Postdoc in Green Technologies for Extraction of Proteins and other Bioactive Compounds

If you are establishing your career as scientist and want to be at the forefront of the green transition, then this position may be for you. At DTU Food we want to be at the very forefront of what is possible in the development of new green technologies to fully utilize new raw materials, such as side-streams from food production. In addition, the performance of green extraction technologies will be compared with conventional chemical extraction technologies.

The Postdoc candidate will be associated with the Research Group for Food Production Engineering at the National Food Institute (DTU Food) at the Technical University of Denmark. The candidate additionally will work cross-disciplinary with the Research Group for Bioactives – Analysis and Application and the Research Group for Analytical Food Chemistry. All groups have a dynamic staff with high international visibility, many research collaborations with leading international universities and organisations and a successful track record of national and international research projects.  

Responsibilities and qualifications
Your overall focus will be to strengthen the department’s competences within the use of green technologies such as enzyme treatment, ultrasound, ohmic heating and pulsed electric fields (PEF) for extraction of proteins and other bioactive compounds from marine and plant biomasses. You will particularly be involved in our two projects on developing new ingredients from brewers’ spent grain (GRAINPEP) and from shrimp side-streams (ReMeSS). Specifically, you will:

• Develop new process concepts to optimize the extraction of lipids, proteins, minerals, and chitin from various marine and plant biomasses.
• Characterize the composition of the extracted compounds using techniques such as HPLC, UPLC-MS, GC-MS and NMR.
• Characterize protein and general macromolecules.
• Investigate techno-functional properties such as emulsion and foam stability.
• Evaluate the interfacial properties of proteins.
• Engage in collaboration with industry.
• Teaching activities cuts across all activities at the university so some involvement in teaching activities can be expected.

As a candidate you will be assessed against the responsibilities and qualifications stated above and the following general criteria:

• As a formal qualification, you must hold a PhD degree (or equivalent) in food science and technology.
• You must have experience with Differential Scanning Calorimetry, SDS-page, SecMals, Turbiscan and Double Wall Ring Rheology.
• You must have experience with enzyme treatment, ultrasound, ohmic heating and PEF, and experience with chemical characterization of raw materials and ingredients using HPLC, GC-MS and UPLC-MS will be an advantage.
• You must have good communication skills both in oral and written English.

We offer
DTU is a leading technical university globally recognized for the excellence of its research, education, innovation and scientific advice. We offer a rewarding and challenging job in an international environment. We strive for academic excellence in an environment characterized by collegial respect and academic freedom tempered by responsibility.

The Department has a strategic focus on developing new technologies to enable the green transition in our societies.

Salary and terms of employment
The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed upon with the relevant union.

The period of employment is 3 years. Starting date is 15 May 2022 (or according to mutual agreement).

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .  

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Associate Professor Nina Gringer, [email protected] , tel.: +45 4525 6624 and Professor Charlotte Jacobsen, [email protected] , tel.: +45 23 27 90 75. 

You can read more about DTU Food and the Research groups at www.food.dtu.dk/english/research .

If you are applying from abroad, you may find useful information on working in Denmark and at DTU at DTU – Moving to Denmark .

Application procedure
Your complete online application must be submitted no later than 6January 2022 (Danish time). Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online", fill out the online application form, and attach all your materials in English in one PDF file. The file must include:

• Application (cover letter)
• CV
• Academic Diplomas (MSc/PhD)
• List of publications

Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply.

Technology for people
DTU develops technology for people. With our international elite research and study programmes, we are helping to create a better world and to solve the global challenges formulated in the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Hans Christian Ørsted founded DTU in 1829 with a clear vision to develop and create value using science and engineering to benefit society. That vision lives on today. DTU has 12,900 students and 6,000 employees. We work in an international atmosphere and have an inclusive, evolving, and informal working environment. DTU has campuses in all parts of Denmark and in Greenland, and we collaborate with the best universities around the world.