Postdoc Risk Assessment Plant-based Foods

As a researcher with a PhD, do you want to pursue your passion for food microbiology to safely design plant-based foods?

We are looking for an ambitious postdoctoral researcher with great interests in microbial ecology of plant-based foods and quantitative microbiology. Our project GRASP – Genomic-driven Risk ASsessment of Plant-based foods – aims to predict behaviour of microbial sporeforming contaminants in plant-based foods to contribute to more sustainable food chains. The sporeforming pathogens Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinum harbor genetically different subgroups with very distinct growth behavior and heat resistance. Critical knowledge gaps exist on the behavior of these subgroups in plant-based foods, while this is key to develop strategies to control these pathogenic contaminants. Hereby GRASP aims to investigate prevalence, genetic diversity and behaviour of these sporeforming pathogens in plant-based foods. This knowledge will be used to develop a genomic-driven risk assessment that will be integrated into a validated user-friendly model tool. The project is a collaboration with the Danish Technical University (DTU). The project at Wageningen focusses on Bacillus cereus and the DTU project partner focusses on the sporeformer Clostridium botulinum. The project consortium involves multiple industry partners that will share microbial isolates from plant-based ingredients and is funded by Plant2Food (Novo Nordisk Foundation).

As postdoctoral researcher you will:

• use molecular techniques to genetically characterize strains per Bacillus cereus’ subgroups;
• quantify the heat resistance, germination and outgrowth kinetics of Bacillus cereus. You will closely work together with the DTU regarding experimental work on germination kinetics;
• use experimental and literature data to develop predictive models for inactivation, germination and outgrowth of Bacillus cereus’ subgroups in different plant-based dairy analogues;
• evaluate strategies for control of microbiological risks based on quantitative microbiological risk assessments;
• publish results and findings in peer reviewed journals.

Requirements:

• you are an ambitious and highly motivated scientist;
• you have an excellent academic (PhD) record in food microbiology or food sciences, including experimental experience;
• you have high affinity with predictive modelling and quantitative microbiological risk assessments experience is considered an advantage;
• you are a creative researcher, being independent yet at the same time being a team player;
• you have excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

You will work here
The Postdoctoral position is available at the laboratory of Food Microbiology. Our mission is to generate and disseminate knowledge of food associated microbes to assure quality and safety of food.

In order to control food safety and quality from primary production to consumption, solid knowledge of food microbiology is necessary and both positive (fermentation) and negative aspects (spoilage, disease) of micro-organisms are studied. Quality and safety of food are relevant for public health, sustainability and also for enjoying life. This is what we teach and research. We do this in a dynamic, international group of people with state of the art infrastructure and many national and international cooperations.
For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level.

Salary Benefits:

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• Partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation / holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• 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 December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between €3.345,- and €5.278,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). We offer you a temporary position for a period of 3 years. A contract of 0.8 FTE can be discussed.

We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere. You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 19th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. We can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example helping your partner to find a job, housing, or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

38 hours per week

Droevendaalsesteeg