Your job
WE ARE LOOKING FOR ENTHUSIASTIC AND AMBITIOUS TALENTS!
Are you an ambitious economist who wants to use your knowledge to create societal impact in the agro-food sector, including green and blue spaces and global challenges? Would you like to be part of the team of trainees bringing fresh insights and new energy to Wageningen Social & Economic Research? Do you want to contribute your talent to research on innovative solutions, both nationally and internationally? Then we would love to hear from you.
How does the traineeship work?
Starting on March 2, 2026, you will spend two years learning and working at Wageningen Social & Economic Research (WSER). You will join a diverse team of 12 to 15 fellow trainees from various disciplines. Your first point of contact will be the trainee coordinator, who guides the team, helps you find your way in our organization, and facilitates your personal and professional development.
You will contribute to various research projects within different groups at Wageningen Social & Economic Research, getting to know our organization in a unique way. Our projects focus on the transition towards a sustainable and inclusive food economy and food system—an extremely broad and international field. You will build bridges between science and practice, collaborating with stakeholders.
Our clients include national and international governments, as well as the private sector, NGOs, and others. We work for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Quality and Nature, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Union, and foundations such as BMG and the IKEA Foundation. We also conduct research for companies like FrieslandCampina and NGOs such as the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals, Oxfam-Novib, and multilateral organizations such as FAO and the World Bank. In these projects, you will be a full-fledged team member, guided by the project leader (researcher).
The traineeship also involves working on diverse innovation projects (within and outside Wageningen Social & Economic Research) with attention to your personal competence development. You will often collaborate with an experienced colleague.
With training, projects, team assignments, and access to a professional network, we offer you both personal and professional growth. From the very start, you will take on significant responsibility and have control over your own development.
More information about the trainee program can be found here: Trainee Program.
Your qualities
WE ARE LOOKING FOR…
A candidate who:
- has obtained a university master’s degree in economics, public administration, or data science before March 1, 2026;
- is at the start of their career and wishes to develop through applied research;
- has an affinity with the agro-food domain and societal challenges;
- wants to develop knowledge together with stakeholders and make real impact;
- wants to contribute to a better world;
- is innovative and entrepreneurial;
- has implementation power and adaptability;
- enjoys working collaboratively and communicates clearly.
Language skills:- English at least at C1 level (CEFR);
- Dutch at least at B1 level is an advantage.
If the above applies to you, then apply for the trainee program at Wageningen Social & Economic Research.
We offer you
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 €3,321,- for a full-time working week of 36 hours, in accordance with the CLA Wageningen Research (scale 8). We offer you a temporary contract for the duration of one year. 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.
Do you want more information?
MORE INFORMATION?
Would you like to know more about the trainee program? We are happy to provide additional information via Traineeship.wser@wur.nl
Apply no later than November 23, 2025 using the application button on this page. If selected for the next round, you will receive a questionnaire to be completed by 26, November. The next selected candidates will then be invited to a live assessment day at the WTC building in The Hague on December 17, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (so please keep this date free in your agenda). During this round, you will get to work and demonstrate your qualities, for example in a group assignment and a presentation.
The selection day is fixed; unfortunately, exceptions are not possible.
We are
Wageningen University & Research
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 and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.
