Senior Research Assistant in Biology, Food and Nutrition
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Job Description
ABOUT THE ROLE
Do you have a prior research background in characterisation of materials applied in Food Science and Nutrition?
Northumbria University is inviting applications for a 9-month Senior Research Assistant full-time position in the development of smart starch composites. You will undertake leading research in the field of Food Science, with a focus on how starch techno-functionality and digestibility can be modulated by physical processing and interaction with other food compounds.
As a Senior Research Assistant you will be a central member of the team, focusing on the development and physicochemical characterisation of starch composites in order to understand how changes in their multi-scale structure dictate starch digestibility in model systems and staple food products, such as white bread.
You will be based at Northumbria University, with opportunities to visit nationally the industrial collaborators and other prospective commercial partners.
The Food Science and Nutrition group within Northumbria's Applied Sciences Department is quickly expanding in terms of their facilities and academic and industrial collaborations. Through our state-of-the-art research laboratory facilities, our activities are highly cross-disciplinary, and we are known for our high level of industrial engagement.
This role is fixed term for 9 months.
For further detail see the job description.
ABOUT YOU
Applicants should hold a PhD and have demonstrable specialist expert knowledge in Food Science or other related disciplines (e.g. Food Science and Nutrition, Chemistry or Material Science and Engineering). The successful candidate will have extensive experience in characterisation of food systems, and in particular in vitro digestion testing and thermogravimetric, spectroscopic and microscopy techniques. You will demonstrate your knowledge of the critical aspects linked to the design of novel food structures.
Further information about the requirements of the role is available in the person specification..
If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Dr Maria Benlloch-Tinoco (Maria.Tinoco@northumbria.ac.uk).
To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now'. Your application should include a covering letter and a CV.
ABOUT US
Northumbria University is a research-intensive university that unlocks potential for all. We change lives regionally, nationally, and internationally through education and research, tackling the global challenges of our age to transform society and the economy. Find out why we were named Times Higher Education's University of the Year in 2022and Modern University of the Year in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
Northumbria recorded the biggest rise of any UK university for research power in the Research Excellence Framework for the second time in 2021 and is now ranked top 25 in the UK for this measure.
One of the largest universities in the UK with over 37,000 students from more than 140 countries, filled with world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and students at the heart of an outstanding experience. Discover more about us.
Northumbria University is a great place to work. We empower our exceptional people to achieve shared ambitions and promote a positive work life balance. We offer a wide range of benefits including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, a generous holiday entitlement, continued commitment to your learning and development and more.
Our Northumbria Values are guiding principles that define who we are, what we do and what is important to us. Our Values are: Academic Excellence; Innovation; Inclusivity; Collaboration; and Ambition. These Values were co-created by colleagues from a range of roles across the University, who worked collaboratively to consider what it feels like to work for Northumbria, and where we need to continue to transform together to achieve what's important to us. Please visit Our Values and Behaviours page to find out more.
We are an on-campus organisation where colleagues work regular patterns of hours and on campus, with some flexibility on the timing of their hours and the location of their work in discussion with their manager. Our campus locations include our City and Coach Lane Campuses in Newcastle upon Tyne and our London campus.
Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our staff. We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds bronze Athena Swan and Race Equality Charter awards in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender and race equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme. We also hold the HR Excellence in Research award for implementing the concordat supporting the career Development of Researchers and are members of the Euraxess initiative to deliver information and support to professional researchers. The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process.
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