Post-doctoral assistant department Food Technology, Safety and Health (29875

Biological sciences » Nutritional sciences

Biological sciences » Other

Medical sciences » Other

Organisation/Company Ghent University Research Field Agricultural sciences » Other Biological sciences » Nutritional sciences Biological sciences » Other Chemistry » Biochemistry Medical sciences » Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Final date to receive applications 16 Aug 2026 - 21:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

ABOUT GHENT UNIVERSITY

Ghent University is a world of its own. Employing more than 15,000 people, it is actively involved in education and research, management and administration, and technical and social services on a daily basis. It is one of the largest, most exciting employers in the area and offers great career opportunities. With each of its 11 faculties and more than 100 departments offering state-of-the-art study programmes that are grounded in research in a wide range of academic fields, Ghent University is a logical choice for its employees as well as its students.

This position is vacant within the Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health at the Faculty of Bioengineering Sciences (FBE). The department’s activities focus on the central theme of high-quality, safe, healthy and sustainable food. The department trains students in this field, drawing on a broad range of professional expertise. This expertise is based on knowledge generation through exploratory basic research, which is also extended to practical studies, often in collaboration with different stakeholders within the field.

This knowledge is transferred through the various programmes supported by the department to students of diverse profiles (from BSc through MSc to PhD level), both nationally and internationally.

In addition to product-oriented research, which examines chemical, microbiological, physicochemical and structural aspects, research into nutrition and health is an important and complementary pillar within the department.

To strengthen research and teaching in the field of nutrition and health, we are looking for someone who has the potential to develop their own research areas and take on a leadership role.

This person will develop pioneering research in this field and will expand our expertise in the mechanistic understanding of human intervention studies. This will be done in line with the department’s objectives, as outlined below:

• understand the interactions between complex (multicomponent) matrices (foods, digestive products) and the host (cells, animals and humans) in synergy with the expertise available within the department;
• develop holistic models to simulate and steer these interactions;
• combine our expertise on biochemical and molecular nutrition, nutrition epidemiology and data-analysis;
• make links with other units within and outside FBE with complementary expertise, required to develop your research
• create a scientific basis for novel risk-benefit models and nutritional recommendations.

• At least 70% of your assignment will be spent on academic research
• You will design and draft research projects, and coordinate joint experimental laboratory research between the three PIs of BW23 responsible for (1) biochemical and molecular nutrition, (2) food safety and toxicology, and (3) nutritional epidemiology and data analysis, in close collaboration with the coordinator of the cell laboratories in BW23, who provides technical support with in-house expertise
• You will assist in teaching activities at Bachelor and Master level, e.g. in exercises, internship and Master’s dissertation
• You will counsel doctoral students
• You participate in internal and external services offered by the department

• You hold a doctoral degree.
  
  The degree requirement needs to be fulfilled at the start of your appointment. For diplomas awarded outside the European Union, a certificate of equivalence (NARIC) must be submitted
• You have expertise in food science and nutrition…