13 PhD positions open within the ITN FOODENGINE

MSCA – Initial Training Network FOODENGINE
Vacancy for recruitment of 13 early-stage researchers (ESR)

FOODENGINE offers a research-based training programme for 13 young food scientists and technologists on the transformation of fruits, vegetables and legumes (FVL) in high-quality, multi-functional ingredients and foods appealing to consumers. The research-based training programme will be based on two new ways of thinking:

  • FOODENGINE will introduce an enginomics approach for food quality design. It connects an omics approach combined with chemometrics to instrumentally quantify quality changes of FVL-based food systems and an advanced engineering approach using multi-response kinetics to model quality changes during processing and storage;
  • FOODENGINE will develop models linking the enginomics-based instrumental food quality design with sensory properties, consumer acceptability and consumer preferences to create new products appealing to consumers.

FOODENGINE combines the interdisciplinary expertise and infrastructure of three highly-ranked European Universities/Research institutes (KU Leuven (BE), UCPH (DK), INRA (FR)), three large-turnover, multinational, R&D-based food (ingredient) companies (Döhler (DE), Cargill (BE), Unilever (NL)), two medium-sized food (ingredient) companies (GNT (DE), Greenyard (BE)) and an international market and consumer research company (Haystack (BE)) into a synergistic consortium to establish an international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral pioneering European food training programme for 13 young researchers, each for 36 months.
Each research project is a joint project between at least two partners within FOODENGINE. During the duration of the project, each recruited fellow is expected to go on one or more secondments (weeks up to months) to another partner to be exposed both to the academic and the private sector. Besides the research-based training, recruited young researchers will receive local and network-wide training in complementary skills (management, communication, valorization) via workshops, winter schools and conferences.
FOODENGINE alumni will master this beyond the state-of-the-art new way of thinking for future food products and process design, complemented with the extensive transferable skills development, they will largely enhance their employability/career perspectives in various professional roles.

Job offer:

  • Attractive 3-year full-time employment contract in accordance with the
  • MSCA regulations for early stage researchers of the European Commission – continuation after the first year is dependent upon a positive evaluationEnrollment in a PhD program whereby PhD tuition fee is paid by project
  • Supervision by recognized experts and access to (beyond) state-of-the-art research and pilot-scale infrastructureTraining in complementary skills via participation at workshops, winter schools and conferences

Requirements:

  • Outstanding, self-motivated researcher with willingness to travel/be seconded on a regular basis in order to perform top-notch research in leading academic institutions,
  • R&D divisions, and industries.Holding a Masters Degree in Food Science & Technology or related discipline with excellent study results (typically minimum “distinction”, “70%” or “second class upper”).
  • Solid written and oral communication skills in English are prerequisites of any successful application (typically IELTS min. 7, TOEFL internet-based min. 90 or similar level as proven by other tests).

Eligibility criteria:

  • Less than 4 years full-time research experience (starting from the date of obtaining the degree which would entitle to embark on a doctorate) and not have a doctoral degree yet
  • Less than 12 months spent in country of the host (see table) in the 3 years prior to the recruitment

Application procedure:

Applications in English should include:

  • Motivational letter describing research career goals, skills and experience
  • CV (contact details, education, work experience, prizes/awards, language skills, etc….)
  • Official academic transcript of Bsc. and Msc. studies
  • Documentation of English language qualifications
  • 2-page research project related to the topic of choice
  • Full contact details of two reference persons

Application in a single pdf-file should be sent by e-mail to ann.vanloey@kuleuven.be with indication of FOODENGINE and the ESR number you are applying for in the subject line. Candidates who wish to apply for multiple ESR positions within FOODENGINE should apply for each position separately. Equal consideration will be given to female or male applicants.

Evaluation process and timing:
Deadline for application: April 30, 2018
The recruitment is done on a competitive basis across all applicants for each project. After a first selection based on all application files, a second selection round will involve skype interviews and will be held on May 17, 2018.
Envisaged job starting date: between June and December 2018

Further information

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