NAPIC Research and Innovation Fellow in Alternative Protein Product Quality

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have an established background in food/biomaterial science, sensing and analytical methods? Do you want to play a leading role in the UK’s alternative protein revolution?

We are looking for a Research and Innovation Fellow to join a project funded by the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC). NAPIC is a £38m entity (including a £15m UKRI investment) to lead the UK’s alternative protein knowledge and Innovation ecosystem. NAPIC’s vision is to make alternative proteins mainstream for a sustainable planet. The centre is led by the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, Imperial College London and the James Hutton Institute, in collaboration with over 100 national and international partners. NAPIC is a cohesive pan-UK centre poised to revolutionise the UK’s agri-food sector by harnessing our world-leading science base through a co-created alternative protein strategy across the Discovery → Innovation → Commercialisation pipeline to support the transition to a sustainable, high growth, blended protein bioeconomy.  NAPIC features four integrated activity streams: research to address innovation challenges; a national alternative protein knowledge base; workforce of the future; and accessible Innovation facilities. 

NAPIC is actively recruiting a number of Research and Innovation Fellows across the four leading organisations. We seek highly motivated researchers across a range of disciplines who are eager to lead the UK’s alternative protein revolution. These Research and Innovation fellows will benefit from collaborations (industry and academia), international placement opportunities and tailored entrepreneurship training. They can also lead their own alternative protein agile projects within the centre.   

This particular postdoctoral position will focus on biomaterial characterisation using inline sensing methods (e.g. computer vision, near infrared spectroscopy and acoustics) and protein characterisation (e.g. FTIR, DSC, CD, amino acid analysis and chromatography) to determine the composition, structure, quality and technical performance of alternative protein productions. The successful candidate will work collaboratively on a range of frontier and agile projects with the NAPIC team and external partners across the broad range of alternative protein products. 

 You will join a highly dynamic, interdisciplinary team focusing on the whole theme of alternative proteins, collaborating with a wide range of academics and industrial partners, helping to run workshops and outreach activities as well as conducting your own research program.

You will have a PhD or near completion in Food Science, Material Science, Biochemistry, Engineering or a closely related discipline together with a strong background in biomaterial characterisation. You will also have a positive attitude to collaborative research and the drive to make a significant contribution to NAPIC.

Please note that this post may be suitable for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route but first-time applicants might need to qualify for salary concessions. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

For research and academic posts, we will consider eligibility under the Global Talent visa. For more information please visit: www.gov.uk/global-talent

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Dr Alan Javier Hernandez Alvarez, Lecturer in Nutrition and Global Health

Email: A.J.HernandezAlvarez@leeds.ac.uk

Prof Nik Watson, Professor of Artificial Intelligence in Food

Email: n.j.watson@leeds.ac.uk

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