Are you interested in developing next-generation modelling tools for sustainable food production? Do you enjoy working at the interface of engineering, environmental sciences, and systems analysis?
As a PhD candidate, you will develop an integrated modelling framework to analyze the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), including greenhouse and vertical farming systems.
Future circular CEA systems rely on the integration of greenhouse production, renewable energy, livestock production, and wastewater treatment to recover and reuse water, nutrients, carbon dioxide, heat, and energy. However, these systems operate at different spatial and temporal scales, making their interactions difficult to analyze with existing modelling approaches.
Using this framework, you will analyze resource flows, evaluate circularity scenarios, and support sustainable design and decision-making across interconnected sectors.
This PhD is part of the Greenhouse in Transition program, jointly funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR, USA). The program brings together 29 industrial and 17 academic partners across the Netherlands and the United States and will employ 11 PhD candidates, 1 EngD candidate and 4 postdoctoral researchers.
You will closely collaborate with another PhD candidate developing optimization and operational control strategies for circular CEA systems. Together, the two projects will establish the modelling and optimization foundations for future circular greenhouse and vertical farming systems.
Your duties and responsibilities include:
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develop an integrated modelling framework to represent interactions between greenhouse p research findings through peer-reviewed publications and complete a PhD thesis.roduction, renewable energy, livestock production, and wastewater treatment systems;
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analyze water, energy, carbon, and nutrient flows to evaluate circularity, sustainability, and resource efficiency under different scenarios;
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implement and validate simulation models for system analysis, scenario evaluation, and future optimization;
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collaborateclosely with researchers, industrial partners, and fellow PhD candidates within the Greenhouse in Transition program, sharing data and research findings and participating in regular project and consortium meetings；
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dissseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications and complete a PhD thesis.
Your team
This position is embedded within the Agricultural Biosystems Engineering (ABE) group at Wageningen University & Research. The chair group is led by Prof. Peter Groot Koerkamp.
You will be supervised by Dr. Congcong Sun and Dr. Argyris Kanellopoulos, with Prof. Peter Groot Koerkamp serving as your promotor.
You will work here
The Agricultural Biosystems Engineering (ABE) group uses and develops state-of-the-art technology to improve agricultural biosystems and make them more sustainable. ABE studies how plants, animals, soil, technology, and people interact, and how we can design smarter systems for the future. The commitment of ABE is rooted in understanding the complexity of agricultural biosystems to leverage system-specific technological concepts and the underlying scientific and engineering principles to design, optimize, and manage agricultural biosystems and their impacts on society and ecosystems
You are interested in systems modelling, sustainability, and circular food production. You enjoy combining engineering, modelling, and data analysis to solve complex real-world challenges.
You also possess:
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a Msc degree in Biosystems Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field;
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experience with dynamic systems modelling, simulation, system dynamics, agent-based modelling, or related approaches;
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programming experience in Python, MATLAB, or similar environments;
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strong analytical skills combined with an explorative mindset;
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an interest in resource recovery, WEF nexus analysis, and circular food systems;
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good communication skills, proficiency in English (both oral and in scientific writing) and the ability to work independently while contributing effectively to an interdisciplinary research team.
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
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partially paid parental leave;
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working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
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there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
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a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
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excellent pension scheme.
In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.
The gross salary for the first year is € 3,204.- per month rising to € 4,051.- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 12 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well. The project is 4 years, with a intended starting date of 1 November 2026.
If you are an internal employee, your current contract is the starting point. Ask your HR Business Partner about your situation specifically. We encourage development and internal mobility within our organisation. Our recruitment and selection policy sets out the conditions that apply specifically to you as a (former) employee. If you have any questions, we are happy to help.
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.
For more information about the position, please contact Congcong Sun, assistant professor of intelligent control systems, via phonenumber: +31 618869125 or via email: [email protected].
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Dax Teunissen, Corporate Recruiter, via email: [email protected].
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 to and including Monday August 24th, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before Monday August 3, 2026.
Applications are reviewed regularly. Therefore, the position may be filled before the stated closing date.
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.
The mission of Wageningen University & 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, 7,600 employees (6,700 fte) and 13,100 students and over 150,000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch the video below to get an idea of our green campus!
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
