Research Assistant in Product Quality

Vacancy

Research Assistant in Product Quality

article_published_on_label July 8, 2025

Location Bleiswijk End date Mon 28 July 2025 Respond Click here to respond

Your job

As a Research Assistant in Product Quality, you will be involved in our sensory panel research on fresh produce such as tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, and other crops. Your responsibilities will include conducting basic taste tests and expert evaluations, inviting panel members, preparing sensory tests using EyeQuestion and EyeContact, supporting panel training sessions, maintaining data files for panel member payments, and preparing and supervising evening panel sessions. In addition, we carry out shelf-life studies in which we evaluate the quality of fresh produce during storage.

Please note: a good command of the Dutch language is an essential requirement for this role.

Your tasks and responsibilities as a Research Assistant in Product Quality include:

• Organising and conducting basic and expert taste tests with a sensory panel
• Supporting panel training sessions
• Organising and conducting shelf-life tests for fresh produce
• Performing quality assessments
• Conducting measurements in other laboratories and in greenhouse experiments, when necessary
  
  

Your Team

You will work closely with colleagues (researchers and research assistants) in the Product Quality group, conducting sensory evaluations and shelf-life research. You will collaborate intensively with plant breeding companies and growers who submit their products for panel testing. The group is part of the Crop Physiology and Product Quality team, which consists of around 20 staff members. We investigate various aspects of the production and quality of greenhouse-grown crops.

Where You Will Be Working

Wageningen University & Research’s Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture is the internationally leading institute for contract research in greenhouse horticulture. We focus on innovation. Together with partners from industry, science, and government, we analyse challenges in areas such as greenhouse design, crop management, and cultivation, and translate these into applied research and innovation.

The Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture employs around 160 staff members and consists of seven research groups:

• Greenhouse Technology
• Greenhouse Automation and Robotics
• Crop Health
• Physiology and Product Quality
• Root Zone Dynamics
• Crop Management and Cultivation
• Greenhouse Facilities Horticulture
  
  

Your qualities

You are a communicative and people-oriented person, fluent in Dutch, with experience using Microsoft Office applications such as Excel, Word, and Outlook. You have basic laboratory experience and a genuine interest in the sensory perception of fresh produce such as tomatoes, strawberries, and cucumbers. You are also interested in the horticultural sector and are willing to work flexibly across our various laboratories and participate in greenhouse trials.

You Also Bring

• A Sensoric Researcher A certificate
• Relevant work experience
• User experience with EyeQuestion
• Strong command of the Dutch language
  
  

In our international working environment, English is increasingly used for communication. For this position, a minimum language level of B1 in English is required. If you do not yet meet this level, we will of course support you — you can make use of our language centre, Wageningen in’to Language.

We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• 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. We offer, depending on your experience, a competitive gross salary of between € 2.795,- and € 3.682,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 7). This position is offered for 24 - 32 hours.

As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended - if possible within (company) organizational circumstances - on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

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”.

Do you want more information?

For more information about the position, please contact Anne Elings, Team Leader Physiology and Product Quality, 06-53711095, anne.elings@wur.nl, or Eva Ketel, Product Quality Researcher, 06-42529417, eva.ketel@wur.nl.

Questions about the procedure? Get in touch with Dax Teunissen, 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 until July 28th, 2025.

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’.

We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

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