Post-doctoral Researcher: Causes and consequences of early-life movement decisions of black-tailed godwits in Dutch and German grassland landscapes

This vacancy is only available in English

We are seeking an ambitious Post-doctoral Researcher to join a pioneering research initiative at the intersection of high-tech ecological monitoring, movement and spatial ecology, and avian conservation. This position is integrated into two major projects: Interreg North-West Europe FARMBIRD and Godwit Chick Survival. We are looking for a motivated professional with expertise in analysing movement (tracking) and spatial (remote sensing) data with an ecological mindset.

The selected candidate will be hired by the Faculty of Science and Engineering (administratively within the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences). The position is based in the city of Leeuwarden, the headquarters of the BirdEyes, Centre for Global Ecological Change, with strong links to the Faculty Campus Fryslân and with the Zernike Campus in Groningen. It includes both desk-based and field work activities, within a multicultural and diverse team of ecologists and conservation professionals.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Apply no later than: 8 July 2026 23:59 Dutch local time

0.8 - 1 FTE

€4.241 - €4.571

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Post-doctoral Researcher: Causes and consequences of early-life movement decisions of black-tailed godwits in Dutch and German grassland landscapes
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https://werkenbij.rug.nl/vacature/post-doctoral-researcher-causes-and-consequences-of-early-life-movement-decisions-of-black-tailed-godwits-in-dutch-and-german-grassland-landscapes-2118/?lang=en

What are you going to do?

The successful candidate will lead technological developments and quantitative ecological analyses across both projects. The profile needed is of a team-player, that can integrate well with all senior, post-doc, and PhD researchers working in the same aspects in both projects. Therefore, the candidate will be expected to shape his work and tasks to complement and strengthen current efforts in the team, and expand them further.

General tasks

The successful candidate is expected to:

• Develop independent and creative research, including data collection, but mostly focused on analyses, and scientific paper writing, in collaboration with senior and early-career researchers involved in each project.
• Leading the drafting of specific project report sections for FARMBIRD and Godwit Chick Survival.
• Lead or assist in field work activities related to catching and tagging of pre- and post-fledging godwit chicks and adults, the development of a drone-based remote sensing method to map habitat and vegetation structure, and the ground-truthing of environmental conditions and social context at post-fledging and recruitment sites.
• Engage in active creative and scientific communication of the research through different means.

In addition, the post-doc will have the opportunity to co-supervise BS, MSc and PhD student projects, and to develop collaborations with other members in the BirdEyes team - in particular those working on godwit / meadowbird conservation in two on-going LIFE research programs (LIFE IP GrassBirdHabitat and LIFE Godwit Flyway).

Main tasks for FARMBIRD

• High-resolution chick tracking: Lead/support the development and implementation of state-of-the-art high-resolution meadow-bird tracking systems to monitor the movements of black-tailed godwit chicks.
• Machine learning & Remote Sensing of habitat structure: Develop and refine ML algorithms using multispectral and radar satellite imagery and UAV multispectral and LiDAR imagery to assess fine-scale habitat characteristics and changes in vegetation structure in chick-tracking areas.
• Mapping of godwit-chick survival risk: Merge godwit chick tracking and high-resolution habitat mapping to create a spatial-temporal map of godwit chick survival risk in Southwest Friesland and in the Dümmer, based on species distribution models.

Main tasks for Godwit Chick Survival

In this part of the project, we examine habitat selection of the Black-tailed Godwit in the breeding range, specifically during chick and post-fledging stages, and after recruitment. The postdoc will determine the precise scope of their work in close collaboration with PhD students in the Godwit Chick Survival project, and will leverage diverse tracking datasets to address questions about movement at distinct scales:

• Microhabitat use and mobility before fledging: Support ultra high-resolution tracking of godwit chicks using local radio-based telemetry networks in combination with high-resolution drone imagery (optical and LIDAR) to determine how vegetation structure shapes pre-fledging mobility (strongly connected to FarmBird tasks).
• Post-fledging movement analysis: Lead analyses of regional scale movements and habitat selection during the post-fledging phase of young godwits, leading up to the first migration. This task includes the use 4G-GPS tracking data in combination with satellite imagery and other habitat layers, and ground-truthing of habitat characteristics (including vegetation structure, hydrology, soil characteristics) and social context at post-fledging sites.
• Settlement and recruitment: Lead analyses of settlement decisions of godwits upon their return to the Netherlands in relation to habitat availability and conspecific attraction. This task includes the analysis of course-resolution satellite transmitter data (and possibly also GPS-GSM devices) and ground-truthing of habitat and social context at sites where godwits settle.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Apply no later than: 8 July 2026 23:59 Dutch local time

€4.241 - €4.571

Who are you?

The successful candidate will meet most of the following requirements:

• PhD degree in Ecology, Geography, Data science, Remote Sensing, or a related field.
• Technical proficiency: Experience with animal-borne tracking technology, big data analysis, and coding (R and/or Python).
• Machine Learning and remote sensing experience: Knowledge and experience in Remote Sensing and ML applications for habitat mapping and ecological modelling, or ability and willingness to quickly pick up such skills with the support of the team and dedicated training.
• Fieldwork experience: Ability or eagerness to support field campaigns, specifically involving avian tracking and ground-based habitat measurements for ground truthing remote sensing products.
• Scientific skills: Strong demonstrable skills in scientific writing and a relevant track record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Communication: Ability to communicate scientific work and findings with specialized and non-specialized audiences.
• Collaborative mindset: a team player who can work well with all the senior and early career researchers involved, and able to contribute significantly with relevant expertise and experience to develop joint plans and task division with team colleagues.
• A bridge builder: ability to positively engage within a large international consortium including technical specialists, conservation practitioners, and policymakers.
• Ethical standards and inclusivity: able to adhere to high ethical standards, including the fostering of a safe and inclusive social environment within and outside the group across all gender identities, races, cultures, and sexual orientations; conduct ethical and transparent research both in field work and in the analyses and reporting of scientific findings.

What can you expect from us?

• In accordance with the collective labor agreement for Dutch universities, we offer a salary of at least € 4.241 (schaal 10.4) up to a maximum of € 4.571 (schaal 10.6) gross per month for a full-time employment contract.
• 232 vacation hours per year, based on a 38-hour workweek (1.0 FTE). You can also work more or fewer hours in exchange for more or fewer free hours. For example, with a 40-hour workweek, you save 96 extra free hours, and with a 36-hour workweek, you lose 96 hours.
• End-of-year bonus of 8.3% and 8% holiday allowance.
• Extensive opportunities for personal and professional development.
• Scale 10.4 to 10.6 depending on the number of months (42-48) and FTE (0.8-1.0).

Where will you be working?

At the University of Groningen (UG), researchers from all fields of academia and technology are working on academic challenges and societal questions. Lecturers prepare their students for meaningful careers within or outside the academic world. Interdisciplinary research and teaching, sharing of knowledge, collaboration with businesses, government institutions, and societal organizations are aspects that are of the utmost importance to this European top university. The UG aims to be an open academic community with an inclusive and safe working climate that invites you to add your value.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) provides teaching and research across a wide range of disciplines, from physics and biology to artificial intelligence, mechanical engineering, and pharmacy. In close collaboration with partners from industry, healthcare, and society, we contribute to the urgent challenges of our time, such as energy, sustainability, digitization, and medical technology. Our community is open and informal, with more than 7,000 students, 1,000 PhD students, and 1,400 staff members from all over the world. If you would like to learn more about the Faculty of Science and Engineering, visit rug.nl/fse.

BirdEyes, Centre for Global Ecological Change is a pioneering interfaculty research center at the University of Groningen (RUG) that develops a collaborative scientific program by researchers at the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) and Campus Fryslân. The center is dedicated to understanding global environmental shifts by "seeing the world from a bird's perspective", and engaging with the Arts and Culture to inspire, interpret, and communicate ecological research. BirdEyes bridges the gap between fundamental avian migration research and urgent societal challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. The center serves as a global focal point for flyway ecology, using migratory birds as sentient sensors to expose ecological stories across continents. By tracking individual birds with high-tech multi-sensor devices, BirdEyes translates complex "big data" into narratives that resonate with scientists, policymakers, nature managers, landowners and the general public alike. Strategically located in Leeuwarden, BirdEyes acts as a "broedplaats" (breeding ground) for innovation, maintaining deep ties with the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, IBED Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics at the University of Amsterdam, the Fryske Akademy, and the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development.

Within our group you will find:

• A stimulating, internationally recognized research environment at a top-100 university.
• Primary work location: BirdEyes, Centre for Global Ecological Change, Leeuwarden.
• Access to extensive tracking datasets and cutting-edge equipment.
• Opportunities for supervision of MSc and PhD students and involvement in international knowledge exchange sessions.
• Flexibility in working schedules and office attendance according to agreements with supervision team.
• Salary and benefits according to the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO).

Project background and objectives

The successful candidate will work at the intersection of two major research initiatives, leveraging high-tech solutions to address the dramatic decline of farmland bird populations in Europe.

Interreg North-West Europe: FARMBIRD

The project FARMBIRD: Hi-Tech FARMBIRD monitoring to enhance farmbird populations and sustainable habitats (2026-2029) aims to enhance the conservation of farmland bird populations and their habitats across five key countries in Northwest Europe. The overall objective is to develop and implement advanced, data-driven monitoring systems, integrating drones, satellite imagery, acoustic monitoring, movement tracking data, and Artificial Intelligence to inform impactful policy and conservation measures aiming at stabilizing meadow breeding bird populations and restore their habitats in at least 14 breeding areas distributed in Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

BirdEyes' role in FARMBIRD is to lead the development of (1) modular, high-resolution tracking tools and workflows to track black-tailed godwit chick movements from the moment they hatch to the moment they fledge; (2) machine learning algorithms based on LiDAR and multispectral drone and satellite imagery to map and monitor changes in local and landscape scale vegetation structure and habitat conditions for these chicks; (3) analytical workflows to combine high-resolution chick tracking and remote sensing algorithms to create a map of survival risk for godwit chicks. BirdEyes is responsible for filling critical knowledge gaps regarding chick survival and habitat selection, enabling "quasi-real-time" tracking that informs adaptive land management (e.g., synchronized mowing schedules).

Godwit Chick Survival Project

The Black-tailed Godwit has undergone long-term population declines in Dutch agricultural landscapes, largely driven by insufficient chick survival during the first 20-40 days after hatching. However, the relative roles of food availability, predation, and land use-and their interactions-remain poorly understood. The Godwit Chick Survival Project addresses these knowledge gaps through field monitoring, experiments with hand-reared chicks, tracking technology, and integrated population modelling to inform effective conservation and agri-environmental management. Funded by the Ministry of LVVN, this five-year study builds on over 20 years of research in Southwest Friesland.

BirdEyes' leads the project consortium and the scientific inquiry into how food supply and predation interact to determine survival during the first 40 days of a chick's life. The project combines large-scale field monitoring with controlled experiments to disentangle the causal chains that lead to chick mortality. In Southwest Friesland, wild chicks are tracked using radio, GPS-GSM, and satellite transmitters to measure growth, habitat use, predation, and survival. Two experiments with hand-reared chicks manipulate rearing conditions: (1) a field-based enclosure experiment tests how land use affects food availability and chick growth; (2) a diet-manipulation experiment alters growth rates to assess long-term effects on migration, recruitment, and reproduction. Data are integrated in a spatially explicit population model to simulate management scenarios. Outcomes include quantified effects of food, predation, and head-starting on survival, and evidence-based conservation recommendations.