Post Doc in Biorefinery

Wageningen University

Postdoc in Biorefinery

Location Wageningen

End date Sat 16 January 2021

We are looking for

Do you want to work together to make the world’s food supply really sustainable, and have enough food for everyone?

We are looking for an ambitious postdoctoral fellow on the subject of Biorefinery. With this position we strengthen our position on biorefinery, and develop novel processing concepts for more efficient use of a broad range of biomaterials. The primary the main emphasis in on plant materials, but this can and probably will be extended to other types of biomass. 
We wish to make diets more sustainable by making better use of ingredients that originate from non-animal resources. While the usual way to isolate ingredients is by fractionation towards high purity, this goes at the expense of yield. We have already found that by not striving for purity, to for good functionality we can make major steps in efficiency and total chain sustainability. 

There are many interesting scientific challenges to meet: 

  • Understanding interactions between components in plant or other raw materials;
  • understanding of structure-composition-function relations in functional ingredients;
  • understanding of functionality in ingredients in food matrices. 
The scientific insights should result help in developing and designing novel biorefinery concepts.

The fellow will augment an existing team that consists of PhD, MSc and BSc thesis students, and will be actively involved in supervision, coordination and organization. 
We expect that the fellow will develop his/her own vision on the area. We are open to the gradual development of own activities, acquisition and research team.

We ask

The ideal candidate:

  • Has a PhD in in food technology, chemical engineering or equivalent degree;
  • has experience with fractionation and isolation of food ingredients and biomaterials (biorefinery);
  • has affinity with modelling of food processes;
  • has experience with teaching and supervision of students.
The initial contract will be for 1 year with the intention, if functioning well, to extend for 3 years.
(assuming that the circumstance of the chair group remain as they are now).

We offer

A challenging position with, depending on your experience, a competitive salary from a minimum of € 2.790,-. to a maximum of € 4.402,-. for a full working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement Dutch Universities (scale 10). 

In addition, we offer:

  • 8% holiday allowance;
  • a structural year-end bonus of 8.3%;
  • excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
  • flexible working hours and holidays can possibly be determined in consultation so that an optimal balance between work and private life is possible;
  • excellent pension plan through ABP;
  • 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes;
  • a flexible working time: the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra and thereby to build up extra leave;
  • a choice model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
  • a lively workplace where you can easily make contacts and where many activities take place on the Wageningen Campus. A place where education, research and business are represented;
  • use the sports facilities on campus.
Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for own initiative in a learning environment.
We offer a versatile job in an international environment with varied activities in a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

More information

For more information about this function, please contact prof.dr.ir Remko Boom: Remko.Boom@wur.nl. For more information about the procedure, please contact HR advisor Ina Luttmann: Ina.Luettmann@wur.nl

General information about the Food Process Engineering Group can be found on: http://www.fpe.wur.nl/ 

Do you want to apply?

This can be done directly via the application button at the vacancy on our website so that we can process your personal data with your permission. This vacancy is open until 17 January 2021.

Equal opportunities employer

We are an employer that offers equal opportunities. We are happy to receive applications from all suitably qualified people regardless of race, gender, functional impairment, religion / belief, sexual orientation or age.

We believe that a diverse and inclusive working environment makes us a more relevant, competitive and resilient organization. Click here for more information about working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

The Food Process Engineering Group forms a large community of scientists who team up on to create the next generation methods to produce healthier foods that are more efficient in use of resources. In the last international peer review, the group was found excellent on all three criteria (scientific excellence, societal relevance and viability). With four assistant and associate professors, three full professors, two teachers and 6 technicians, we form a community with around 50 PhD students and yearly 80 – 100 BSc and MSc thesis students. The group strongly benefits from the other four Food Technology groups, together offering an infrastructure and expertise on Food Technology that has no equal in the world.

The mission of our University is to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialised research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. 

With approximately 30 locations, 6,500 employees, and 12,000 students, it is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen. We have been named Best Employer in Education category 2019-2020.

Click here for more information about working at Wageningen University & Research.
More information about Wageningen Campus you can find here.

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