The Department of Food Science, Aarhus University (Denmark), invites applications for a 15-month postdoc position (100% salary) to work on the project “Chemo-Mechanical Upcycling of the Stale Bread Waste Matrix into a High-Performance Packaging Material” funded by Independent Research Fund Denmark. The starting date is February 1, 2022, or subject to mutual agreement. The position is strongly research oriented, and the candidate is expected to participate in supervision of the two PhD students working on this project.
The research project
We aim at making a significant contribution to our understanding of the chemistries and crosslinking potential of bread polysaccharides, e.g. starch and gluten, with adequate catalysts, donors and processing environments in order to create high-performing packaging materials. This project also aims at intensifying chemical pathways using our twin-screw extruders, from laboratory to pilot plant scale. This project can result in a critical breakthrough towards the revalorization of multicomponent food waste directly into high performance biomaterials without any refinery steps of their biopolymers. Therefore, we seek a candidate with good chemistry and/or chemical engineering background. A good understanding of polysaccharides and analytical chemistry are also preferred.
The postdoc will work on this exciting project in collaboration with and mentored by Tenure Track Assistant Professor Mario M. Martinez. The successful applicant will be embedded in the Science Team ‘Food Technology’, a strong international research lab where cooperation, creativity, and kindness are valued.
Qualifications
- A PhD degree in chemistry/chemical engineering/food chemistry/biotechnology/biochemistry/food science/or similar
- Genuine interest in green chemistry and biomaterials
- Documented expertise in organic chemistry, biopolymer technology and/or analytical chemistry
- First-authored publications in leading international journals
- Advanced knowledge in research design and methods (running extensive experimental studies)
- Familiarity with practices of transparency and open science
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate and communicate in academia and to the public at large
- Experience and interest in training and supervising junior scientists
- Efficient at planning and organizing major tasks
Candidates who only partially meet this profile are nonetheless encouraged to apply.
Candidate are not required to speak Danish.
Specific rules by Independent Research Fund Denmark
Applicants should have obtained their PhD degree no earlier than 4 years before the application deadline. This maximum PhD age of 4 years can be extended with the length of any maternity, parental, sick or nursing leave, military service and humanitarian aid work performed during the period. In connection with maternity leave, the PhD age can be extended by the number of months actually taken multiplied by two.
The Department of Food Science
Research will be conducted at a newly built 7000 m2 state-of-the-art research facility at the Department of Food Science, Aarhus University (AU-FOOD). AU-FOOD is in possession of the most advanced analytical research infrastructure, with well-integrated, high-tech prototype facilities. This world-leading infrastructure, will be available to underpin the proposed project (e.g. 2DLC-ESI/Q-ToF MS/MS with ion mobility source, QToF-GC-MS, 600 MHz NMR, twin-screw extruders) and result in an unprecedented cross-disciplinary competence to answer key research questions in biopolymer science. The Department currently employs approx. 60 full time scientific staff and 50 PhD students and Postdocs, with approx. 30 visiting staff and students contributing to an international research environment where English is the preferred language in the laboratory, at meetings and at seminars. Read more about the Department of Food Science at www.food.au.dk.
What we offer
We offer a unique research experience in an interdisciplinary research project, combining state-of-the-art techniques in green and analytical chemistry, reactive extrusion, and multi-omic data in food waste (glycomic and metabolomic data). We also offer a great mentoring experience in collaboration with two PhD students, a collaborative environment in which the candidate will be able to share across subfields and applications, and a research environment characterized by collaboration, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and success in mentoring.
Place of work
The place of work is the Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Agro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus N (Denmark)
Contact information
For further information about the project or the position, please contact the principal investigator and project leader Mario M. Martinez, phone: +45 20 40 65 95, e-mail: mm@food.au.dk.
Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.
Letter of reference
If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.
Formalities and salary range
Technical Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.
The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.
Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.
Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Confederation of Professional Associations.
Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.
Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.
Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.
Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.
The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University’s website.
Questions about the position?
Mario Martinez-MartinezTenure Track Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science – Food Technologymm@food.au.dk
Questions about application and proces?
Nat-Tech Administrative Centre – HR Department+4587151306Nat-Tech.HR.Emply@au.dk
Deadline: Monday 1 Nov 2021 at 23:59 CET