KU Leuven offers a full-time academic vacancy in the area of bioprocess technology for the beverage industry at its Ghent Campus (educational programmes in engineering technology). We are looking for internationally oriented candidates with a strong interdisciplinary research record and capable of supporting our educational programmes in engineering technology (chemistry-biochemistry) in the field of biochemistry, biotechnology and biochemical process technology.
The successful applicant will be appointed in the Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems, Division Food and Microbial Technology, of the Science, Engineering and Technology Group of KU Leuven, and will join the research group Enzyme, Fermentation and Brewing Technology (EFBT) at the Ghent Campus of KU Leuven (educational programmes in engineering technology). The research group is active in applied scientific research and development and technological services for the beverage, food and feed industry with a strong emphasis on the malting and brewing process (raw materials, beer flavour stability, high-tech hopping, development of specialty beers, industrial proteomics, technological innovations), and it has developed an extensive national and international network. An up-to-date lab and pilot infrastructure is available, including bioreactors for the production of bacteria and fungi, enzymes and other functional proteins as well as high-quality microbial metabolites from side streams. The research group also has a very well equipped analytical centre for microbiological and (bio)chemical monitoring of the processes and for chemical-analytical fingerprinting and sensory profiling of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, food products and packaging materials.
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Duties
Research
- You develop a research programme at an international level in the field of bioprocess technology for the beverage industry. Your research will focus on innovative beverage technology, which can include, amongst others, the role of raw materials, microorganisms and beverage processing. The primary focus is the technological and scientific research of beer production (including non-alcoholic variants), but can also be extended to other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and related fields.
- One of the main pillars of EFBT is state-of-the-art investigation of the impacts of current and future challenges (e.g. raw material scarcity, climate change, health related aspects…) onto the brewing industry, with emphasis on product flavour quality and stability. Thus, possible research lines may focus on the study of innovative approaches (e.g. using microorganisms, reducing energy demands, …) for production of malt from barley or other cereals, but also process technologies with the aim of reducing energy and water demand during beer production, or the development of unique (non-) alcoholic beverages with novel flavour characteristics.
- The aimed research lines should result in innovative and industrial relevant processes for (novel) products with a high flavour quality and stability.
- You strengthen the existing research and bring in complementary expertise at EFBT and in the Division and Department.
- We expect your research activities to result in PhDs and scientific publications that meet international standards and lead to broad international recognition. Additionally, you consolidate and expand the existing national and international network, with special emphasis on the development of demand-driven research, services and valorisation activities in collaboration with industrial partners. To achieve these objectives, you are able to acquire competitive research funding (regional, national and European) as well as bilateral industrial funding.
- You strive for excellence and thus contribute to the further development of the research group and the faculty.
Teaching
- You provide high-quality education for both bachelor and master students in the field of biochemistry, biotechnology and bioprocess technology, with a clear commitment to the quality of the programme of the Faculty of Engineering Technology as a whole.
- You contribute to the faculty’s and the university’s pedagogical project through the supervision of student projects (for example bachelor’s and master’s theses) and by acting as a supervisor of PhD students.
- You develop your teaching in accordance with KU Leuven’s views on activating and researched-based education and make use of the possibilities for educational professionalization offered by the faculty and the university.
Service
- You are prepared to provide scientific, societal and internal services.
- You maintain close contact with the local industry. As mentioned above, contacts with companies with a view on the valorisation of research results are of great importance.
- You play an active role in promoting the faculty of engineering technology towards new students and the wider professional field by participating in open days and other PR activities, networking events and fairs. In addition, an enthusiastic commitment is expected in the various commissions and working groups of the Department of Microbial and Molecular Systems and the Faculty of Engineering Technology.
Profile
- You have a PhD in Engineering Technology (preferably specialized in Biochemistry), a PhD in Bioscience Engineering, a PhD in Brewing and Beverage Technology or an equivalent degree in a domain that guarantees an excellent starting position for the above described teaching and research programme.
- You have a strong research track record in the discipline, evidenced by your publications or by your research experience in industry. You have the ambition to contribute to the valorisation of research in industry and in society. International experience is an important asset.
- You have verifiable qualities related to academic education. Teaching experience is an advantage.
- You possess organisational skills and have a cooperative attitude. You also possess leadership competencies in a university or industry context.
- Both junior and senior profiles are eligible. In principle, junior researchers are appointed as assistant professor on the tenure track for a period of 5 years. At the end of this period and after a positive evaluation, they are permanently appointed (or tenured) as associate professor.
- Proficiency in English is required. The official language used at KU Leuven is Dutch. If you do not speak Dutch (or do not speak it well) at the start of employment, KU Leuven will provide language training to enable you to take part in meetings. Before teaching courses in Dutch or English, you will be given the opportunity to learn Dutch, respectively English, to the required standard.
Offer
We offer full-time employment in an intellectually stimulating environment.
KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that carries out both fundamental and applied scientific research. Our university is highly focused on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and strives for international excellence. In this regard, the university actively works together with research partners in Belgium and abroad and provides its students with an academic education that is based on high-quality scientific research.
You will work at the Ghent Campus of KU Leuven (educational programmes in engineering technology, Campus Rabot), in a historic city with a 40-minute rail connection to Brussels, and about three hours train to Paris, London and Amsterdam.
To facilitate scientific onboarding and accelerate research in the first phase, a research position will be made available equivalent to a PhD scholarship for 4 years. If you have no other substantial funding available to you, you can apply for a start-up grant of EUR 100.000, on the condition that you are appointed for at least 50%.
KU Leuven is well set to welcome foreign professors and their family and provides practical support with regard to immigration & administration, housing, childcare, learning Dutch, partner career coaching, …
Interested?
For more information on the contents of the job, please contact:
* Professor Chris Michiels, departmental chair of the Department Microbial and Molecular Systems (chris.michiels@kuleuven.be, tel. +32 16 32 15 78) or
* Professor Maarten Vergauwen, campus chair of Ghent Campus of KU Leuven (educational programmes in engineering technology) (maarten.vergauwen@kuleuven.be)
You can submit your application, only through our online application system. If you have problems submitting your application online, please send an email to solliciteren@kuleuven.be.
Add to your application following documents in English (more information is available on the KU Leuven job site):
- your biosketch in which you indicate your added value as an academic for research, education and service to society of your past career and of your future activities (maximum 2 pages);
- a file on your five most important publications or realizations;
- an extensive cv including a full publication list and if applicable a portfolio of your architectural projects;
- your research plan with focus on the development of your research line and research team in relation with the colleague-researchers of the entity of employment (maximum 4 pages);
- your vision on academic education and its organization (maximum 2 pages);
- your contribution to society by outreach and public communication on science and technology, internal representation in boards and councils and service activities directly in relation to your developed expertise (maximum 1 page);
- your vision on leadership (maximum 1 page).
KU Leuven places great importance on research integrity and ethical conduct and will therefore ask you to sign an integrity statement upon appointment.
KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.