Postdoc in Sensory and Consumer science

at  Syddansk Universitet

The SDU FOOD MATTERS group at SDU Biotechnology, Department of Green Technology at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) invites applicants for a 36-month postdoctoral research fellowship in sensory and consumer perception of fermented plant-based foods with an expected starting date 1 February 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.
The position is part of a large, collaborative European project (FlavourFerm) focused on fermentation technology to unlock the flavour potential of plant-based foods and respond to consumer demand for tasty, nutritious, and healthy plant-based products.
The postdoctoral position focuses on the sensory quality and consumer acceptance of plant-based foods (both plant-based dairy and meat products alternatives) utilizing the innovative fermentation techniques. The postdoctoral fellow employed in this position will have the main responsibility for planning, executing, and reporting on the results of the sensory trials in the project. Further, the successful candidate is expected to have an interdisciplinary mindset and will collaborate closely with project partners working in related tasks (e.g., physico-chemical characterization, nutritional quality and gut health effects) to build a comprehensive database on the same set of samples.
The position is primarily research-focused but may also include teaching and/or student supervision to a limited degree.

The ideal scientific profile of the candidate is:

• A PhD with a specialization related to food science, sensory science, psychophysics, human nutrition, or a closely related field.
• Experience with one but preferably more of the following areas:
• Sensory and consumer science
• Sensometrics (univariate & multivariate analysis of sensory and consumer data)
• Human Nutrition and dietary assessment
• Microbiology and bioinformatics

Furthermore, priority consideration will be given to candidates who possess the following qualifications:

• Documented experience from projects related to the current position (e.g., food microbiome; plant-based food and/or fermentation technologies)
• Previous experience with practical planning of sensory experiments
• Previous experience with scientific publishing and other forms of research dissemination

Finally, the candidate is expected to:

• Have an interdisciplinary and collaborative mindset
• Be curious and interested in exploring new scientific horizons
• Work and communicate in an open and honest manner and engage in constructive scientific discussions with colleagues
• Assist in the supervision of students (PhD, master, bachelor)
• Have the ability to work independently
• Excellent English communication oral and written (work language is English)

Please refer the Job description for details