PhD vacatures

NIOZ, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research is the national oceanographic institute and the Netherlands’ center of expertise for ocean, sea and coastal research. NIOZ aims at advancing fundamental understanding of marine systems, the way they change, the role they play in climate and biodiversity, and how they may provide sustainable solutions to society in the future. NIOZ also provides the Netherlands’ marine scientific community with state-of-the-art research vessels and equipment. Knowledge and seagoing facilities are available to the wider marine science community, both nationally and internationally. Seagoing infrastructure at NIOZ is provided through our department of National Marine Facilities (NMF). Here we develop innovative solutions and continuously update and upgrade our capabilities. To serve the marine science community, we have embarked on an ambitious renewal of the national research fleet and seagoing equipment between 2020 and 2025. This renewal includes setting up a Marine Robotics group, which will operate and further develop a suite of autonomous and remotely controlled underwater and surface vehicles. This new group will include a tenure track scientist, who will also be part of the Ocean Systems department (OCS).

The new robotics group at NIOZ, with its unique collaboration of engineers with scientists and the already existing in-house workshop facilities, gives NIOZ a unique edge in developing novel equipment and instruments for the future. Together with our university partners, we will develop accompanying research programmes and opportunities to use the new equipment and research fleet.

This scientist will be based in the Ocean Systems department (OCS) at NIOZ-Texel to develop and integrate new sensors for ocean observations using a range of autonomous platforms (e.g., ocean gliders, AUVs, ROVs, moorings and landers). This will be done in close cooperation with technicians from NMF, mainly the Marine Robotics group. The scientist will identify key parameters for ocean observations that need (better) monitoring and to develop and/or deploy novel methods to constrain them, collaborating with other scientists at NIOZ (all departments). The research subjects include, but are not limited to, physical, biological and chemical oceanography. New sampling and data acquisition protocols may be developed and innovative approaches applied in which the measured parameters are used to investigate environmental research questions for the open ocean as well as shelf seas (e.g., North Sea).

The department of Ocean Systems (OCS) studies the role of the ocean in a changing climate, from the equator to the poles, from the continental shelf to the deep ocean and from the past to the present. As the ocean is Earth’s largest reservoir of CO2 and heat, ocean circulation, mixing, biogeochemistry and other processes strongly impact global climate, but in turn, the ocean is changing rapidly because of (human) stressors, creating complex feedback loops. Furthermore, seafloor sediments have recorded past changes in conditions on land and in the ocean, in the form of biological residues or physical and chemical signals, which allow us to reconstruct feedback between oceanic processes and climate in the (ancient) past. The OCS department investigates ocean functioning by means of sea-going expeditions, during which data and samples are collected from the water column and the seafloor, which are analyzed in on-board and onshore laboratories. We have collected a large amount of information and samples over the past decades, which serves as the basis of our ocean research. Our technical and scientific staff is international and diverse, comprising approximately 50 members, including PhD students, postdocs, and BSc- and MSc students from around the world.

For this position we are looking for a scientist with a strong technical background and a keen interest in the marine environment. We specifically encourage scientists with a PhD from a technical university to apply.

• You have a PhD in a relevant research field (e.g., ocean technology, engineering, electronics, etc.) and experience with ocean observations.
• You have research experience or interest in physical oceanography, ocean chemistry, marine biology or marine geology.
• You have strong organizing skills with flexibility to work in dynamic projects.
• You have an affinity for taking responsibility, managing people and tasks, and collaborating effectively with technicians.
• You are dedicated to contributing to the diverse, safe and healthy working culture at NIOZ.

NIOZ wants to be 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.

• Employment of this full-time position at Royal NIOZ is by NWO-I, after a successful tenure track period and positive evaluations by the tenure track committee (TTC) the position will become a tenuredPI appointment within the Royal NIOZ. Tenure at NIOZ is granted after 1,5 years up to a maximum of 5 years, based on obtained funding, publications and scientific network established.
• Salary compliant with CAO-WVOI (Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Research Institutes) scale 11 or 12, depending on relevant experience.
• The freedom to fulfil 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.
• NIOZ offers relocation expenses for employees and support with finding accommodation.

For additional information about this vacancy, please contact Gert-Jan Reichart (Head of OCS Department). For additional information about the procedure, please send an e‑mail to working@nioz.nl.

The closing date for this vacancy will be the 31st of January 2026.