Applied aquatic ecological researcher: ecosystem health & fish ecology

The Water Resources and Ecosystems Department in IHE Delft conducts research and education activities that aim to support society in decisions and policy that sustain freshwater resources and ecosystems by balancing their protection, restoration, use, and development. We conduct research and provide post-graduate education and training to professionals in the fields of hydraulic engineering, hydrology/hydrogeology, and aquatic ecosystems while maintaining interdisciplinary collaborations with other departments in IHE Delft and with international partners.

Applied aquatic ecological researcher up to senior scale with specialisation in ecosystem health and fish ecology to support sustainable livelihoods and management
38 hours per week

The Water Resources and Ecosystems Department is looking for motivated candidates with a keen interest in applied aquatic ecology to support sustainable lake management and inland fisheries in the Global South. Candidates must have at least three years of relevant experience since obtaining a PhD. They should have an enthusiasm for research and building professional and institutional capacity in the Global South, and for working in a multicultural environment. The successful candidate will be required to support a current project on Lake Turkana and have the potential to attract competitive research funding on other inland lakes, develop a strategic vision for supporting inland fisheries in the Global South, work in multidisciplinary teams, and have a proven track record in lake, river or coastal management. Candidates should have a solid background in ecology and ecosystem functioning. Expertise in all or some of fisheries, stakeholder engagement, ecosystem modelling, conservation science and application of knowledge of ecosystem services for policy and capacity development is desirable. A fluent command of English is required. Competency in other international languages is an advantage.

Responsibilities

· Provide expert advice and technical support for the fish production study of Lake Turkana, Kenya, towards the successful delivery of integrated water resource and lake management

· Develop and sustain a research line in support of IHE policies in support of the UN sustainability agenda 2030

· Develop and deliver teaching to support professional training

· Acquire research and capacity development projects

· Co-supervise research of MSc and PhD students studying related topics

Requirements

· PhD degree with at least three years of relevant post-doc experience

· Teaching or professional development experience

· Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary and multicultural work

· Participation in short missions abroad

Desirable:

· Familiarity with tropical inland fisheries management and stakeholder engagement

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills (in English)

· Experience working in developing countries

· Remote sensing experience

· Knowledge of ecosystem and food web models

Terms of employment

The employment contract is for 38 hours per week. The position is in accordance with scale 10/11 of the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities, depending on qualifications and experience.

The employment is currently linked to a development project on Lake Turkana, anticipated to continue to 2029. The initial contract is for one year.

Since the candidate will be stationed in Delft, the Netherlands, candidates/applicants should be based in the Netherlands, or prepared to relocate to (the vicinity of) Delft. The candidate should be prepared to carry out short-term missions abroad.

IHE Delft offers an attractive, multiple-choice employee benefits scheme, a year-end bonus and a generous pension scheme with the Netherlands’ Civil Service Pension Fund (ABP). We also offer 31 days leave based on a 38-hour working week.

Information and application

Additional information can be obtained from Dr. Michael McClain (m.mcclain@un-ihe.org).

IHE Delft follows an open procedure of recruitment, which respects diversity and provides equal opportunity to applicants of all backgrounds.

Applications (in English) should respond specifically to the requirements and can be sent by 15-09-2025 including curriculum vitae, motivation letter and the names and contact details of two contactable referees (all together as one PDF file with your family name as the filename), you can upload the files in the application form.

Acquisition by staffing agencies and other 3rd parties is not appreciated.

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