Postdoc position within Food Safety in Hydroponic production of Lettuce

NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim.

At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 42,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world.

You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here .

The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions.  

We have a vacancy for a postdoctoral position within Food Safety at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, one of eight departments at the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The position is a part of the project “Hydroponic Plant Cultivation on a Lunar Base Using Nutrient Sources from Human Waste”. The project is financed by The Norwegian Research Council as a researcher project for scientific renewal No 325249 - FORSKER21 where Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Space (CIRiS), a department of NTNU Social Research is the project owner. For more information on CIRIS, ciris.no or samforsk.no/ciris

The postdoctoral project has an overall aim to increase the knowledge of potential hazards and their   spread from the organic waste to plant production. Our approach is multidisciplinary, using classic microbiology, molecular approaches, and next generation sequencing.

Your will report to Associate Professor Lisbeth Mehli.

• The candidate is expected to actively take part in the project work.
• The candidate will be responsible for project results within microbial and chemical hazards in the hydroponic system, challenge studies, survival and growth of pathogens and their possible spread to the cultivated plants.
• The candidate is expected to actively disseminate results, in project meetings, in the scientific group and to the society overall.
• It is expected that the candidate takes an active role in the Food Science research division at the Department of Biotechnology and Food Science.

• You must have completed a Norwegian doctoral degree within Biotechnology, Microbiology or corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to this Norwegian PhD
• You must have a professionally relevant background in food microbiology
• Practical analytical skills and experience within food microbiology, molecular genetics and next generation sequencing technology.
• Good oral and written communication skills in English

The appointment is to be made in accordance with Regulations on terms of employment for positions such as postdoctoral fellow, Ph.D Candidate, research assistant and specialist candidate.

• Competence within laboratory work with pathogens
• Experience and publications in fields related to the project such as food safety, food microbiology and next generation sequencing technology will be considered an advantage.
• Competence within basic bioinformatics

• Ability to work independently as well as in teams
• Ability to be creative in a multidisciplinary team
• Highly motivated to work within food microbiology and food science  
• Innovative and flexible

Emphasis will be placed on personal and interpersonal qualities.

As a Postdoctoral Fellow (code 1352) you are normally paid from gross NOK 553 500 per annum before tax, depending on qualifications and seniority. From the salary, 2% is deducted as a contribution to the Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund

The period of employment is 2 years.

The engagement is to be made in accordance with the regulations in force concerning State Employees and Civil Servants , and the acts relating to Control of the Export of Strategic Goods, Services and Technology. Candidates who by assessment of the application and attachment are seen to conflict with the criteria in the latter law will be prohibited from recruitment to NTNU.  

After the appointment you must assume that there may be changes in the area of work.

The position is subject to external funding.

It is a prerequisite you can be present at and accessible to the institution on a daily basis.

The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English.

Publications and other scientific work must follow the application. Please note that applications are only evaluated based on the information available on the application deadline. You should ensure that your application shows clearly how your skills and experience meet the criteria which are set out above.  

If, for any reason, you have taken a career break or have had an atypical career and wish to disclose this in your application, the selection committee will take this into account, recognizing that the quantity of your research may be reduced as a result. 

The application must include (Departments to choose from the following): 

• CV and certificates
• transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's-, master's- and PhD degrees.
• Academic works - published or unpublished - that you would like to be considered in the assessment (up to 3 items)
• An up to one page personal motivation letter
• Name and contact information of three referees

If all, or parts, of your education has been taken abroad, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education. Description of the documentation required can be found here . If you already have a statement from NOKUT, please attach this as well. 

Joint works will be considered. If it is difficult to identify your contribution to joint works, you must attach a brief description of your participation. 

In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience and personal and interpersonal qualities. Motivation, ambitions, and potential will also count in the assessment of the candidates. 

NTNU is committed to following evaluation criteria for research quality according to The San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment - DORA. 

Working at NTNU 

NTNU believes that inclusion and diversity is a strength. We want our faculty and staff to reflect Norway’s culturally diverse population and we continuously seek to hire the best minds. This enables NTNU to increase productivity and innovation, improve decision making processes, raise employee satisfaction, compete academically with global top-ranking institutions and carry out our social responsibilities within education and research. NTNU emphasizes accessibility and encourages qualified candidates to apply regardless of gender identity, ability status, periods of unemployment or ethnic and cultural background.

NTNU is working actively to increase the number of women employed in scientific positions and has a number of resources to promote equality .

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The city of Trondheim is a modern European city with a rich cultural scene. Trondheim is the innovation capital of Norway with a population of 200,000. The Norwegian welfare state, including healthcare, schools, kindergartens and overall equality, is probably the best of its kind in the world. Professional subsidized day-care for children is easily available. Furthermore, Trondheim offers great opportunities for education (including international schools) and possibilities to enjoy nature, culture and family life and has low crime rates and clean air quality.  

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As an employee at NTNU, you must at all times adhere to the changes that the development in the subject entails and the organizational changes that are adopted. 

A public list of applicants with name, age, job title and municipality of residence is prepared after the application deadline. If you want to reserve yourself from entry on the public applicant list, this must be justified. Assessment will be made in accordance with current legislation . You will be notified if the reservation is not accepted.

If you have any questions about the position, please contact Associate Professor Lisbeth Mehli, email: [email protected] . 

If you think this looks interesting and in line with your qualifications, please submit your application electronically via jobbnorge.no with your CV, diplomas and certificates attached. Applications submitted elsewhere will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation. 

Application deadline: 01.08.2022

NTNU - knowledge for a better world

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) creates knowledge for a better world and solutions that can change everyday life.

Department of Biotechnology and Food Science

Our activities contribute to increased exploitation of existing and new ingredients for sustainable food production as well as next-generation energy solutions and medical technology. We educate graduates for a wide range of careers in industry, public administration and academia. The Department of Biotechnology and Food Science  is one of eight departments in the Faculty of Natural Sciences .