Assistant/Associate Professor in the Field of Complex Food Carbohydrates

Assistant/Associate Professor in the Field of Complex Food Carbohydrates

Wageningen University and Research

Wageningen, Netherlands

Your job

Do you want to contribute to our team The Laboratory of Food Chemistry? We are expanding our activities at Wageningen University & Research and as part of this development we invite applications for a tenure-track position Assistant/Associate Professor in the field of complex food carbohydrates.

You will be responsible for leading the research team on food carbohydrates comprising PhD students, technicians and post-docs. Complex food carbohydrates will be studied at the molecular level. With your research you will consolidate our leading international position in which you will contribute to:

1. development of advanced analytical methods (chromatography, mass spectrometry, and NMR spectroscopy) to reveal structural characteristics of complex food carbohydrates in relation to their techno-functionality (e.g. gelling and structurizing properties) and bio-functionality (e.g. dietary fiber, prebiotic and immune-modulating potential);
2. a better mechanistic understanding of conversion of carbohydrates during processing of raw materials into food (ingredients) and during passage through the gastrointestinal tract;
3. characterization of mucosal glycans for a better understanding and shaping of intestinal dynamics;
4. controlled enzymatic modification of food carbohydrates to understand and enhance their functional properties.

Your activities include acquisition of grants to sustain your vision, implementing research projects, and coordination of all activities related to this field. As part of this position, you will inspire students by teaching, developing new course materials, and guiding thesis projects, together with your colleagues in the Laboratory of Food Chemistry. You contribute to the activities of our laboratory with 45% of your time on your research, 45% on education, and 10% on management.

In this challenging career trajectory:

• you acquire, lead and implement innovative and creative (inter-) national research projects in the Laboratory of Food Chemistry;
• you collaborate with colleagues and supervise PhD students, BSc and MSc theses and you develop and teach courses;
• you contribute to the further development of the Laboratory of Food Chemistry.

Tenure Track is a career path for hardworking scientists who pursue to excel in education and research. We seek to attract scientific talent and to stimulate and support their development.

Your qualities

• a completed PhD in Food Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a comparable discipline;
• relevant and well-evaluated teaching experience;
• knowledge about the molecular analysis, enzymatic/microbial conversion, and functionality of food carbohydrates;
• at least 3-5 years of post-doctoral experience in the field;
• a publication record relevant to the field;
• experience in project management and acquisition of research funding;
• good didactic skills and enthusiasm for teaching and working with students;
• the ambition to develop to full professor in a Tenure Track system.

Good writing skills, good oral communication skills, the willingness to explore new fields in collaboration with others, are all essential competences. Experience in starting and maintaining (international) collaborations with academia and industry is appreciated. Proficiency in English at C1 level is required.

We offer you

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional compensation/holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will be offered a fixed-term, 7 year contract which, upon positive evaluation based on criteria elaborated in the University's Tenure Track policy, can lead to a permanent employment contract as professor. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between €3.974 and €6.702 for a full-time working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 11-13).

Wageningen University & Research encourages internal advancement opportunities and mobility with an internal recruitment policy. There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University” in the Netherlands for the 17^th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad

Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Prof. Jean-Paul Vincken, Chair of Food Chemistry, telephone number: +31 317 482234 or by e-mail: jean-paul.vincken@wur.nl.

For questions about the procedure, please contact Ina Luttmann, HR Advisor, by e-mail: ina.luettmann@wur.nl or by phone: +31 317 487701.

Do you want to apply?

You can apply directly using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval.

This vacancy will be listed up to and including June 13^th, 2023. We have already scheduled the job interviews:
1^st interview: 27 and 29 June 2023;
2^nd interview: week of July 10^th 2023.

Equal opportunities

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a functional impairment.

We are

The Laboratory of Food Chemistry (FCH) engages in teaching and research on chemical reactions occurring during processing of raw materials into foods and during food digestion, on the functionality of food ingredients, and on the efficient conversion of biomass remaining after processing. The research of FCH is divided in six areas, i.e. (i) food carbohydrates, (ii) food proteins, (iii) lignocellulosics, (iv) lipids, (v) phytochemicals, and (vi) plant bioactives, and has state-of-the-art infrastructure to facilitate the research. Your mission is to consolidate the pillar on food carbohydrates, with emphasis on their analysis and quantification, understanding their functionality and their controlled modification. The courses offered by FCH feature isolation, analysis, properties, and modification of key molecules in agricultural raw materials and food. FCH has an excellent reputation in developing digital learning materials to support laboratory classes and distance learning programs. FCH is a dynamic international team comprising around 15 staff members, 30-35 PhD students and post-docs, and 40-50 BSc and MSc thesis students annually. More information on our team can be found HERE.

The Agrotechnology & Food Sciences Group is part of Wageningen University & Research where fundamental and applied sciences complement each other. As an important European player, we carry out top-level research and work alongside authoritative partners within the international business world as well as the government on “Healthy food in a biobased society”. We have a crucial role in innovations within the market. Entrepreneurship and professionalism are what define us. In short, we are an interesting, international employer of stature.

Could you be one of these people? We give you the space you need.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment. With its roughly 30 branches, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.

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Netherlands      Academic      Biochemistry      Biology      Chemistry      Nutrition      PhD Required      Wageningen University and Research