Your job

We are looking for a motivated and organised Junior Project Manager to support the day-to-day coordination and delivery of research projects within the Artificial Intelligence chair group. This is an excellent opportunity for someone early in their career who is passionate about AI, impact in agriculture and food domains, and academic research, and who wants to grow in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.

Your duties and responsibilities:

• Support the planning, coordination, and monitoring of ongoing research projects across the chairgroup portfolio
• Maintain project documentation, timelines, budgets, and reporting schedules
• Liaise with internal stakeholders (researchers, faculty administration, finance) and external partners (e.g., universities, industry partners, and funding bodies)
• Assist in the preparation of progress reports, grant applications, and dissemination material
• Organise meetings, workshops, and events including agenda preparation and minute-taking
• Contribute to the Chair's communication activities, including website updates and newsletters

Your team

You will work closely with the chairholder, professors, researchers, and external partners to ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and in line with funding requirements. Examples of our funded projects include both national grants, as LTER-LIFE , and European ones as AgriscienceFM , AgrifoodTEF , and PHENET .

You will work here

The position is with the chair Artificial Intelligence , which is led by Prof. Ioannis Athanasiadis . You will work together with the staff of the AI chairgroup .

Your qualities

You are the colleague we are looking for if you are well-organised, enjoy keeping projects running smoothly, and have an interest in the role AI can play in green life science applications.

You also possess:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., computer science, agricultural sciences, business, public administration, or related)
• Strong organisational skills with a structured and detail-oriented working style
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced research environment
• Proficiency in standard office and collaboration tools (MS Office, Google Workspace, project management platforms)

In our international working environment, there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1/C2 for English. Working knowledge of Dutch (B1/B2) will be considered a plus, but it is not necessary.

WUR welcomes applications from international candidates. However, for applicants for this specific position from outside the EU/EFTA zone, immigration restrictions may apply based on Dutch and EU immigration laws. Such candidates may be eligible for an " orientation year " in the Netherlands or a visa as a " knowledge migrant ".

We offer

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 € 3.382 and €4.484 for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 8). This position is available for a contract of two days a week (0.4 FTE) up to five days a week (1.0 FTE). 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.

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. 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.

Important information

For more information about the position, please contact Prof. Ioannis Athanasiadis via email: ioannis.athanasiadis@wur.nl .
Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Noorien Abbas, Corporate Recruiter, via vacaturemeldingen.psg@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 to and including Friday May 29th 2026. The first interviews are scheduled for Friday June 12th onwards. Internal candidates are preferred to apply before May 10th, 2026. The position is available to be filled immediately, or at a later stage no later than Oct 1st, 2026.

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". 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.