Senior/Principal Research Fellow – Food Design & Formulation Lead

About the role

This is a full‑time, fixed‑term research position at the Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, QAAFI. The successful candidate will lead an interdisciplinary programme in food design and formulation, bridging laboratory discovery to pilot‑scale and commercial implementation.

Key responsibilities

• Lead high‑impact research on food design, ingredient chemistry, food processing, and structure‑function relationships.
• Develop scalable food processing technologies and translate innovations from lab to pilot plant and commercial manufacturing.
• Supervise Higher Degree by Research students and mentor emerging researchers.
• Build strategic partnerships with academia, industry and government, and contribute to governance and service activities.
• Integrate AI‑enabled analytics and predictive modelling into food innovation projects.

Required profile

• PhD in Food Science, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Established research record with national recognition and a strong publication history in high‑quality journals and conferences.
• Demonstrated expertise in food design, formulation, ingredient chemistry, food functionality and structure‑function analysis.
• Ability to secure and manage industry collaborations and commercialisation pathways.

Required skills

• Food design and formulation
• Ingredient chemistry
• Food processing techniques
• Structure‑function analysis
• AI‑enabled analytics
• Predictive modelling

What we offer

• Fixed‑term contract up to 5 years.
• Competitive salary range (Level C: $145,961.51‑$168,043.68; Level D: $175,404.39‑$193,070.79) plus 17 % superannuation.
• Work in a natural bushland setting at the Long Pocket Campus.
• Opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and industry impact.