PhD in Food Science – Singapore Institute of Technology

Key details

• Host institution: SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (SIT)
• Location: SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (SIT), Singapore
• Application deadline: June 10, 2026

Funding

Not funded by a EU programme

Funding level (from listing): partial or not via EU framework — confirm on the official call.

How to apply

• Application portal / instructions: Official application link.
• Context on Euraxess: Original listing.

About the position

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), a University of Applied Learning, invites applications for a fixed-term Research position within the Food, Chemical and Biotechnology division. This role supports applied food processing research projects with strong industry relevance, focusing on product development, process optimization, and food characterization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead bench formulation of mushroom-based and plant-based food products, focusing on muscle-like architectures to achieve required texture, flavor, and nutrition performance during cooking, reheating, and storage.
• Apply advanced texturisation techniques, including cold extrusion, lamination, and natural tenderisation strategies (e.g., enzyme treatment, solid-state fermentation), to create fibrous, meat-like structures that replicate bite, chewiness, and elasticity.
• Translate scalable solutions from upstream processing (e.g., protein gels, fermented ingredients) into robust food formulations by collaborating with culinary experts, and lead pilot-scale trials at facilities such as SIT FoodPlant to assess manufacturability, reproducibility, and scalability for clinical and consumer studies.
• Conduct textural, rheological, and sensory characterisation to evaluate product performance and guide formulation refinement.
• Consolidate formulation, processing, and performance data to support techno-economic analysis (TEA), life-cycle assessment (LCA), and cost-benefit analysis (CBA).
• Prepare scientific manuscripts, technical reports, progress updates, and final deliverables for funding agencies and stakeholders.
• Engage and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders to support progress meetings, technology transfer activities, conferences, and approved communication channels.
• Supervise and mentor junior researchers, engineers, students, and visiting scholars involved in the projects.
• Communicate with all relevant internal and external stakeholders as required to meet project deliverables.
• Perform any other ad hoc duties assigned by the supervisor.

Job Requirements

• PhD in Food Science, Food Technology, or a closely related discipline. Strong Master’s degree holders with relevant experience may be considered.
• Strong background in food formulation, protein-based systems, and texture design.
• Hands-on experience with texturisation technologies, such as extrusion, lamination, gelation, or emulsion-based structuring.
• Knowledge of protein gels, microgels, fat mimetics, and structure-function relationships in food matrices.
• Familiarity with sensory evaluation, texture analysis, and rheological measurements, and food system characterization.
• Experience translating laboratory-scale formulations into pilot-scale or industry-relevant processes.
• Understanding of nutrition-driven product design, particularly for vulnerable or special-needs populations.
• Ability to integrate culinary considerations into scientific formulation and product development.
• Strong problem-solving skills with attention to both scientific rigor and practical feasibility.
• Excellent communication skills for interdisciplinary collaboration with engineers, nutritionists, clinicians, and industry partners.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary applied research team.
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and able to work independently as well as collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.
• Good communication and stakeholder management skills, including liaison with vendors, suppliers, and external partners.