Tenure Track in Postharvest Quality and Technology of Horticultural Products

The Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Denmark, invites applications at the Tenure Track level within postharvest quality and technology of horticultural products.
We are looking for a successful candidate with a strong research profile within plant food quality and fresh produce responses to postharvest storage technology who would like to work with a highly engaged and motivated staff in an innovative and dynamic working environment. The position is available from 1. April 2022 or as soon as possible after that.

The position
We are specifically interested in a candidate with chemical, physiological, and technological expertise in plant food quality after harvest to bring high-quality, plant food fresh products to the market with a minimum of food waste. The development of this research area is a focal area. The candidate’s scientific competencies are expected to make a key contribution to further strengthening the research activities within the Department of Food Science. The position is aligned with the Science Team of Food Technology. Current research focuses on characterization and understanding molecular component interaction during postharvest, processing, packaging, storage, logistics, transportation, and structure-processing-function relationships at all length scales to design more sustainable and circular food solutions.

New research initiatives in postharvest quality and technology of horticultural products should complement existing research activities at the Department within fruit, vegetables, and ornamentals, and plant food quality and processing. Therefore, the successful candidate is expected to have documented experience within postharvest quality and technology and master state-of-the-art experimental and analytical methods in postharvest physiology and technology, and applied pilot and supply chain research.

You are expected to have research experience within two or more of the following areas:

• Fresh produce quality
• Produce-driven release of volatile organic compounds along the supply chain
• Analytical food chemistry (e.g. GC, GC-MS, PTR-MS)
• Controlled and modified atmosphere technologies
• Control and management of storage conditions (ethylene, temperature and relative humidity)
• Sensor technology for non-invasive and real-time monitoring of quality changes of fresh produce
• Analytical method development
• Transfer fundamental research into business-oriented innovation and development
• Close collaboration and knowledge exchange with industry

Qualifications

• A PhD degree in Food Science, Food Engineering or Food Technology or other programs relevant to postharvest biology and technology
• A minimum of 2-3 years postdoc experience
• A proven publication record in international peer-reviewed journals (minimum 10 publications)
• Teaching experience at BSc and MSc level
• Experience in international research collaboration and networking
• Documented ability to attract research funding
• Write and speak English fluently

The Department of Food Science
The Department of Food Science is part of the Faculty of Technology, Aarhus University. It includes research across the food value chain within Plant Production Systems, Biofunctional Food, Systems Biology, Food Chemistry, Food Technology, Food Quality, Food Metabolomics, and Sensory Science. The Department currently employs approx. 60 full-time scientific staff and 50 PhD students and Postdocs, with approx. 30 visiting staff and students contributing to an international research environment where English is the preferred language.

The Department works in teams, and therefore, self-leadership, clear and open communication, success in mentoring, supervising, and teaching are important qualities needed to be successful in the Department. In addition, the Department has a strong culture that is based on openness, equality, consultation, and inclusion, and contributing to the Department’s strategy and working environment is viewed as important.

The Department is responsible for a Master’s programme in Molecular Nutrition and Food Technology at Aarhus University and a Master’s programme in Food and Health at the Sino-Danish Center in Beijing, China. In addition, Department staff contribute to several interdisciplinary educations at Aarhus University, including Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes in Agrobiology, and a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering in Food Technology. Staff also teach at educations offered at other Universities in Denmark and China.

Moreover, the Department conducts research-based advice of the Danish Government in horticulture and food quality.

Please refer to http://food.au.dk/en/ for further information about The Department of Food Science and to http://scitech.au.dk/en/ and http://www.au.dk/en/ for information on Technology and Aarhus University, respectively.

Place of Work and area of Employment
The place of work is Agro Food Park 48, 8200 Aarhus North, Denmark.

For further information contact Head of Department Michelle H. Williams, phone: +45 25170049, e-mail: mw@food.au.dk.

Aarhus University offers competitive start-up packages.

Living in Aarhus / Denmark
Please visit the International Centre website (http://www.au.dk/en/internationalcentre/) for information about arriving, working and living in Denmark.

Technical Sciences Tenure Track
Aarhus University offers talented scientists from around the world attractive career perspectives via the Technical Sciences Tenure Track Programme. Highly qualified candidates are appointed as Assistant Professors for a period of six years with the prospect of performance- based advancement to a tenured Associate Professorship.

The aim of the Technical Sciences Tenure Track Programme is to:

• attract outstanding talented individuals that are competitive at an international level
• to promote the early development of independent research success early in the career of scientists
• to create transparency in the academic career path

As part of the tenure track position, the candidate is offered:

• access to research infrastructure
• capability development, including postgraduate teacher training
• a mentoring programme
• support to develop scientific networks and to secure interdisciplinary research at the highest level

As part of the Aarhus University Tenure Track Programme, the University carries out a mid-way evaluation to review the progress of the tenure track candidate after three years, according to the same criteria used in the final tenure review. The final tenure review is conducted after five and a half years. If the review is positive, the candidate will be offered a tenured position as Associate Professor at Aarhus University.

Please refer to the tenure track guidelines for the tenure review criteria and for the tenure review process.

Application procedure
Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the assessment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. The selection is made on the basis of an assessment of who of the candidates are most relevant considering the requirements of the advertisement. All applicants will be notified within 6 weeks whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee and will receive his/her assessment. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.

Letter of reference
If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.

Formalities and salary range
Technical Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Confederation of Professional Associations.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Apply now