Job Summary; Duration:
Temporary Externally Funded Non Grant-in-Aid contract post, the indicative duration of which is 21 months, subject to contract. A panel may be formed from which future similar vacancies may be filled; such a panel will remain active for a maximum period of 12 months.
Basic Function
This competition seeks to recruit a highly motivated candidate to work as a post-doctoral researcher on an Enterprise Ireland funded project. The project is linked between one of Irelands main Dairy Milk Processors and the Food Chemistry and Technology department in Teagasc Moorepark. This position provides an exciting opportunity for someone to both learn and contribute to the area of food process engineering, dairy chemistry and analytical methodology. The research aims to provide critical information to improve powder solubility by assessing the entire milk powder production process and provide a greater understanding of the factors affecting the functionality of nutritional milk based powders.
Duties will include assisting assessing and understanding the current wet processing and drying parameters affecting the functionality of nutrient-dense milk formulations. Travel to and from Teagasc Moorepark to the Connacht region will be necessary for data capture and trial work at the partner company.
Background:
The main task of this project is to work on powdered milk formulations, under pinned by dairy processing and dairy chemistry. The position is based in the Teagasc Food Chemistry and Technology Department in Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork and will require a significant level of travel to the industry partner site. The role will require the successful candidate to be able to relate processing conditions to end-product functionality and to disseminate results to the wider project team. Teagasc – Moorepark conducts both fundamental and applied research on a wide range of subjects such as food science, dairy processing and engineering with a focus towards industrial applications.
The Teagasc post-doctoral programme provides training and development opportunities for early career scientists that enhances their experience of learning and equips them with the necessary skills for the next stage of their chosen career in research.
For Research Focused roles
This is a research focused training role, the primary purpose of which is to provide early career scientists with the opportunity to develop their research skills and competencies.
The PD Fellow will, while working in conjunction with senior research staff, gain insight and experience into a variety of areas including the processes of project and budgetary management, publishing in peer-reviewed academic journals, writing grant applications, and attracting external funding; the development of active collaboration with relevant national and international research communities; the development of communication and presentation skills, leadership and management skills, and overall career development.
Modules will be conducted under the supervision and direction of the (Project Leader) or other designated manager in conjunction with the Head of Department.
Job Objectives
Duties & Responsibilities specific to this project:
- Oversee acquisition, organisation, trending and statistical analysis of data generated from laboratory analysis.
- Conduct pilot plant scale trial work on small or medium scale milk volumes as required.
- Keeping up to date on current literature and scientific developments in the area of seasonal effects on milk composition and functionality.
- Design, organisation and conducting of experimentation on liquid milk and gelation samples.
- Communication of research findings to the wider project team, collaborators and industry representative.
Additional Duties & Responsibilities:
- To interpret research findings and prepare scientific and popular press publications.
- To disseminate research findings to a variety of audiences as appropriate.
- To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
- To comply with all relevant Teagasc policies and procedures.
- Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
- To actively participate in the Teagasc Post Doctoral Fellowship programme and review processes, and to undertake all Post Doctoral fellowship training and associated duties as agreed in the Training & Development Plan.
- To take up additional duties as they may arise and be assigned by management.
Skills Required
This section outlines the qualifications, skills, knowledge and/or experience that the successful candidate would be required to demonstrate for successful discharge of the responsibilities of the post. Applications will be assessed on how well candidates satisfy these criteria.
Essential
- PhD in (Food Science, Process Engineering or related discipline).
- Relevant research experience not to exceed 3 years’ post-PhD.
- Elegible Drivers Licence.
- Demonstrated research and technical expertise in dairy chemistry and analytical methodology.
- Evidence of research activity (publications, conference presentations, awards) and future scholarly output (working papers, research proposals etc).
- Excellent project management, analytical, report writing and data analysis skills.
- An ability to collaborate with team members and PhD students to help build research knowledge and skill and to guide professional development.
- Excellent communication skills (oral, written, presentation) with an ability to enable effective knowledge and technology transfer.
- Ability to generate new ideas, unique concepts, models and solutions.
Desirable
- Experience in rheology and emulsification
- Experience in setting own research agenda
- Evidence of teamwork and collaboration with relevant partners
Attachment:
PD1_I_90c6f30f-ef63-4f15-9c1b-b3efe1a69380.pdf
Closing Date: 09/12/2022