Vacancy: Senior Soil Scientist

Are you an enthusiastic researcher with a deep knowledge of soils, soil management and soil fertility? Are you passionate about applying your knowledge to developing soil information products that support decision-making in environmental modelling and sustainable soil management? Would you like to work in a stimulating, international environment? Then this position as Senior Soil Scientist may well be the job for you.

To strengthen our team, we are hiring a Senior Soil Scientist. With your thorough understanding of the soil, you will actively contribute to the further development of ISRIC’s flagship soil information product, the ‘WOSIS’ soil profile database and its links with ‘SoilGrids’, together with a team of technical specialists. You will also apply your expertise to the development of other products, tools and services that support decision-making in sustainable land management in various projects. Your affinity for working with (geospatial) soil data and knowledge about FAIR data principles and data standards will help ensure that products are of high quality and are widely used. Your effective interpersonal skills will be beneficial within the international environment and interdisciplinary nature of our projects. With your background you can also contribute to the training and education we provide in our World Soil Museum and engage with our international ‘Community of Practice of Soil Information Providers’. ISRIC is accredited as the ‘World Data Centre for Soils’ under the ISC World Data System, and you might very well be our next representative.

The most important tasks

• lead the content and strategic development of WOSIS;
• coordinate the strategy for collection and standardisation of soil data in different projects;
• actively contribute soil expertise to the development of soil data applications and support tools in international projects;
• contribute to ISRIC’s Community of Practice of Soil Information Providers;
• contribute to the acquisition of new projects.
• lead or contribute to the writing of publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals

Your qualities
You are an enthusiastic soil scientist and a team player. You have a good track-record in (applied) research projects and a background in working with soil data. You work conscientious and have an eye for detail. You have:

• an academic degree (MSc or PhD) in soil science or environmental science with a strong focus on soil science;
• substantial prior working experience in soil science of at least five and preferably 10 years; experience with leading research projects is a plus
• a solid background in pedology with experience in soil description and classification, and extensive knowledge about the role of soil in societal issues related to climate change, carbon cycle, soil fertility, soil health and sustainable land management.
• affinity with working with soil data, soil databases and data standards and experience with data standardisation;
• excellent command of English
• excellent English writing skills and the ability and interest to publish high-quality scientific papers;
• good communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to work in an international team.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 4 May 2025

More information can be found here

You can apply directly using the apply button here, which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.