Vacancies at WildlifeNL
In the project WildlifeNL, scientists together with social partners explore how people can learn to better coexist with wild animals and large grazers in the Netherlands. Would you like to do research within an interdisciplinary team with several junior and senior researchers? Then we are looking for you!
We are looking for 6 PhD students
Wildlife numbers are increasing in the Dutch landscape, while large herbivores are also increasingly Numbers of several wild mammal species are increasing in the Dutch landscape, while free-roaming cattle and horses (hereafter, large grazers) are also increasingly used in nature management. For a densely populated country like the Netherlands, this means that there are constant interactions between people and wild mammals or large grazers. While these are often experienced as positive, they also sometimes lead to conflicts: between people and animals, or between people. With a broad consortium of researchers and societal partners, WildlifeNL studies ways to support coexistence between humans and wildlife. We investigate the interactions between humans and animals, and explore how the behaviour of wildlife and humans can be influenced in such a way that a low-conflict coexistence of humans and wildlife becomes possible. The research is approached through diverse scientific disciplines in close cooperation with various societal partners, such as nature managers, farmers, hunters, animal welfare organizations and government agencies. We are currently looking for a team of six PhD students with backgrounds in ecology, social science and philosophy.
Apply October 31st at the latest.
"If you are applying for multiple PhD positions within WildlifeNL, we expect you to submit individualized applications for each position. Please also mention in your application that you have applied for other positions within the collective call."
1. Philosophical and ethical aspects of the human-wildlife relationship
As a PhD candidate Philosophical and ethical aspects of the human-wildlife relationship (at Radboud University), you will focus within the WildlifeNL team on studying ideas and assumptions underlying the way people interact with wildlife and large grazers . You will investigate how different stakeholders deal with the ethical dilemmas in the relationship with wild animals, as well as look at alternative approaches to the relationship between humans and wildlife. You will also examine ethical and philosophical implications of the increasing role of technology (digital monitoring and surveillance) in wildlife management. How might the use of such technologies affect the human-nature relationship? You will conduct conversations with stakeholders about underlying ideas and concerns and seek shared values and perspectives that can play a role in finding a peaceful coexistence of humans and wild animals.
Job requirements
- You have a master's degree in Philosophy or Ethics or similar,
- You have demonstrated good research skills. You are able to bring out the implicit normative presuppositions under social conflicts.
- You are able to combine ethical reflection with interaction with other researchers and stakeholders.
- You have the ability to work effectively independently as well as collaborate in an interdisciplinary team with PhD students, junior researchers, senior scientists and community partners.
- You have a proven interest in issues surrounding nature, wildlife management and human-wildlife interactions and in applied, socially relevant, research.
- You have excellent communication skills, you are flexible, have an open mind and are able to look beyond the boundaries of your own field of expertise.
- You speak and write fluent Dutch and English and have experience with scientific writing.
For more information about this position, please contact Martin Drenthen at
2. Communicative Aspects of Human-Wildlife Relationships
As a PhD candidate in Communicative Aspects of Human-Wildlife Relationships (at Radboud University), you will focus on studying communication processes within the WildlifeNL team. This involves understanding the significance of communication for how people and wildlife interact and how different stakeholder groups relate to each other during the research process. You examine how people in interacting with each other construct frames of risk and behaviour of wildlife and large grazers and how people should deal with them. You will also study how different stakeholders communicate and negotiate with each other to arrive at some shared idea of good interaction between people and wildlife. Stakeholder conversations will be shaped and gradually improved based on action research (doing - learning - doing better) using guidelines for “true” dialogue.
Job requirements
- You have a master's degree in Cultural Anthropology, Sociology, Communication Studies or a similar discipline.
- You have experience with discourse analysis, frame analysis, interaction analysis or discursive psychology.
- You have a proven interest in issues surrounding nature, wildlife management and human-wildlife interactions, and in applied, socially relevant, research.
- You have excellent communication skills; you talk easily with people from diverse backgrounds.
- You are a flexible team-player. You have the ability to work effectively independently, but also collaborate in an interdisciplinary team with PhD students, junior researchers, senior scientists and community partners.
- You speak and write fluent Dutch and English and have experience with scientific writing.
For more information about this position, please contact Noelle Aarts at
3. Governance of human-wildlife interactions
As a PhD candidate on the governance of human-wildlife interactions (at Utrecht University), you will explore how governance arrangements – such as rules and regulations, roles and responsibilities, and decision-making processes- are experienced and shape opportunities for human-wildlife coexistence. You will employ qualitative methods to analyse policies that influence human-wildlife interactions and their management. Through interviews with stakeholders in two living labs (Grenspark KempenBroek and Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland), you will investigate how current rules and roles are understood, implemented, and how they impact collaboration among stakeholders. Building on your qualitative insights, you will apply quantitative methods to assess stakeholder perceptions on a broader scale.
Furthermore, you will co-lead a participatory process that brings together diverse stakeholders to envision modifications to current governance arrangements, aiming to foster more mutually beneficial human-wildlife interactions and stakeholder collaboration. You will work closely with the other WildlifeNL PhD students to work towards novel strategies to promote human-wildlife coexistence.
Job requirements
- You have a master’s degree social (environmental) science, sustainability science, earth systems governance or a related area.
- You have experience with conducting policy analysis or policy tracing and are familiar with relevant theoretical frameworks. You can demonstrate an affinity with workshop facilitation or participatory research (experience = merit). You have strong qualitative or quantitative analytical skills, and willingness to develop them further.
- You have field experience with conducting stakeholder interviews and/or administering surveys.
- You are a flexible team-player. You have the ability to work effectively independently, but also collaborate in an interdisciplinary team with PhD students, junior researchers, senior scientists and community partners.
- You have a demonstrated interest in issues surrounding nature, wildlife management and human-animal interactions and in applied, socially relevant, research.
- You speak and write fluent Dutch and English and have experience with scientific writing.
For more information about this position, please contact Sabrina Dressel at
4. Human dimensions of human-wildlife interactions
As a PhD-candidate on the human dimensions of human-wildlife interactions (at Utrecht University), you will focus on studying the individual relationships between people and wildlife in two living labs, Grenspark KempenBroek and Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland. Using citizen science you will investigate what interactions people have with wildlife, how they are experienced, and where in the landscape different types of interactions occur. Based on these results you will assess the role citizen science can play to monitor and ultimately influence human-wildlife interactions and perceptions. Using qualitative methods, you will engage with different stakeholders to explore how people relate to and value wildlife. Furthermore, you will examine what concerns people have in interacting with wildlife, and what support would be needed to address these. You will work closely together with the other PhD-students to work towards novel strategies to promote human-wildlife coexistence.
Job requirements
- You have a master degree in Sustainability Science , Social (environmental) Science, or a related area.
- You have demonstrable field experience with conducting interviews and/or administering surveys, and demonstrable strong qualitative or quantitative (in R) skills, and a willingness to develop the further develop them.
- You have an interest in human-animal interactions and managing them, and are interested in citizen science and digital tools for citizen science (experience = plus).
- You are willing to do long periods of fieldwork (many months per year) (experience = a merit).
- You have excellent communication skills, you are flexible, have an open mind and you are able to look beyond the boundaries of your own field, demonstrating experience communicating with various parties/publics is considered a plus.
- You can work well independently but are also a flexible team player in an interdisciplinary team with PhD students, junior researchers, senior scientists and community partners.
- You speak and write fluent Dutch and English and have experience with scientific writing.
For more information about this position, please contact Ine Dorresteijn at
5. Ecology of Human – Large Grazers interactions
As a PhD candidate in Ecology of Human – Large Grazers interactions (at Utrecht University), you, as part of the WildlifeNL team, will focus on studying the behavioural interactions between large grazers and recreationists in two living labs, Grenspark KempenBroek and Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland. You will use technological tools to firstly better understand how and why recreationists and large grazers react to each other and in certain cases come into conflict. You will pay special attention to different types of recreationists and different species and breeds of large grazers and to the role of landscape factors. You will also investigate how wildness can be defined and may play a role in interactions between large grazers and recreationists. In a second phase, you will apply the acquired knowledge to test interventions, partly again with technological tools, that can influence animal and human behaviour in such a way that fewer conflicts arise between large grazers and recreationists. You will study all of this from a natural scientific, behavioural ecology, perspective. You will work closely with the other WildlifeNL PhD students to work towards novel strategies to promote human-wildlife coexistence.
Job requirements
- You have a Master's degree in Ecology or similar
- You have demonstrable experience with advanced statistical models in R, experience with GLMMs and the analysis of animal movement data is a merit
- You have demonstrable experience with ecological fieldwork, ideally related to the job description (e.g. with behavioural ecology work on large mammals) and for extended periods (months). Demonstrated experience with ecological field experimental approaches is a plus.
- You are willing to do long periods of fieldwork (many months per year) (experience = a merit)
- You can clearly motivate your affinity with communication as a means to influence human-animal interactions, ideally related to the job description (experience = a merit)
- You have excellent communication skills, you are flexible, have an open mind and you are able to look beyond the boundaries of your own field, demonstrating experience communicating with various parties/publics is considered a plus.
- You have a demonstrated affinity for interactions with community partners (experience is a plus, especially with partners relevant to the job description)
- You can work well independently but are also a flexible team player in an interdisciplinary team with PhD students, junior researchers, senior scientists and community partners.
- You speak and write English fluently and have experience in scientific writing.
For more information about this position, please contact Joris Cromsigt at
6. Ecology of Human – Wild Ungulate interactions
As a PhD candidate in Ecology of Human – Wild Ungulate interactions (at Utrecht University), you, as part of the WildlifeNL team, will focus on studying the behavioral interactions between wild ungulates and inhabitants in two living labs, Grenspark KempenBroek and Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennemerland. You will use technological tools to firstly better understand how and why people and wild ungulates react to each other in the ways they do and in certain cases come to conflict. In doing so, you will pay special attention to the relationships between human activity/behaviour (particularly land use and nature/wildlife management) and the factors that influence animal behaviour (particularly food availability and fear/disturbance). In a second phase, you will apply the acquired knowledge to test interventions, partly again using technological tools that can influence animal and human behaviour in such a way that lower levels of conflicts arise. You will study all of this from a natural scientific, ecological, perspective. You will work closely with the other WildlifeNL PhD students to work towards novel strategies to promote human-wildlife coexistence.
Job requirements
- You have a Master's degree in Ecology or similar
- You have demonstrable experience with advanced statistical models in R
- You have demonstrable experience with ecological fieldwork, ideally related to the job description (e.g., with camera trapping and field work related to the ecology of large mammals) and for extended periods (months). Demonstrated experience with ecological field experimental approaches is a plus.
- You are willing to do long periods of fieldwork (many months per year) (experience = a merit)
- You have demonstrable affinity, ideally experience, with the relationships between wildlife and human land use (e.g. agriculture), demonstrable affinity with wildlife ungulate management is a plus
- You have excellent communication skills, you are flexible, have an open mind and you are able to look beyond the boundaries of your own field, demonstrating experience communicating with various parties/publics is considered a plus.
- You have a demonstrated affinity for interactions with community partners (experience is a plus, especially with partners relevant to the job description)
- You can work well independently but are also a flexible team player in an interdisciplinary team with PhD students, junior researchers, senior scientists and community partners.
- You speak and write English fluently and have experience in scientific writing.
For more information about this position, please contact Joris Cromsigt at