Postdoctoral researcher: nutrition and cancer epidemiology

You will work on a 4-year project funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO). This project is a collaboration between Erasmus University Medical Center and Wageningen University in which two postdoctoral researchers will work together to investigate the cell-of-origin of colon cancer arisen in the context of diet-induced inflammation. As the postdoctoral researcher at Wageningen University, you will specifically focus on the relationships between western-style dietary habits and consensus-molecular subtypes as well as immune-cell infiltration in the tumor of colon cancer patients.

In addition to this project, you will be involved in further developing a research line on cancer prevention within the institute 4 Preventive Health.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• to coordinate a nested case-control study within the COLON cohort in terms of sample collection, selection and lab measurements;
• to perform epidemiological data analyses on the intersection between diet, inflammatory markers and cancer outcomes;
• to publish the findings in peer-reviewed high-impact journals and present research output at international conferences;
• to supervise BSc- and MSc-students;
• to collaborate with experts from various disciplines and contribute to innovative ideas to the cancer research field.

Your team
You will become member of the research group of Dr. Fränzel van Duijnhoven, which currently consists of 6 PhD students and 2 postdocs. Within the NWO-project, you will closely collaborate with the postdoc and Principal Investigator (Prof. dr. Riccardo Fodde) at Erasmus MC and with colleagues involved in the COLON study at Wageningen University. For the research line on cancer prevention, you will assist Dr. Fränzel van Duijnhoven and closely collaborate with several health research professionals within the institute 4 Preventive Health.

Your qualities

You are an enthusiastic researcher that is able to simultaneously dive into complex epidemiological issues and contribute to other aspects of performing science in a larger research collaboration, i.e. managing the project, exchanging ideas within a multidisciplinary team, (co-)writing grant proposals, and disseminating knowledge. You communicate easily in word and writing, have a good proficiency in English, and can work on the various abovementioned aspects independently.

You also possess:

• a PhD in epidemiology, (bio)medical sciences, health sciences, or a related field;
• work experience in cancer research;
• work experience with complex data analyses;
• demonstrable affinity with biological markers and biological mechanisms;
• the ability to manage multiple projects at the same time.

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1.

You will work here
Your position will be embedded in the Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Chair group Nutrition and Disease, at Wageningen University. You will be supervised by Dr. Fränzel van Duijnhoven.

We offer you

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

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• 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 year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.378,- and € 6.209,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10 – 11).

As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended to 4 years, if possible within (company) organizational circumstances, on good performance. The contract we will offer is for 4 days a week.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the “best university” in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

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.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands 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 coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

Do you want more information?

For more information about the position, please contact Fränzel van Duijnhoven, Associate Professor, by email: franzel.vanduijnhoven@wur.nl.

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Rutger Voorrips, Corporate Recruiter, by email: rutger.voorrips@wur.nl.

Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

You can apply up and until 16th of June 2025. The first interviews are scheduled shortly after the closing date.

Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure.

Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone’s unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.

We are

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.