PhD Student: impact of offshore windfarms marine foodwebs

PhD Student: the impact of offshore windfarms on marine foodwebs

Deadline 5 Mar ’26 Published 13 Feb ’26 Vacancy

Environmental science;
Biological sciences

Pursuing a PhD at Naturalis in Leiden (the Netherlands) means working on research with a truly global impact — contributing directly to biodiversity. And you’ll be well supported every step of the way. With 3,200 m² of state‑of‑the‑art lab facilities, housed in a museum with more than 40 million natural history objects, dedicated mentorship, and access to our broad international network, this position offers everything you need to thrive as a scientist.

• You will find yourself in a unique research environment, inspired by passionate scientists from a wide range of disciplines (e.g., taxonomy, evolution, ecology and geology).
• You will receive dedicated supervision from an experienced researcher and work closely with several international experts and collaborators with whom you’ll regularly exchange ideas about your research. This will help you to develop a strong academic profile.
• You will be part of the Marine Biodiversity team that is focusing on community ecology of (mostly) benthic marine ecosystems.

Offshore wind energy is expanding rapidly in the North Sea. This expansion offers climate solutions but also results in unprecedented ecological challenges. There is a large gap in knowledge on the effects of offshore windfarms on the North Sea foodweb dynamics. Potential ecological consequences include changes in water currents which impact nutrient dynamics, turbidity, light levels, intensity and timing of primary production and larval transport, all of which will be reflected in foodweb dynamics.

To address this knowledge gap Naturalis offers a PhD position within the No Regrets project which aims to deliver science‑based knowledge and tools that enable a sustainable transition to offshore energy. As a PhD candidate you will focus on reconstructing the North Sea foodweb with an emphasis on molecular tools such as DNA metabarcoding.

Learn more about the project here:
No Regrets
. If successful, you will obtain your PhD degree from the University of Amsterdam.

• A one‑year fixed‑term contract, intended to be extended by three years after successful evaluation.
• A gross monthly starting salary of € 3,463.00 for a full‑time contract (36 hours).
• End‑of‑year bonus of 3.4% of your gross annual salary and 8% holiday pay.
• 27 days of leave per year with full‑time employment. Plus 1 extra day that you can use for a holiday that is important to you.
• Commuting allowance depending on your means of transport.
• Pension scheme via PFZW, where Naturalis pays 60% of your premium.
• Plenty of development opportunities. We support your growth and give you unlimited access to the online training platform Goodhabitz.
• Fascinating knowledge events. These help you stay up to date on the latest developments in both your own field and outside it, such as our lectures and gatherings on various (scientific) topics. You can also attend – or take part in – the fascinating internal information session ‘Naturalis Draait Door’.
• Nice extras such as discounts on software and hardware for private use, collective health insurance plans, and a bicycle scheme. You’ll also enjoy discounts in our museum restaurant and unlimited free access to our award‑winning museum for you and your family.
• Fun team outings. We also get together for drinks every month, organise an annual BBQ and a fantastic New Year's party. Not your scene? That’s fine too, of course. All team activities are voluntary.
• A unique work environment in a state‑of‑the‑art building where you will feel proud to work every single day – we guarantee it!

Literally. Whatever your role may be, you contribute to the preservation of our planet on a daily basis.

• is the national research and knowledge institute and a key player in biodiversity data and infrastructures.
• houses one of the largest natural history collections in the world.
• welcomes 500,000 museum visitors per year.
• collaborates with universities, expertise centres and museums…