By Mark Van Zuilen
Naturalis has a job opening for a postdoc to study pattern formation in hot spring silica sinters under early Earth conditions
Have you completed your PhD? Are you eager to enrich knowledge on biodiversity as a postdoc? Then Naturalis in Leiden is the place for you. Pursuing a postdoc at Naturalis means working on research with a truly global impact — contributing directly to biodiversity. With state-of-the-art museum collections and lab facilities, many inspiring colleagues and access to our international network, Naturalis offers everything you need to strengthen your career as a scientist.
As apostdoctoral fellow…
You will conduct cutting-edge research at the intersection of biodiversity, ecology, and coastal conservation, driving global-scale research within a major international consortium.
You will receive strong support, with access to our dedicated Research Coordination Office.
You will build valuable professional connections by participating in both the academic and social activities of our PhD- and postdoc community. Furthermore, through our collaborations with diverse partners, you will strengthen your international profile.
This is what you’ll be doing
In this position you will focus on pattern formation in hot spring silica deposits. You will study fabrics in silica sinters from hot springs and geysers, using high-resolution µ-CT scanners and electron microscopes available at Naturalis. An extensive sample set of silica sinters is already available for this purpose. You will also manage a sterile reaction chamber at Utrecht Geolab at Utrecht University in which you develop evaporation-precipitation experiments that mimic repetitive silica deposition under early Earth conditions. An array of microenvironmental conditions will be tested to study the variety of silica sinter fabrics and morphologies that will be generated. These experiments will be carried out under sterile conditions as well as in the presence of organic materials. This study will contribute to our general understanding of biosignatures in geothermal settings on the early Earth. The Postdoc project is part of the EU funded ERC Synergy Grant ‘PROTOS: The role of silica in the dawn of life on our planet’.
You are expected to work synergistically within project PROTOS, co-designing experimental conditions with other teams, and using research facilities and materials synthesized in laboratories in Bremen, Donostia-San Sebastian, Plouzané and Konstanz. The Postdoc project will be partly carried out at Naturalis (Leiden), and partly at the GeoLab at Utrecht University (Utrecht). You will also be integrated in the Petrology Group at Utrecht University, led by Prof. Paul Mason.
Here’s what we have to offer
- The salary ranges from € 3,768 to € 4,897 gross per month (based on a full time contract of 36 hours/week), depending on relevant experience.
- A one-year contract with possible extension after positive evaluation until September 2028. The expected starting date is as early as October 1st 2026.
- End-of-year bonus of 3.4% of your gross annual salary and 8% holiday pay.
- Time off thanks to 27 days of leave per year with full-time employment. Plus 1 extra day that you can use for a holiday that is important to you.
- Commuting allowance depending on your means of transport.
- Pension scheme via PFZW, where Naturalis pays 60% of your premium.
- Plenty of development opportunities. We support your growth and give you unlimited access to the online training platform Goodhabitz.
- Fascinating knowledge events. These help you stay up to date on the latest developments in both your own field and outside it, such as our lectures and gatherings on various (scientific) topics. You can also attend – or take part in – the fascinating internal information session Naturalis Draait Door.
- Laptop and phone allowance.
- Nice extras such as discounts on software for private use, collective health insurance plans, and a bicycle scheme. You’ll also enjoy discounts in our museum restaurant and unlimited free access to our award-winning museum for you and your family.
- Fun team outings. We also get together for drinks every month, organize an annual BBQ and a fantastic New Year’s party. Not your scene? That’s fine too, of course. All team activities are voluntary.
- A unique work environment in a state-of-the-art building where you will feel proud to work every single day – we guarantee it!
The world lies at your feet
Literally. Whatever your role may be, you contribute to the preservation of our planet on a daily basis. Naturalis Biodiversity Center…
- is the national research and knowledge institute and a key player in biodiversity data and infrastructures.
- houses one of the largest natural history collections in the world.
- welcomes 500,000 museum visitors per year.
- collaborates with universities, expertise centres and museums around the world.
- has a staff of diverse colleagues in various functions and with many different nationalities, with whom you will work together in an informal atmosphere.
This is your team
You will be part of the research group Earth, Life, Time (Naturalis, Leiden) and the Petrology group, Department of Earth Sciences (Utrecht University).
You will also be part of our PhD- and postdoc community — a close-knit group of around 50 PhD candidates and postdocs with whom you can share experiences and participate in training sessions, workshops, and peer review meetings. And of course, for those interested, there are plenty of social activities outside of work as well.
What you bring to the table
You have a passion for early Earth processes, the origin and evolution of early life, hot springs and pattern formation. You are capable of conducting independent research, working in an organized manner, and structuring your approach effectively. At the same time, you know when to seek help when necessary. You enjoy collaborating with colleagues and external partners, and you actively maintain both your internal and external networks. You are skilled at identifying opportunities and engaging others with your ideas. Additionally, you can translate complex topics into compelling narratives, making them accessible even to those outside of the scientific community. Experience with supervising student projects is an advantage.
In addition, you have:
- A completed PhD degree in a relevant field, such as Earth sciences or Chemistry with a strong interest in early Earth processes, early life, hot springs, and pattern formation.
- Experience with general (geo)chemical laboratory skills. Experience with analytical techniques such as micro-CT, SEM, TEM is an advantage, as well as experience with mineral nucleation/precipitation processes and sinter fabric description.
- Experience in publishing and disseminating research findings via scientific publications, lectures, conference presentations, or teaching.
- Strong proficiency in English.
Become NATURALIS new postdoctoral fellow
- Upload your CV and motivation letter, including the contact details of two referees in one PDF via the application button no later than August 15th, 2026.
- Want to know more about the position before you apply? Send an email to mark.vanzuilen@naturalis.nl.
- For more information about the application procedure, you can send an email to our colleagues in the HR department via sollicitaties@naturalis.nl.
We are managing the recruitment for this vacancy ourselves; unsolicited acquisition is therefore not desired.
