Coordinator Research Data Science & Artificial Intelligence

We are looking for

Do you want to organize research programs in data science and artificial intelligence? Do you want to explore the possibilities for decision support, robotics, and smart apps for the living environment? Do you want to connect to national and European developments for the sustainable development goals?

Wageningen University & Research is fully engaged in developments of new technology for education and research. We are developing artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, sensoring and decision support, data infrastructures, visualization and other technologies. Our aim is to employ these developments in innovations in environment, food, nutrition and health, animal and plant science, and social sciences. We are convinced that new technology will transform these domains and open up new possibilities towards the sustainable development goals.

In order to provide support, coordination, and focus to our activities, we have organized the Wageningen Data Competence Center (WDCC). Here, a small team initiates, supports, and connects developments in Research, Education, Infrastructure, Data Management, and Value Creation.

Your role is to connect the aims of the different research groups at WUR to our common ambitions. You are positioned at WDCC to play a pivotal role in this ambition.

You will be program manager for the investment programs Data Driven & High Tech, and Digital Twins. You will also be working with our investment program Data Science/AI under which we have newly established different professorships, a fellowship program, and other research activities. And you will be involved in the Wageningen Modeling Group, where we develop and share methods to support computer based research. The scale of these programs requires scientific expertise and vision, in combination with efficient program management, to prepare and realize valuable and demonstrable results.

Management of these programs is concentrated at to WDCC organize connections with the infrastructure and data management needed for research, with education following from this research, and with opportunities for value creation based on this research. So, you will be invited to contribute to these connections together with your direct colleagues at WDCC.

The investment programs are crucial for the ambitions of WUR as formulated in our strategic plan. These new developments need to be made available to researchers for application in our entire domain. So, your expertise is required to connect to domain experts to find promising applications and to organize the internal exchange of expertise.

The tasks will be organized under responsibility of the director of WDCC, in close cooperation with the team of WDCC, and maintaining and developing internal and external contacts.

Your activities will be to:

• develop expertise for scientific opportunities in close cooperation with our research experts;
• follow and discuss (inter)national scientific and societal developments as potential input for these opportunities;
• provide information on the programs to researchers, staff, and external partners;
• organize contacts with internal research groups and other investment programs to discuss and align strategic goals;
• organize the programs in projects, exchange information with a program team and project leaders through meetings, organize reporting, contribute to communication;
• monitor quality and progress in cooperation with scientific professionals and with help of administrative support, to evaluate and possibly modify the programs;
• coordinate and support contact with ministry of LNV for aims, progress, and future of the
• programs.

 We ask

• at least a PhD or equivalent level demonstrating research in new technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, robotics, data infrastructures, societal aspects of digitization;
• affinity with and preferably expertise relevant to the domain of WUR;
• proven experience in program management of research programs;
• proven experience in internal and external stakeholder management;
• proficient in English and preferably in Dutch;
• ambitious and willing to create opportunities in a changing organization.

We offer

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. We offer a competitive salary in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research. Additionally, a contract for 0,8 FTE can be discussed.
Formally you will be appointed at the department of Corporate Strategy & Accounts, and will be seconded to the WDCC.

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a multi-faceted position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

More information
For more information about this position, please contact Willem Jan Knibbe, Director of WDCC; +31 317 482 598 or willemjan.knibbe@wur.nl.

For more information about the procedure, please contact Sandra Willemsen, Corporate recruiter or Joke Toet, Recruitment support via recruitment.ssg@wur.nl.

Do you want to apply?
You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including the 6th of May, 2021. We hope to schedule the first job interviews as soon as possible after closingdate.

Equal opportunities
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our inclusive webpage. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University and Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.500 employees and 12.500 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.