Doctoral student in Dairy Technology - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Description of the workplace

This project will be performed at the Division of Food and Pharma at the Department of Process and Life Science Engineering. At the division, research and education are conducted within experimental and theoretical areas to meet issues with relevance to the food industry.

You will be a part of the Dairy group that is working with technological and processing aspects on milk and dairy systems, with main research areas within milk quality and genomics, composition and structure of milk and dairy products, dairy processing as well as nutrition and health. The Dairy group has extensive national and international collaborations with industry, both within research and education. The teaching is linked to specializations and programs in food technology and chemical engineering as well as commissioned educations in dairy technology at LTH.

You can read more about the Dairy group on their website. 

Subject description

The candidate will be admitted to the research subject Food and Formulation Engineering. This research subject covers experimental and theoretical studies based on science and engineering aiming to address issues of relevance to the food and pharmaceutical industries, including aspects of production and consumption of food in society. Focus within this project will be on dairy technology.

Work duties

Approximately 30% of the annual milk production in Sweden is used for cheese production. The coagulation ability of milk is crucial for cheese production and thus it is important that the milk raw material is of good quality. In previous PhD-projects, we have shown an alarmingly high figure of 37% of individual cows giving milk with impaired coagulation ability. As a doctoral student in dairy technology, you will work in a research project on variations in the coagulation ability of milk and its effects on cheese production. The research project is a collaboration between Lund University and the dairies Falköpings mejeri, Gäsene mejeri and Arla Foods.

As a doctoral student, you will plan, design, and conduct experiments, with assistance from your supervisors. The focus will be on investigating milk coagulation ability at both farm and dairy levels, and what impact milk with poor coagulation ability has on cheese quality and yield to comprehend its implications for cheese production. In addition, we will also evaluate rapid methods for potential markers for coagulation. By addressing these issues, a long-term quality-assured milk that can contribute to profitable and sustainable milk production will be ensured. The main part of the project will be carried out in Lund, but may also include experiments and analyses at the partners in the project and other research groups. In addition, participation in national and international conferences and continuous cooperation with industrial partners are included.

The main duties of doctoral students are to devote themselves to their research studies which includes participating in research projects and third cycle courses. The work duties will also include teaching and other departmental duties (no more than 20%).

Admission requirements

A person meets the general admission requirements for third-cycle courses and study programmes if the applicant:

• has been awarded a second-cycle qualification, or
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle, or
• has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or abroad.

A person meets the specific admission requirements for third cycle studies in Food and Formulation Engineering if he or she has:

• at least 60 credits in the subject of the third-cycle programme, of which at least 30 credits are from second-cycle courses of relevance to the subject and 30 credits from a second-cycle degree project of relevance to the subject, or
• an MSc in Engineering, a one-year Master’s degree or other comparable degree of relevance to the field.

Additional requirements:

• Very good oral and written proficiency in English

Assessment criteria

Selection for third-cycle studies is based on the student’s potential to profit from such studies. The assessment of potential is made primarily on the basis of academic results from the first and second cycle. Special attention is paid to the following:

• Knowledge and skills relevant to the thesis project and the subject of study.
• An assessment of ability to work independently and to formulate and tackle research problems.
• Written and oral communication skills.
• Other experience relevant to the third-cycle studies, e.g. professional experience.

Other assessment criteria:

• in-depth knowledge of dairy technology and dairy processing.
• experience in chemical and technological food analyses.
• in-depth knowledge of of statistical analyses.
• holding a driving licence for passenger vehicles (category B).
• good problem-solving skills and linguistic analysis ability.

Consideration will also be given to good collaborative skills, drive and independence, and how the applicant, through experience and skills, is deemed to have the abilities necessary for successfully completing the third cycle programme.

We offer

Lund University is a public authority which means that employees get particular benefits, generous annual leave and an advantageous occupational pension scheme. It is advisable to enter information on what your unit specifically can offer as a workplace.
Read more on the University website about being a Lund University employee Work at Lund University. 

Terms of employment

Only those admitted to third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Third cycle studies at LTH consist of full-time studies for 4 years. A doctoral studentship is a fixed-term employment of a maximum of 5 years (including 20% departmental duties). Doctoral studentships are regulated in the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100), chapter 5, 1-7 §§.

How to apply

Applications shall be written in English and include a cover letter stating the reasons why you are interested in the position and in what way the research project corresponds to your interests and educational background. The application must also contain a CV, degree certificate or equivalent, and other documents you wish to be considered (grade transcripts, contact information for your references, letters of recommendation, etc.).

Welcome to apply!