PhD fellowship in Dairy-Plant Hybrid Foods

The Department of Food Science at University of Copenhagen invites applicants for a PhD fellowship in processing and biochemical analysis of dairy-plant hybrid matrices, which is part of the research project “Boosting Dairy Side Stream Value through Hybrids (BoostDairy)”. The project is financed by the Danish Dairy Research Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation and in collaboration with Arla Foods amba and Arla Foods Ingredients.

Start date is (expected to be) 1 July 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

Current trends point to an increased use of plant resources in food products due to their supposedly lower environmental impact, while the global demand for milk and dairy products remains high because of their excellent nutritional and functional properties. A possible compromise for this dilemma could be hybrid products, i.e., novel foods that are comprised of both dairy and plant-based components, which could satisfy the nutritional and sensory needs of the consumers while also decreasing the environmental impact of the products.

The project particularly aims at valorising dairy industry side streams for developing novel dairy-plant hybrid foods, and special emphasis will be placed on the biochemical analysis of the nutrient availability in the hybrid matrices after processing.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for candidates within the field(s) of food chemistry, food biotechnology, or related.

The preferred candidate has qualifications within one or more of the following fields:

• Analytical chemistry of foods
• Dairy technology
• Plant-based foods
• Food processing
• Design of experiments

Our group and research- and what do we offer?

The Department of Food Science, University of Copenhagen, is located at the Frederiksberg Campus and offers creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.

The contact persons will be:

• Principal supervisor: Ourania Gouseti ([email protected], phone: +45 35 32 40 48), Section Food Analytics and Biotechnology, Research Group Plant-Based Foods and Biochemistry
• Project leader and co-supervisor: Norbert Raak ([email protected], phone: +45 35 33 05 21), Section Ingredient and Dairy Technology, Research Group Food Proteins

Within these sections there is strong expertise in dairy technology, design of plant-based foods, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of processing-induced protein modifications, with access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with researchers at Arla Foods amba and Arla Foods Ingredients and might include practical work at the industry partners.

The PhD programme

The position involves a three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Food Science, Biotechnology, or related. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in both PhD programmes

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision

• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate in active research environments, including a stay at another research institution, preferably abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Relevant publications
• Relevant work experience
• Other relevant professional activities
• Curious mind-set with a strong interest in food processing
• Good language skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking “APPLY NOW” / “SØG STILLINGEN” below.

Please include:

1. Motivation letter describing your motivation for applying for the specific PhD project (max. one page).
2. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position, without publication list (max. two pages).
3. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
4. A short scientific essay on the potential of dairy industry side streams used in novel foods as well as potential technological challenges (1-2 pages excl. references; the use of generative AI must be indicated).
5. Publication list (if available).
6. Reference letters.

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 4 April 2025, 23:59 GMT+2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified and, if so, for which of the two models. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in week 17 or 18.

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the project leader Norbert Raak ([email protected]).

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.