Lab Research Assistant – Soil Monitoring in Regenerative Agriculture University and Research

Your job

Are you interested in working in the Soil Biology Lab and collaborating with 100 pioneering farmers in the Netherlands? Do you have affinity with soil sampling and analyses related to the role of soil biota in supporting a range of soil functions? Within the ReGeNL project, we are looking for a laboratory assistant to provide technical support for the monitoring campaigns of the pioneering farmers participating in ReGeNL.

There is steadily growing pressure on agriculture and the entire food system to increase global production while promoting sustainability in terms of farmers’ incomes, soil health, input use, and environmental and climate impact. Regenerative agriculture is a promising avenue to support a healthy, multi-functional and future-proof soil and farming system. Together with regenerative Dutch farmers, ReGeNL is developing a future-proof agricultural sector in which agriculture goes hand in hand with soil health and nature restoration, and a good revenue model for farmers.

Between now and 2030, ReGeNL will start the transition to regenerative agriculture with 1000 farmers. The aim is to make regenerative agriculture the new normal by 2040.

In this role, you will support the monitoring of 100 pioneering regenerative farmers within the ReGeNL program. Wageningen University, together with its partners, is responsible for monitoring and studying changes in the farmers’ management practices and evaluating the outcomes of these changes. Through-out the year, fieldwork will be conducted to monitor various aspects of soil health and to document the management practices applied by these pioneering farmers.

• Coordinate and lead field sampling campaigns and data collection activities across different soil types and land-use systems in the Netherlands.
• Conduct laboratory analyses to explore the dynamic relationships between management practices, soil biota, and soil chemical and physical properties.
• Collaborate closely with soil biology researchers and technical staff.

The Soil Biology group integrates knowledge on soil biota across a range of scales from the microbe to the globe. Our mission is “to explore the potential of life to increase the quality of soil”.