As a Senior Greenhouse Trial Keeper, you are responsible for the planning, execution, and supervision of greenhouse and cultivation trials at our research facility in Bleiswijk. Drawing on your extensive experience in horticulture, you ensure that every trial is carried out according to plan and that researchers can rely on optimal crop management throughout the trial.
Please note that while this vacancy is advertised in English, Dutch is the primary working language, and proficiency in Dutch is required for this role.
You coordinate the required people, materials, and resources, monitor progress, and take responsibility for key aspects of crop cultivation, including irrigation, fertilisation, greenhouse climate control, crop health, and crop protection.
Throughout each trial, you are the crop specialist. You closely monitor crop development, identify deviations at an early stage, and communicate your findings with researchers and colleagues to ensure the successful execution of every trial.
As a Trial Keeper, you play a key role in ensuring that pioneering greenhouse horticulture research is carried out with the highest possible level of accuracy and precision. You will be responsible for several greenhouse compartments and will have access to all the resources you need to successfully deliver your trials.
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Conducting crop trials in greenhouses and/or the vertical farm.
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Participating in on-call and emergency response duties, including approximately five weekends per year.
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Actively contributing to the training and development of colleagues.
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Contributing to the overall quality and continuous improvement of the trial facility.
You will join a team of experienced Trial Keepers, technicians, and cropworkers who are dedicated to executing research trials with the highest level of precision every day.
You will be based at our research facility in Bleiswijk. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) operates approximately 120 greenhouse compartments and four vertical farming cells across a 5-hectare site. Here, we conduct the full spectrum of greenhouse horticulture research, ranging from robotics and autonomous cultivation to crop health, plant physiology, and energy-efficient production systems.
Around 150 WUR employees work at the Bleiswijk location. As a Trial Keeper, you will be part of the Greenhouse Facility team, consisting of approximately 30 colleagues.
You are a collaborative and proactive professional with extensive crop production expertise and strong interpersonal skills.
In addition, you bring:
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At least 5 years of hands-on growing experience in greenhouse horticulture.
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A Dutch Spraying licence at the level of advisor.
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Knowledge of and experience with greenhouse climate control systems.
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Demonstrable experience with tissue culture and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).
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Good command of the Dutch language, both spoken and written.
In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level B2
Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
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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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sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
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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 of course receive a good salary. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between €2.979,- and €3.893,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 7). We initially offer a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the organisation’s financial situation.
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.
For more information about the position, please contact Reinder van der Spek, teamlead horticulture via 06-31493133 of e-mail: [email protected]
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Ine van’t Land, corporate recruiter, via [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 August 10, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before 1 august 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.
