Postdoctoral Position in Modelling Food Structuring using a Soft Matter Approach, The Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Job description

Research project
Although consumers have a good appreciation of the goodness of fruits and vegetables, the Dutch consume only half of the recommended daily intake. The lack of convenience during food preparation is one of the main hurdles preventing consumer from eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. For dried products containing fruits and vegetables the nutritional and sensorial quality is compromised by current drying technologies.

Drying of foods is a key route to provide convenience to the consumer and the quality loss is major bottleneck for further growth in the market place. The DRY2FRESH project aims at improvement of the sensorial and nutritional quality of the rehydrated form of dried fruits and vegetables, without compromising convenience. Therefore we take a microstructural driven approach towards enhancing the quality of dried fruits and vegetables. The project is a collaboration between Unilever, Delft University of Technology and Wageningen University – combining expertises in food processing, spectroscopy (MRI/XRT) and advanced modelling of structure-function relations.

Modelling will involve ice crystal growth during freeze-drying, moisture transport during various drying processes, collapse and shrinkage phenomena, and rehydration. A multiscale simulation approach is to be taken, investigating the cellular level and the whole food. The post-doc will develop these predictive models generating knowledge to design drying for superior rehydratable fruits and vegetables.

Requirements
University Graduate

Requirements
The candidate for the Postdoc position is expected to have a PhD degree or equivalent in physics, food engineering, mechanical or chemical engineering, with a strong background in modeling transport phenomena and/or mechanics of complex matter, like foods or other kinds of soft matter. In addition the postdoc should possess good communication skills, for contacts with other industrial and academic partners.

Prior modelling experience with Lattice Spring Models or Lattice Boltzmann (for soft matter or complex fluids) is advantageous. Also expertise of modelling multiphysics in food processing is appreciated.

Additional information about the job:
The Wageningen University is one of the leading centres for food science in the world – collaborating with many of the major players in Europe’s food industry. The group of Food Process Engineering of the department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences (www.pre.wur.nl), we have a vacancy for a vacancy for a Postdoc position, the term of the position is 24 months.

Organization
Conditions of employment
Employment basis: Temporary for period of 24 months.

Salary
The salary is determined according to the collective rules (CAO) of the Dutch universities.Salary scale 10 is applicable (minimum € 2.379,- and maximum € 3.755,-), based on full-time employment.

Additional Information
Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links.
About the university: www.wageningenuniversiteit.nl
About the group: www.pre.wur.nl

Application
Information and application
For more information you can contact Dr. Ruud van der Sman, e-mail: ruud.vandersman[ at ]wur.nl Phone +31 (0) 317 482556.
Applications including a detailed CV with one or two references should be sent before March 15.

Any other correspondence in response to this advertisement will not be dealt with.