PhD scholarship in pickering emulsions with omega-3 fatty acids for food applications

Would you like to start your career in a European training network of leading research universities and professionals from the industry? Then you might be interested in this PhD position, which will enable you to join the PICKFOOD project. PICKFOOD is a top level interdisciplinary training and research programme involving 15 PhD positions across physics, physical chemistry and food science. PICKFOOD aims to create at European level a network of next generation young scientists trained in novel methodologies within Pickering emulsions research enabling the development of safe, healthy, and functional foods and at the same time minimizing food waste due to lipid oxidation.

This PhD position concerns the development of wet and dry Pickering emulsions containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids for food applications. You will be associated with the Research Group for Bioactives – Analysis and Application and the Research Group for Food Production Engineering at the National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Furthermore, two secondments with European partners are planned. A secondment (ca. 2 months) will be at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and a secondment (3 months) will be with Bionicia, a private company in Spain.

Responsibilities and qualifications
During your PhD project you will use electrospraying techniques to create novel particles that will be used to stabilize pickering emulsions with omega-3 fatty acids. Subsequently, you will develop electrospraying or spraydrying techniques to dry the emulsions. You will also evaluate whether antioxidants can increase the oxidative stability of wet and dry Pickering emulsions. Finally, you will evaluate the oxidative stability of foods containing the novel Pickering emulsions. During the secondments you will use microscopy to study the physical structure of Pickering emulsions and microfluidics to understand particle adsorption at the oil-water interface (Wageningen) and to upscale the drying of pickering emulsions (Bionicia).

During the PhD work you will

• be responsible for your own research, supervised by experienced and engaged supervisors in a collaborative environment,
• perform interdisciplinary research within the fields of lipid oxidation, colloidal chemistry, food production engineering
• engage in collaboration with the other PhD students in the training network as well as with co-hosts
• contribute with new knowledge in the field of pickering emulsions and oxidation

You must have a two-year master's degree in Food Technology, Chemical Engineering, or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree.

Furthermore, the ideal candidate has:

• Knowledge on lipid oxidation and antioxidants
• Knowledge on colloid chemistry
• Experience with emulsification processes
• Experience with drying processes
• Good analytical chemistry, physico-chemical and laboratory skills
• Good collaboration and communication skills (written and oral English)
• Structured and analytical working approach
• Skills within statistical analyses of data

As the project is part of an EU Training Network the following eligibility rules apply: The applicant shall, at the time of recruitment by the Technical University of Denmark, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree. Full-time equivalent research experience is measured from the date when a researcher obtained the degree which would formally entitle him or her to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited.

The applicant is required to undertake transnational mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up his/her appointment. At the time of recruitment by the host beneficiary, the applicant must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date. Note that the mobility rule applies to DTU in Denmark, where the researcher is recruited, and not to the Netherlands or Spain where the co-hosts are located.

Approval and Enrolment
The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programmes at DTU. For information about our enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study programme, please see the DTU PhD Guide .

Assessment
The assessment of the candidates will be made by Prof. Charlotte Jacobsen and Prof. Ioannis Chronakis from DTU Food. Representatives from co-hosts in the Netherlands and Spain will be involved in interviews with selected candidates. The assessment will be based on the qualification requirements listed above as well as the grades from MSc/BSc education.

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.

Salary and appointment terms
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.

Expected starting date is 1st January 2022 or as soon as possible thereafter

You can read more about career paths at DTU here .

Further information
Further information may be obtained from Prof. Charlotte Jacobsen, Tel. + 45 23 27 90 75, mail: [email protected]

You can read more about the Department at www.food.dtu.dk

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 19 November (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:

• A letter motivating the application (cover letter)
• Curriculum vitae - It is important that you document in your Curriculum vitae that you fulfil the eligibility requirements mentioned above
• Grade transcripts and BSc/MSc diploma
• Excel sheet with translation of grades to the Danish grading system (see guidelines and Excel spreadsheet here )

You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

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

You can read more about DTU Food on www.food.dtu.dk/english/Service/About-the-institute

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.