Would you like to contribute to the conservation of the genetic diversity of our food crops? Do you find it appealing to make a meaningful contribution within a close-knit, motivated team, working in collaboration with colleagues both nationally and internationally? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you as a Crop Collections Curator at the Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN), part of Wageningen Plant Research.
As our new curator, you will be involved in the management of several key crop collections. You will be responsible for:
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the curation of the tomato and sweet pepper collections;
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the curation of the legume collections: beans, pea, faba bean and lupin.
Tomato and sweet pepper are two of the most important vegetable crops within the CGN collection. These collections consist of thousands of accessions that must be maintained, tested for phytosanitary status, genetically and phenotypically characterised, and made available to users both in the Netherlands and internationally.
In addition, you will manage the legume collections, comprising beans (Phaseolus), pea, faba bean and lupin. These collections are of major importance for global food security and sustainable agriculture, and are receiving considerable attention due to the growing interest in plant-based proteins.
In concrete terms, this means you will be involved in:
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maintaining, regenerating and monitoring the collections;
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carrying out phytosanitary testing and safeguarding the health of the plant material;
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genetic and phenotypic description (characterisation) of accessions;
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providing material to users worldwide;
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contributing to national and international networks and collaborations in the field of plant genetic resources;
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communicating with users, researchers and fellow curators.
Your contribution is crucial to the secure conservation of our genetic resources, ensuring they remain available worldwide for research and use.
You will be working within a team of around 14 colleagues at the genebank, including several fellow curators. You will also collaborate with external partners such as plant breeders, researchers and curators of genebanks elsewhere in the world.
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has at least a higher professional education (HBO) level of thinking and working;
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has knowledge of genetics and/or plant breeding;
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is interested in working at a genebank and in the conservation of biodiversity;
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is accurate, responsible and proactive;
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has strong communication skills and is a true team player;
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is willing to take responsibility and to continue developing broadly.
In short, we are primarily looking for a great new colleague who fits well within the CGN team, and who is motivated and flexible.
Given our international working environment, English is increasingly used as the main language of communication. For this position, a B2 level of English is required. If you have not yet reached this level, we will of course support you, and you can make use of our language centre, Wageningen in’to Language.
You will see that there are plenty of challenges awaiting you. These can also be viewed as opportunities for development. Therefore, if you do not yet have the exact track record requested in the vacancy, but do have solid relevant work experience, we would still very much like to encourage you to apply.
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 € 3,482.- tot maximaal € 4,929.- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 9). Additionally, for this role a contract for 32 to 36 hours can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance.
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. If you come with a partner, we offer a Dual Career group program organized by our Welcome Center. This program helps your partner to get familiar with the Dutch culture, labour market and assists your partner to find a job.
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 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 Rik Lievers, Crop Coordinator, via phone number: +31 6-34510697 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 June 22, 2026. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before May 29, 2026.
We review applications on a rolling basis, including before the closing date. As a result, the vacancy may close earlier than indicated.
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.
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.
