species and food webs. COS examines how physical, chemical, and biological processes interact to determine the distribution, composition, and productivity of marine species across the food web, in marine habitats from the coast to pelagic environments.

 THE VACANCY

The deep sea, Earth’s largest ecosystem, plays a vital role in global biosphere functioning and holds the largest biomass and biodiversity reservoirs on our planet. It also remains severely data deficient. Key ecological processes, such as the interactions between deep-sea top predators their prey and their environment, remain unobserved. This critically limits our fundamental understanding of deep-sea ecology. Ocean systems are degrading rapidly under increasing stress from human activities. Although there is wide consensus that these processes should be halted and reversed, science-based advice on the conservation of the deep sea and its vulnerable and protected top predators, is strongly limited by a lack of knowledge on  predator-prey interactions.

We investigate the interactions between marine life and the deep-sea environment, and develop novel approaches for multi-trophic deep-sea research, and indicators for deep ocean conservation. The project applies a host of techniques to enable joint sampling of animals and their environment in the deep sea. Sampling will occur across multiple pelagic deep-sea systems in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. The postdoc will focus on the interaction between prey and environmental dynamics within a larger comparative multi-trophic framework.

YOUR ROLE

Are you a highly motivated postdoc with expertise and fascination for deep-sea ecology, eager to work in a multi-disciplinary team on the dynamics between trophic interactions and the deep-sea environment? Do you have a background in active acoustics and are you capable of integrating data from a wide range of sensors? As a postdoc in the Vidi project, you will apply a combination of sea-going research (research cruises on oceanographic research vessels and day-trips on small vessels) and laboratory analysis, to investigate the composition and dynamics of deep-sea prey fields in relation to the deep-sea environment. You will apply a range of methods, including echo sounders, moored sensors, hydrophones, cameras, environmental DNA-analysis and remote sensing, in a balanced study design across multiple research sites.

We are looking for an excellent scientist with a PhD in marine ecology or related field. Expertise in (deep) pelagic echo sounder analysis, and/or deep sea ecological research is highly desirable. You will be part of a collaborative team at NIOZ, and a larger international consortium, calling for an open and sharing team effort including the active exchange of data and results, regular team meetings, and integrative analyses. You should be independent, thrive in an interdisciplinary environment and be open to participating in seagoing expeditions.

THE CANDIDATE

We seek a skilled, independent, experienced and ambitious candidate who has a collaborative personality, demonstrated strong capability for field work and experience in the application of various fieldwork techniques, and strong analytical skills. You have a keen interest in marine deep-sea ecology and the functioning of the deep ocean environment, and:

• A PhD in marine ecology/biology, oceanography or a closely related discipline

• Experience with cetacean and/or deep-sea cephalopod or fish ecology in the field and/or in the lab, in multi-disciplinary research settings

• Ability to grasp ecological concepts and perform integrative analysis

• 2 or more years of postdoctoral research experience

• Background in pelagic active acoustics and deep-sea ecology

• A demonstrated ability to work on programming software such us R, Phyton or Matlab

• You are a team player and well organized

• Excellent track record and presentation skills

NIOZ is 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 and staff to show visible commitment, awareness of bias, and cultural intelligence.

THE CONDITIONS

• Employment of this full-time position at Royal NIOZ is by NWO-I, for a total duration of 2 years, with a possible option for extension. 

• Salary compliant with CAO-WVOI  (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes) scale 10 or 11 depending on relevant experience.

• The freedom to fulfill your role and space and opportunities for your personal (talent) development with the help of the NIOZ Academy.

• 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.

The COS departments of NIOZ is located on the beautiful island of Texel in the World Heritage Wadden Sea. Texel offers sun, wind and beach, and a diverse but moderate level of facilities, including a thriving tourist industry, shops, sports facilities, primary schools and a high school. It is connected to the mainland by a 20-min ferry operating every hour to half-hour. The NIOZ is situated next to the ferry terminal.

TO APPLY

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit a letter of motivation, your CV and names and contact information of at least two references. The cover letter should include your motivation for this postdoc position and how you meet some or all of the preferred criteria. To apply, please send your application via the ‘apply’ button.

MORE INFORMATION

For specific additional information about this vacancy, please contact Dr. Fleur Visser (only in case of required information, it is not needed to support your interest with an additional email). For additional information about the procedure, please send an e-mail to working@nioz.nl.

Closing date for applications: January 26, 2026. Online pre-interviews are foreseen for first week of February 2026. Selected candidates will be invited for a preferably in-person interview at NIOZ on Texel 3rd week of February 2026. We aim to start the position by 1st April 2026 or shortly after.