The Science, Engineering and Technology Group of KU Leuven, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, invites scholars to apply for a full‐time research professorship in the Division of Soil and Water Management. This position is funded by the Special Research Fund (BOFZAP), established by the Flemish Government.
We are looking for motivated and internationally oriented candidates with an excellent research record and educational competence in the field of soil-plant-water interactions. The appointment is expected to start on September 1, 2026. Applications will be evaluated in parallel and independently by (1) the KU Leuven Research Council in a competitive process across academic domains, and (2) the faculty advisory committee. During the first 10 years, the teaching obligations as a research professor will be limited. Afterwards, the position will be transformed into a regular professorship.
The thin layer of the Earth’s surface extending from the groundwater to the vegetation canopy is referred to as the “critical zone”, due to its crucial role in terrestrial processes. Investigating the interactions between abiotic and biotic components at different spatial and temporal scales is essential to unravelling the functioning of this dynamic interface, and to ensure sustainable and productive use of the critical zone, while safeguarding its ecosystem functions and services for humans.
We seek a candidate to develop an innovative research programme on the soil-plant-water interactions and processes acting in the critical zone. Research on the soil-plant-water nexus can be carried out at or across different scales ranging from the plot to the catchment scale, but must envision applications in agroecosystems and consider socio-economic impacts. The methodological approach is flexible, but will ideally combine field observations with laboratory experiments and/or modelling techniques. This may include, for example, novel sensing technologies, innovative tracer techniques (e.g., stable isotopes), the establishment of long-term field monitoring sites, and/or the combination of data science (machine learning, artificial intelligence) with mechanistic or process-based models.
This position will be embedded in the Division of Soil and Water Management of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences of KU Leuven. The Department offers state-of-the-art laboratory and greenhouse facilities and access to diverse field sites, providing an excellent environment for conducting high-impact research. The Department conducts high-quality research on the functioning of geo- and ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales, including human-environment interactions and sustainable management of natural resources. Members of the department contribute to education in various degree programmes, centered on geo- and ecosystems, including bachelor's and master's degrees in geography, geology and bioengineering, and master's programmes in tourism, sustainable development and water resources engineering.
Research in the Division of Soil and Water Management covers the physical, chemical and biological processes in the environment, with a focus on their interactions within agro- and ecosystems. Key topics include water and solute transport processes in soils and plants, risk analysis and speciation of metals and nutrients, and the dynamics of elemental and greenhouse gas fluxes in ecosystems. Within agroecosystems, we investigate efficient crop water use efficiency and long-term trends in soil health. Land surface processes are investigated through detailed process studies and large-scale modelling, integrating remote sensing and data assimilation to explore soil-water-vegetation-snow- atmosphere interactions. Within the domain of environmental microbiology, our group studies the ecology of microbial communities degrading anthropogenic pollutants and the role of microbial processes in supporting a circular bioeconomy.
Website unit
Duties
Research
The appointed candidate will be expected to develop a competitive research programme within the domain of soil-plant-water interactions, to pursue excellent scientific results at the international level and to support and promote national and international research partnerships. The candidate must have or demonstrate the potential for a strong research profile. In addition, the candidate is expected to have a multidisciplinary attitude and a willingness to cooperate intensively with other researchers and research units at KU Leuven [e.g., the Division of Crop Biotechnics, Division of Forest, Nature & Landscape, Division of Geography and Tourism, the KU Leuven Plant Institute, …], and beyond.
The candidate:
- Is an excellent, internationally oriented researcher and develops a research programme at the forefront of the field of soil-plant-water interactions, with interests in both agro- and ecosystems.
- Strengthens existing research lines and contributes complementary or new expertise to develop new research lines through collaboration within and beyond the research unit.
- Is willing to contribute to the experimental and/or modelling facilities of the Division depending on their expertise.
- Publishes at the highest scientific level in disciplinary and interdisciplinary international journals
- Develops his/her own research group, and aims to acquire competitive research funding from national and/or international agencies; regularly submitting effective research project proposals.
- Supervises, motivates and coaches master students, PhD students and postdocs.
- Establishes national and international partnerships in the context of the research programme.
- Strives for excellence in research and contributes to the international research reputation of the division of Soil and Water Management, the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Science, Engineering and Technology Group of KU Leuven.
- Has a pronounced interest in fundamental research but also pays attention to research valorization and applications, e.g. through its impact on agro ecosystem management or through Research for Development in collaboration with partners in the Global South.
Teaching
Although the position will be a research professorship at the start of the appointment, the position also includes a teaching assignment in either soil-water modelling or agricultural water management, which will be developed gradually, in particular in the broad field of water management, climate and/or soil science in the masters programmes of Water Resources Engineering (IUPWARE), Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering (ACE), and/or Land Management. You will also contribute to the educational ambitions of the faculty/university through the supervision of bachelor and master theses and as a promoter of PhD students. You will develop your teaching in accordance with KU Leuven’s vision on research-based and activating education and make use of the possibilities for educational professionalisation offered by the faculty and the university.
Service
As a member of the academic staff of KU Leuven, you play an important role in society through your research and teaching, but also through your participation in the public debate, your contributions to policy-supporting research projects for governments from the local to the European level, your participation in research-for-development projects (collaboration with developing countries). You will gradually take up an active role in councils, educational committees, working groups within the university and in particular, within the division, department and faculty.
Requirements
- You obtained a PhD in Bioscience Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or in a related field and have a strong research track record in original agrosystem and/or ecosystem studies at the soil, water, plant and atmosphere nexus.
- If you have recently obtained your PhD, it is important that you support your research and growth potential with academic references, e.g., demonstrate potential through top publications, academic references, promising research projects and articles in preparation.
- Your expertise complements the existing expertise in the Department on erosion and sediment transport, groundwater and contaminant hydrology, aquatic biogeochemistry, stable isotope techniques, soil water management, climate modelling, water economics, land surface remote sensing, crop modelling, land modelling and data assimilation, terrestrial ecology, forestry and biodiversity.
- The quality of your research is proven by a solid publication record (taking into account academic seniority), with a consistent track record of publishing in established international journals (disciplinary and interdisciplinary) and a good record of impact (e.g. through citations).
- International research experience is considered as an important advantage.
- You have demonstrated qualities related to academic education. Teaching experience is an advantage.
- You possess organizational skills and have a cooperative attitude. You also have leadership skills within a university context. This is complemented by strong interpersonal skills and the ability to function in international teams.
- Your spoken and written English is excellent. The official administrative language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in administrative meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch resp. English to the required standard.
Offer
- We offer full-time employment in an intellectually challenging environment. KU Leuven is an research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly inter- and multidisciplinary focused and strives for international excellence. In this regard, we actively collaborate with research partners in Belgium and abroad. We provide our students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.
- Depending on your qualifications and academic experience, you will be appointed to or tenured in one of the grades of the senior academic staff: assistant professor, associate professor, professor or full professor. In principle, junior researchers are appointed as assistant professors at the tenure track level for a period of 5 years; after this period and a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed as an associate professor.
- You will work in Leuven, a historic, dynamic and vibrant city located in the heart of Belgium, within twenty minutes from Brussels, the capital of the European Union, and less than two hours from Paris, London, Cologne, and Amsterdam.
- KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration and administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, …
- KU Leuven offers attractive start-up funding (110 k€) during the first 2 years of appointment to professors, subject to eligibility criteria set by KU Leuven, with an additional contribution from the Department, i.e., a scholarship equivalent for one PhD student to work with the applicant. The hosting group houses a range of analytical facilities relevant for the profile (stable isotope instrumentation, (LA-)ICP-MS and ICP-OES, growth chambers, radioactive tracer work, LC-MS/MS, state-of-the-art microbiological and molecular methods, …), and has access to excellent HPC computing facilities and support.
More information
Full application and selection procedure Research Professorships (BOFZAP)
Interested?
More information on the content of the job can be obtained from the academic contact person Steven Bouillon ([email protected]).
More information on the guidelines, regulations and application file is available from Ms. Kristin Vermeylen ([email protected] , tel. +32 16 32 09 07) or Ms. Martine van Nierop ([email protected] , tel. +32 16 32 76 98).
For a full description of the procedure and information on annexes and templates, follow the link 'Full application and selection procedure Research Professorships (BOFZAP)' under 'More information'. Please read this before you start your application
Please submit your application in English. For problems with online applying, please contact [email protected].
KU Leuven places great importance on research integrity and ethical conduct and will therefore ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.
