Postdoc in (Plant-based) Cheese Microstructure

We call for motivated candidates to investigate the microstructure of hybrid plant-dairy matrices, in a multi-partner project that combines gastronomic science, cheese-making knowledge, and new approaches to plant and cheese processing, aiming to develop sustainable and tasty cheeses.
A 2-year postdoc position on the topic of cheese structure (plant-based and dairy) is available from September 2024 within SDU Biotechnology, Department of Green Technology, University of Southern Denmark. The position is part of the project ‘HyCheese: Sustainable, Affordable, Tasty and Appealing Cheeses based on Nordic ingredients’.

About the project:
This position is part of the HyCheese project involving several Danish universities and industry partners (https://agrifoodture.com/projects/hycheese/) aiming to create knowledge, technology, and know-how to accelerate the development of a new generation of sustainable hybrid hard cheeses containing both dairy and plant ingredients. The project combines gastronomic science, cheese-making knowledge, and new approaches to plant and cheese processing to produce tasty and appealing cheeses based on Nordic raw materials.

Food materials organize across length scales, and while the importance of food microstructure is becoming increasingly evident, knowledge gaps remain in understanding how food microstructures form and change under the influence of processing conditions and affect the textural properties of the final products.

This project will investigate the dynamic assembly and structural architectures created during cheese-making with dairy and plant components and the mechanisms that drive them. The functional properties needed to create desirable textures will be mapped to guide the cheese-making development, aiming to establish a hierarchical understanding of the structure of the cheeses. To realize this, the postdoc will apply advanced optical microscopy and image analysis, as well as physicochemical characterization and material characterization methods, and work closely with other project partners.

The candidate we search:
We are looking for a skilled candidate with a PhD in Food Science/Technology, Bioengineering/-physics/-chemistry or related fields. The candidate should have a strong interest in food microstructure research and preferred expertise in advanced microscopy/imaging techniques, fluorescence labeling, image analysis, rheology etc. Previous experience with dairy or plant-based foods is a plus. Support and training in areas with less proficiency will be provided.

The candidate is expected to engage in scientific discussions and collaborate within the group and with project partners and contribute positively to the research team environment. An open communication form, good scientific writing skills, and a curious and interdisciplinary mind-set are expected skills. English proficiency is required. Supervision of students is to be expected.

The research environment:
The postdoc will work in the SDU FOODLAB under the guidance of Associate Professor Mathias P. Clausen. SDU FOODLAB explores the fundamentals of the microstructures that underline food texture and applies new optical microscopy methods to unluck a structural scale previously inaccessible, with the aim to build a hierarchical understanding of food matrices from the molecular scale to macroscopic.

The team includes several postdocs and PhD students working in this research line and consists of colleagues from diverse scientific backgrounds.

Further information about this position is available from Associate Professor Mathias P. Clausen, [email protected], +45 6550 7425.

Conditions of employment
Employment as a postdoc requires scientific qualifications at PhD level. Employment as a postdoc is temporary and will cease without further notice at the end of the period.

Research will be predominant in the position. Teaching assignments can be agreed individually. Furthermore, other types of assignments may occur to a limited degree. The Faculty determines the distribution of the various assignments. The weighting of the different assignments may vary over time.

The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.

The assessment process
Read about the Assessment and selection process. Shortlisting may be used. Here you can read more about shortlisting at SDU.

Application procedure
The application must be in English and must include:

• Motivated application
• Detailed Curriculum Vitae
• Certificates/Diplomas (MSc and PhD)
• List of publications indicating the publications attached
• Examples of the most relevant publications. Please attach one pdf-file for each publication
• Reference letters and other relevant qualifications may also be included.

Application deadline: May 17, 2024, 11:59pm (CET).

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link ‘Apply online’. Uploaded files must be in Adobe PDF (unlocked) or Word format.

Each field can only contain a single file of a maximum of 10 megabytes.

Documents should not contain a CPR number (civil registration number) – in this case, the CPR number must be crossed out.

According to the University of Southern Denmark’s internal guidelines, there must be at least three qualified applicants to a position before it can be filled.

All non-Danish documents must be translated into English.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

If you experience technical problems, you must contact [email protected].

Further information about The Faculty of Engineering.

We recommend that as an international applicant you take the time to visit Working in Denmark where you will find information and facts about moving to, working and living in Denmark, as well as the International Staff Office at SDU

Placering: Odense, Denmark