Postdoctoral Fellow II - Utah State University

Overview:

Incumbent in the post-doctoral position will help run an Industry oriented, NSF funded research project on “NSF Convergence Accelerator Track J Phase 2: Dairy NutriSols - Catalyzing technology adoption to promote food and nutrition security” independently with overall supervision of Dr. Prateek Sharma, Assistant Professor, Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences department. This project consortium is lead by Boise State University in collaboration with University of Minnesota, University of Idaho and Utah State University. The Dairy NutriSols consortium will utilize use-inspired practices to demonstrate and deploy innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions for the dairy industry that produce high-quality products at a larger scale and lower cost. USU will contribute to this project by upcycling whey, help develop extruded snacks and characterize protein powders produced using novel technologies. The project work will include studying rheology, structure and chemistry of liquid, semi-solids and dried dairy protein samples. The successful candidate must be able to design and perform his/her experiments, analyze the data and report them to various stakeholders.  The candidate shall be able to perform technical procedures in a research laboratory under minimal supervision by applying standard scientific techniques and analytical principles. Incumbent will assist researchers in the lab by performing routine tests, collecting data, setting up and operating equipment, and maintaining various records.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct a specified program of research and scholarship under supervision and direction of Dr. Prateek Sharma.
• Design, organize and conduct independent research and experiments as per the requirement of the project.
• Analyzes data and prepares materials for publication and presentation both in written and oral formats.
• Assist in the training of a cohort of undergraduate researchers.
• Participate in and organize seminars and professional meetings.
• Assist in the training and recruitment of graduate students.
• Coordinate field crews, equipment logistics, and data collection.
• Maintains a solid publication record.
• Help develop new product and process prototypes.
• Help write grant applications.
• Teach classes and offer advising support to the students.
• Works well in a collaborative, inter-disciplinary environment.
• Maintains laboratory, including equipment maintenance.
• Performs miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• An earned Doctorate in the areas of Dairy and Food Science or related discipline and minimum three years of post-PhD experience by the time of appointment.
• Publishing in peer-reviewed scientific journals as first author is essential.
• The candidate must have demonstratable experience and expertise in advanced rheological, microstructural, chromatographic, and electrophoretic techniques in relation to dairy products.
• The candidate must have knowledge of dairy processing and technology operations at pilot scale.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to operate MCR 302 rheometer and texture analyzer independently.
• Thorough understanding of large and small amplitude oscillatory shear rheology.
• Experience in interpreting and analyzing rheology data.
• Hands on experience on HPLC, PAGE and CLSM techniques.
• Knowledge of laboratory techniques and safety.
• Skilled in statistical analysis and food process modelling
• Knowledge of the principles of the peer review process.
• Ability to present research in both spoken and written formats.
• Ability to teach concepts to students of various backgrounds.
• Organizational and project management skills.
• Ability to develop novel analytical approaches.
• Ability to implement existing methodology and develop new approaches to experiments.
• Skilled with computers and programs relevant to department.
• Ability to operate specialized scientific equipment as required.

Required Documents:

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV"
2. Name and contact information for 3 professional references to be entered into Candidate Profile
3. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary:Commensurate with experience, plus excellent benefitsADA:

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

University Highlights:

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when they named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU. 

 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

 

*updated 04/2024

Notice of Non-discrimination:

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

 

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

*updated 09/2023