Do you want to contribute to successful introduction of processing technology in fruit and vegetables (F&V) Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) contributing to their market position and higher quality (healthier, more nutritional, longer shelf life) F&V for consumers?

SHEALTHY, a H2020 project, encompasses the introduction of non-thermal physical technologies to preServe HEALTHiness of fresh and minimallY processed fruit and vegetables in SMEs. From May 2019 until end of April 2023 SHEALTHY aims to assess and develop non-thermal processing technologies and by means of business models to integrate these technologies in F&V SMEs and bring the technologies to value. This ambition will be realized by:

• developing non-thermal sanitisation, preservation and stabilisation methods and assessing their optimal combination to improve the safety (inactivation of pathogens and spoilage microorganisms), while preserving the nutritional quality and prolonging the shelf-life of minimally processed F&V products;
• gaining basic insights from literature and empirical research into F&V supply chain activities, - consumer market, strategy and existing operations of F&V SMEs which dealt with technology introduction;
• designing and testing of business models (BMs) during pilots of technology introduction in F&V SMEs;
• to assess the impact of the technologies on health and safety of consumers and sustainability of F&V SMEs;
• dissemination of results of research via scientific channels and in the F&V sector.

Within SHEALTHY the Business Management and Organization group (BMO) is leader of Work Package 3 (WP3) called 'Definition of business models and novel sustainable logistic systems tailored to SMEs'. BMO is responsible for insights into technology assimilation and fitting business models tailored to SMEs, and the design and testing of BMs including logistic, market, management and organization information.
Shealthy reports on technology assimilation and BMs of food SMEs are readily available.
Your tasks will be:

• to develop further business models in real life pilots in F&V SMEs;
• collaborating on this business model innovation trajectory with the WP3 partners and the involved technology developer partners;
• reporting on this design process;
• designing and implementing a Societal Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) on the impact of introduced processing technologies on consumers' health and safety andsustainability;
• reporting on this SLCA.

The SHEALTHY project has a strong multi-disciplinary character within the WP3 complemented on project level by food technologists and -engineers. The partners are from university, institutes and companies form Italy, Spain, Servia, Germany, Scotland and Denmark.

The researcher we seek has the following key qualifications:

• relevant PhD degree in business studies, organisation studies, innovation management or economics;
• keen interest in organisation, sustainability, innovation, food supply chains (FSCs), collaboration, business models, ecosystem research and societal impact combined technology - business processes;
• understands technology adoption within a (small- and medium-sized) business context and is inventive in seeking and finding solutions for a more optimized fit between the two;
• knowledge and experience with design oriented research methods in a technology driven context;
• experienced in working in international and multidisciplinary projects is an advantage;
• experienced in research on FSCs is an advantage;
• proven track record of (potential) publications in innovation, management and/or organisation studies journals;
• excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page.

A challenging position with, depending on your experience, a competitive salary from a minimum of €2.790,- to a maximum of €4.402,- for a full working week of 38 hours in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement Dutch Universities (scale 10). An appointment of 0.8 FTE is negotiable. The duration of this project is 1 year. In addition, we offer:

• 8% holiday allowance;
• a structural end-of year bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent training opportunities and secondary employment conditions;
• flexible working hours that we determine together in good consultation;
• excellent pension plan through ABP;
• 232 vacation hours, the option to purchase extra and good supplementary leave schemes, e.g. the possibility to work a maximum of 2 hours per week extra for extra leave;
• a flexible model to put together part of your employment conditions yourself, such as a bicycle plan;
• a lively workplace on the Wageningen Campus;
• make use of the sports facilities on campus for a small fee.

Wageningen University & Research stimulates internal career opportunities and mobility with our internal recruitment policy. There are ample opportunities for personal initiative in a learning environment. With us you get a versatile job in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

For this position you will be located at Wageningen, within the Business Management & Organisation Group. The project team consist of Dr. Maria Annosi, Dr. Geoffrey Hagelaar, Dr. Verena Otter and Camila Silva de Mattos Msc.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of our University is to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. Within Wageningen University & Research, nine specialised research institutes from the Wageningen Research Foundation and Wageningen University have joined forces to help answer the most important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With approximately 30 locations, 6.500 employees, and 12.000 students, it is one of the leading organisations in its domain worldwide. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of the unique approach of Wageningen. We have been named Best Employer in Education category 2019-2020.

Click here for more information about working at Wageningen University & Research. More information about Wageningen Campus you can find here.

We do the recruiting for this vacancy ourselves. Please do not contact us for sales purposes.