PhD in Food Texture & Cultivated Meat — Singapore Institute of Technology

Key details

• Host institution: SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (SIT)
• Location: SINGAPORE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (SIT), Singapore
• Application deadline: August 12, 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

Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is seeking a Research Fellow to lead applied research on mechanical and textural characterisation of meat and novel foods. This fixed-term position supports translational, industry-relevant food processing projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead fundamental research on mechanical and textural characterisation of meat and novel foods in collaboration with Principal Investigators, co-PIs, and academic partners from NTU and A*STAR.
• Establish nanomechanical and macro-textural foundations for small-sample cultivated meat using advanced tools such as AFM, micro-indentation, micro texture analysers (e.g., TA.XT plus), and Confocal Laser Microscopy Imaging to quantify hardness, chewiness, springiness, fracture stress, and fracture strain.
• Compare feasibility, resolution, and accuracy of AFM, indenters, and micro-TA probe systems for characterising cultivated meat, contributing methodological knowledge.
• Deploy dynamic oral processing simulation platforms including tribology, Kramer shear cell testing, and mastication simulators to investigate breakdown characteristics, brittleness vs. plasticity, and frictional/lubrication properties; generate mechanistic insights linking textural dynamics to sensory perception.
• Integrate multi-modal datasets from different mastication simulators into a 3D Principal Component Analysis (PCA) space for quantitative comparison between cultivated meat and conventional animal meat, identifying key textural descriptors defining equivalence.
• Develop novel experimental or analytical methodologies to address gaps in small-sample meat texture characterisation and oral processing simulation.
• Consolidate experimental data into robust evidence packages for academic publications, grant reporting, and translational research decisions.
• Coordinate project timelines, milestones, resource allocation, procurement, and compliance with institutional and ethical requirements.
• Prepare and submit high-quality scientific manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals, as well as technical reports, progress updates, and final deliverables for funding agencies.
• Engage actively with internal and external academic collaborators, organise progress meetings, and contribute to technology transfer where relevant to open science or public benefit.
• Present research outcomes at international conferences, academic seminars, and stakeholder meetings; contribute to outreach through approved communication channels.
• Communicate with all relevant internal and external stakeholders as required to meet project deliverables.
• Perform any other ad-hoc duties assigned by supervisor.

Job Requirements

• PhD or Doctoral degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Physics, Material Science, Mechanical Engineering, Biomaterials, Biological Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong background in mechanical properties of soft matter, food texture analysis, or biopolymer/tissue mechanics, with demonstrable experience in cultivated meat, plant-based meat analogues, or animal tissue characterisation.
• Hands-on experience with mechanical characterisation tools (AFM, indentation, DMA, texture analysers, rheometer, tribology, CLSM, low-field NMR) and solid understanding of fracture mechanics (stress/strain, hardness, chewiness, springiness).
• Proficiency in oral processing simulation techniques such as tribology, Kramer shear testing, and/or mastication simulators, with ability to interpret breakdown and lubrication behaviour in a mechanistic context.
• Competence in multivariate statistical analysis, particularly PCA, 3D PCA, or other dimensionality reduction methods for integrating complex, multimodal datasets.
• Experience working with limited sample volumes and ability to design robust experimental protocols for small-batch cultivated meat production.
• Evidence of scientific productivity, including first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, or equivalent outputs.
• Ability to translate complex experimental outcomes into testable hypotheses and conceptual frameworks, rather than product-focused deliverables.
• Strong project ownership and autonomy, with capacity to balance scientific depth, reproducibility, and methodological rigour.
• Excellent scientific writing skills, with proven ability to prepare manuscripts, funding proposals, and technical documentation.
• Detail-oriented, self-motivated, and capable of working independently as well as collaboratively within multidisciplinary academic teams under pressure.
• Good communication and stakeholder management skills, including liaison with lab and equipment managers, finance and procurement teams, equipment vendors, and external academic partners.