Do you want to become part of a large group of researchers working on novel ways to make casein micelles? Do you want to use your passion for food science to carry out research on the production of animal-free dairy products from reconstituted casein micelles and study their digestibility? Then this PhD vacancy at the Dairy Science and Technology team of the Food Quality and Design group may be interesting for you.

In a new consortium of many companies and universities, led by Wageningen University, we aim to produce milk proteins without cows. The focus of the consortium will be on the main milk proteins, which are caseins, that are present in milk as large colloidal particles called casein micelles. This research will have different parallel projects, focused on 1) production of the right caseins by yeast, 2) reconstitution of casein micelles from these caseins, 3) the physical properties of these reconstituted casein, 4) cheese preparation from the reconstituted casein micelles and investigation of casein digestibility, 5) social aspects of this novel way of producing milk, and 6) the economic feasibility and sustainability of this process. This vacancy concerns project 4.

Your main tasks will be:

• Designing and executing experiments to study the cheese making process of the reconstituted casein micelles;
• study the properties of the cheeses, both during the cheesemaking process as well as during ripening;
• designing and executing experiments to determine the digestibility of the reconstituted casein micelles, both in solution and in the produced cheeses, focusing on the clot formation during gastric digestion;
• performing in-depth analyses of the obtained results and writing of high quality scientific papers.

The research is embedded within the chair Food Quality and Design group https://www.wur.nl/en/Research-Results/Chair-groups/Agrotechnology-and-Food-Sciences/Food-Quality-and-Design-1.htm and member of the FQD Dairy team, which is led by Prof. Vincenzo Fogliano https://www.wur.nl/en/Research-Results/Chair-groups/Agrotechnology-and-Food-Sciences/Food-Quality-and-Design-1.htm.
You will be co-supervised by Kasper Hettinga.

You have:

• A successfully completed MSc degree in the field of food science, biochemistry, physical chemistry or related field;
• excellent English language proficiency (a minimum of CEFR C2 level). For more information about this proficiency level, please visit our special language page;
• research experience in a laboratory setting (performing chemical analyses, executing practical procedures), experience with food/dairy protein related analyses is preferable;
• knowledge of, and affinity with, dairy science and technology;
• strong scientific writing skills (evident from your thesis and/or publications);
• affinity with working in a multidisciplinary group in an international context;
• excellent command of written and spoken English (a certificate of Proficiency in English may be required, depending on your MSc program).

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• Sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team.

The gross salary for the first year is € 2.395,- per month rising to € 3.061,- in the fourth year in according to the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours. We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.
You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the Best University in the Netherlands for the 16th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief, known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

Wageningen University & Research

The mission of Wageningen University and Research is "To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life". Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branches, 6.800 employees and 12.900 students, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen's unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR and watch this video to get an idea of our green campus!