Postdoctoral fellow For the ERC funded project WoodCulture

Position
This Postdoc position is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) within the Starting Grant program. The funded WoodCulture project (ERC-2024-StG DOI 10.3030/101165305), led by PI dr. Marta Domínguez Delmás, is entitled Domestic forests and wood culture in the continental Euro-Atlantic region (1300 – 1600 CE): explaining change and redressing biased perspectives. This project aims to explain changes on and redress biased perspectives about domestic forests, timber supply, building activity patterns and technological innovations in the continental Euro-Atlantic region during the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance (c. 1300-1600 CE). Within WoodCulture, the objective of Work Package 1 is to redress the current data bias in dendrochronological archives by incorporating the tree-ring series of hitherto unstudied timbers from young fast-growing trees in historic buildings, archaeological sites and shipwrecks. Stable oxygen isotope chronologies will be developed and implemented for this purpose. In close collaboration with the PI and other team members you will be in charge of developing such chronologies and work on case studies to test the hypothesis defined in this WP. Besides scientific aspects, this position will allow you to learn about techniques implemented in the other WPs, and to take part in the organisation of seminars and an international conference in collaboration with the rest of the team. There will also be opportunities to supervise BA/BSc/MA/MSc students if desired.

General requirements and skills
We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated candidate with a PhD degree in Forestry/Bioarchaeology/Geography/Biology/Life sciences/Environmental Sciences or a related discipline and with expertise in tree-ring sciences (preferably in isotope dendrochronology) and/or with experience in studies about human-environment interactions. Strong analytical skills (proficient use of R), demonstrated by outstanding publications, are desirable.

Excellent knowledge of the English language (written and verbal) is required. The candidate should also have outstanding time management and organisational skills, and the ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within the project and the Naturalis research group. Dissemination and outreach activities are a strong pillar of what we do and the candidate will be expected to engage in them.

This is an on-site position with working stations based mostly in Leiden (Naturalis), and also in Amersfoort (Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands), where the successful candidate will be appointed as a guest researcher. This position includes lab work, travelling for fieldwork and to conferences and workshops.

We offer
A contract (32 hours per week) for a period of one year, with the possibility of extension after successful evaluation until February 2028, and a monthly starting salary between € 3,768.- and € 4,897.- gross (based on full time employment, 36 hours), depending on relevant experience. You also get an allowance for travel expenses, holiday allowance (8%) and year-end bonus (3.4%). The starting date is 1 September 2025. Naturalis Biodiversity Center offers an inspiring working atmosphere with effective and efficient supervision of our PhD and Postdoc candidates. Our Research Coordination Office also provides ample support to our scientific staff. Our institute promotes gender equality and strives to enhance the diversity of staff members.

Procedure
Feel free to contact marta.dominguezdelmas@naturalis.nl with questions about the position. For procedural questions related to the application please contact HR: sollicitaties@naturalis.nl.

Applicants are invited to submit their application in one pdf, including:

A motivation letter (max. 2 pages) that states a.o. your motivation to join the project, your past experience, what you would bring to the project, and how you work in a team
CV (max. 3 pages)
Names and email addresses of two referees that may be contacted to provide references.

Please use this form for your application no later than May 18, 2025 CEST. Interviews are foreseen to take place in the first half of June.

Naturalis endorses the Cultural Diversity Code. In the case of equal suitability, preference is given to the candidate who reinforces diversity within the team.

If you are a recruitment agency please don’t contact us.

Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden is the National Biodiversity Center for biodiversity and systematics. We host over 120 researchers, including 15 academia-embedded professors, 50 PhD students and 20 postdoctoral fellows. Our programme on research and innovation includes digital-concept and research projects and the large research infrastructures of national (ARISE, eDentity) and pan-European scale (DiSSCo, BGE). With our collection of 43 million specimens, one of the world’s largest natural history collections, and our state-of-the-art research facilities, we offer the (inter)national research infrastructure for
species identification and monitoring, transnational and virtual access to collections and experts or training. We present the history of our planet and the diversity of life on Earth through permanent and temporary museum exhibitions, educational programmes, and online presence, with more than 500,000 visitors per year. All in all, a unique combination of science and culture in the Netherlands and elsewhere in the world!

The research department is organised in 9 research groups. The current position will be in the research group Functional Traits. Naturalis has a completely new lab building, including state-of-the-art molecular facilities, microCT scanners and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM).