SpoilControl - Doctoral Candidate (DC5) – "Pathogenic Flora – Diversity & Prevalence of Pathoge[...]

Polytechnic University of Catalonia - Barcelona Tech; España; Presencial; EUR 20.000 - 30.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

The Polytechnic University of Catalonia - Barcelona Tech invites applications for a PhD position focused on microbial safety in the fermentation industry. This role involves establishing genomic databases, analyzing sequencing data, and developing innovative strategies for pathogen prevention. Successful candidates will gain valuable experience in bioinformatics and microbial research over a 36-month contract.

Servicios

Access to University of Barcelona infrastructure

Tuition fees covered

Opportunities for mobility and collaborations

Language courses available

Training opportunities in food technology careers

Formación

• Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent.
• Excellent English language skills required.
• Knowledge in bioinformatics and microbial research is advantageous.

Responsabilidades

• Establish a genomic database for pathogenic microorganisms.
• Develop a computational pipeline for detecting microorganisms in sequencing data.
• Investigate microbial contamination in fermented beverages.

Conocimientos

Bioinformatics

Metagenomics

Data Analysis

Educación

Master’s degree or engineering degree

Descripción del empleo

Polytechnic University of Catalonia - Barcelona Tech

Organisation/Company Polytechnic University of Catalonia - Barcelona Tech Department Barcelona Supercomputing Centre Research Field All Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Spain Application Deadline 30 Jun 2025 - 00:00 (Europe/Paris) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number 101168618 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

• Establish a genomic database for bacteria and fungi with pathogenic potential in humans;
• Develop a computational pipeline for the efficient detection and quantification of pathogenic microorganisms from next-generation sequencing data;
• Investigate the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in samples collected during the project and publicly available datasets using next-generation sequencing;
• Understand the origins of microbial contamination in fermented beverages;
• Formulate hypotheses on microbial dispersal mechanisms and adaptation to relevant niches;
• Propose innovative strategies to prevent or eliminate pathogenic microorganisms in the fermentation industry;
• Collect and analyze samples from various fermented food industries using metagenomics;
• Assess the prevalence of rare pathogenic yeasts in industrial and natural environments using publicly available metagenomic datasets

Planned secondments:

• 3 to 6 months at the Molecular Genetics, Genomics and Microbiology Lab-GMGM (University of Strasbourg - FR) to develop innovative bioinformatics methods for detecting low-signal data;
• Short stay (10 days) to transfer the pipeline to food analysis lab at ADERA-MICROFLORA (private and independent structure hosted by the University of Bordeaux (FR) for its activity dedicated to microbiological analyses
• Applicants can be of any nationality as long as they satisfy the MSCA mobility rule: “No residence or main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months before their recruitment date. Country of main activity = not only where the fellow was physically based but also the country of the institution for which the main activity was performed”.
• Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent (e.g., engineering degree) or be in the process of obtaining it by the start of the PhD project.

Languages ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field All

Additional Information

• Doctoral contract for 36 months
• Salary in accordance with MSCA funding and Spanish regulation
• Tuition fees and visa-related fees are covered by the consortium
• Access to University of Barcelona infrastructure and resources
• Supervision by experienced researchers
• Opportunities for mobility and international collaborations within the SpoilControl consortium.
• Language courses from the hosting country
• Training opportunities in food and fermentation technology careers

Eligibility criteria

• Applicants can be of any nationality as long as they satisfy the MSCA mobility rule: “No residence or main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the recruiting beneficiary for more than 12 months in the 36 months before their recruitment date. Country of main activity = not only where the fellow was physically based but also the country of the institution for which the main activity was performed”.
• Candidates must hold a Master’s degree or equivalent (e.g., engineering degree) or be in the process of obtaining it by the start of the PhD project.

Selection process

SpoilControl will guarantee a genuinely independent, transparent, and professional evaluation of exceptional quality.

The selection process will include the following steps:

• Eligibility Check: The Project Manager (PM) will carry out an initial eligibility check for all applicants.
• Application Review: Future academic supervisors, in accordance with the MSCA Green Charter , will review applications based on key evaluation
  criteria.
  

/!\ The 4-5 highest-ranked proposals for the PhD project will be shortlisted for the next stage.

• Interviews: Remote interviews will be conducted by the recruiting beneficiary and future supervisors, including non-academic members. These
  interviews will adhere to the MSCA Green Charter and the HR policies of the relevant institute.
• Ranking List: After the interviews, a ranking list will be generated for each DC project. The list will be sent to the Selection Board (SB) along with the
  applications and evaluation marks.
• Selection: The Supervisory Board (SB) will review the ranking list and endorse the final selection. They will establish the final shortlist and reserve
  list, which will consist of 15 applications for both categories (top selection and reserve).
• Notification of Results: The PM (Project Manager) or main supervisors will notify applicants of the final results by e-mail