Postdoctoral Associate

Job Description

The Department of Food Science and Technology (www.fst.vt.edu) invites applications for a 12-month research position at the Postdoctoral Research Associate level to be jointly engaged in Dr. Jacob Lahne’s sensory-evaluation group and Dr. Amanda Stewart’s applied fermentation science group. The position is funded for one (1) year, with the possibility of extension contingent on the availability of funding, for which the candidate may take on a role of responsibility. The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative and dynamic Food Science program that engages across the campus, the country, and the world.

Responsibilities and Expectations:

1. Assist Dr. Lahne in the development and execution of a research agenda in the sensory evaluation of foods and beverages, with a focus on fermented and distilled beverages, craft foods, and Virginia agricultural products.
2. Assist Dr. Stewart in the development and execution of a research agenda in applied fermentation science and the chemical analysis and characterization of fermented and distilled beverages, with a focus on hard cider, sparkling wine, and yeast nutrient evaluation.
3. Develop an independent research agenda complementing these current lab focuses.
4. Pursue sponsored research opportunities through grant-writing.
5. Oversee the execution and management of industry-funded research projects.
6. Support graduate and undergraduate students in completing sensory and fermentation-chemistry research.
7. Supervise and manage the day-to-day running and maintenance of the sensory laboratory facility in the Human and Agricultural Biosciences Building 1 (HABB1).
8. Contribute to the writing and publication of research findings.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in a field that is related to the sensory evaluation of food, such as Food Science, Food Process Engineering, Nutrition, Psychology, Consumer Science, Marketing. PhD must have been awarded no more than four years prior to effective date of appointment with a minimum of one year of eligibility remaining.
• Experience with sensory evaluation.
• Experience with food analysis.
• Competence and comfort with statistical data analysis
• Experience in publishing refereed scientific articles

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference will be given to candidates with experience in grant-writing and management of laboratories.
• Experience supervising sensory-evaluation experiments and trials, including (but not limited to) Descriptive Analysis, consumer tests, and qualitative data collection (e.g., focus groups, interviewing).
• Experience with advanced analytical methods including liquid and/or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
• Experience with microbial community analysis in fermentation systems
• Experience with sensory-evaluation software packages (e.g., Compusense, RedJade, FIZZ).
• Competence with statistical scripting languages, specifically R, Python, and/or Matlab
• Lab-management experience
• Evidence of successful pursuit of external funding

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

Commensurate with Experience

Review Date

02/24/2021

Additional Information

The successful Candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges , a school of medicine , a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School , and Honors College . The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers . A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Jake Lahne at jlahne@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Advertised: February 2, 2021
Applications close: