Research Assistant (Food Microbiology) (Fixed Term) (COS565)

We are seeking a Research Assistant with expertise in food microbiology to join our dynamic team at the University of Lincoln’s National Centre for Food Manufacturing (NCFM). The Research Assistant will work across a range of projects largely funded by industry partners, UK Government, European Regional Development Agency and other funding bodies. Whilst primarily focused on food microbiology the opportunity to work across other food technology disciplines exists and so the role can provide a range of experiences.     

A satellite campus of the University of Lincoln, The National Centre for Food Manufacturing is a major resource for the UK’s food industry with over 250 major companies accessing courses, technical services and research.  Our clients include the major national and global food manufacturing businesses and leading supermarkets and we collaborate with many international partners and universities. The NCFM has outstanding sector-focused facilities, including a state-of-the-art food factory demonstrating cutting edge food automation.

The Research Assistant will contribute significantly to our microbiology projects that focus on microbial evaluation of refrigerated meats, the enumeration of microbial pathogens in poultry, thermal and non-thermal process validation for a range of food products and microbiological challenge studies. Opportunities to work together with other Researchers exploring shelf life across the supply chain and other technologies exist.  

The microbiology project will involve handling category 2 organisms such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus therefore knowledge and experience of working with microbial samples and working under aseptic conditions, whilst applying Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) is essential.

The Research Assistant will ideally have a degree in Microbiology or Food Science or a relevant Biological sciences discipline. Essential skills include: attention to detail, accurate record keeping, flexible attitude to work, proactive and willing to learn new skills and to undertake training on key pieces of equipment as required.

The data produced and analysed as part of these projects will be transferred to a range of outputs including publications and presentations therefore knowledge or experience of scientific writing is essential. Working with multidisciplinary team and industrial partners will be integral to this role, therefore effective communication and interpersonal skills are required.

The post is part funded through the Greater Lincolnshire Agri-food Innovation (GLAFIP) project which supports innovation in SME businesses and is funded through the European Regional Development Fund. 

The post offers an outstanding opportunity for a motivated and committed researcher to work within a dynamic, industry facing university environment and gain valuable experience in partnering in research with businesses, some of whom are at the cutting edge of technological innovation for the food sector. 

Please note that this post requires an Enhanced DBS check.

Closing Date: 29 Aug 2018
Category: Research