Postdoc: Food Safety Microbiology & Risk Modeling

Penn State University; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The Kovac Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar to lead research preventing cereulide contamination in infant formula and fermentation-derived foods. You will design experiments, analyze data, and mentor trainees while coordinating with collaborators across institutions.

Responsibilities include developing detection methods for emetic Bacillus cereus, performing genome analyses, and contributing to risk assessment models to inform industry and regulatory

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Food Science, Microbiology, Biotechnology or closely related field.
• Strong background in food microbiology, microbial ecology, food safety, or related disciplines.
• Experience with bacterial pathogens and standard microbiological techniques.
• Demonstrated ability to design experiments and independently conduct research.
• Experience analyzing large datasets and applying statistical methods.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Strong organizational, project management, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated commitment to mentoring and collaborative research.

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct independent research aligned with project objectives.
• Perform microbiological analyses involving isolation, cultivation, enumeration, characterization, and preservation of Bacillus cereus group isolates.
• Develop, validate, and optimize culture-based and molecular detection methods for emetic Bacillus cereus.
• Conduct experiments evaluating microbial growth, toxin production, and survival under relevant conditions.
• Conduct whole genome sequencing and sequence data analyses.
• Design and execute challenge studies and storage studies involving foodborne pathogens.
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety protocols, biosafety procedures, and QA practices.
• Maintain detailed laboratory records and support data reproducibility and research integrity.
• Coordinate project activities across collaborating institutions and industry partners.
• Assist in tracking milestones, deliverables, and timelines.
• Organize meetings, prepare agendas, and distribute summaries.
• Contribute to annual reports, sponsor deliverables, and data management.
• Lead and co-author peer-reviewed publications and conference materials.
• Mentor undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and visiting scholars.

Skills

Microbiology techniques

Data analysis

Scientific writing

Mentoring

Project management

Education

Ph.D. in Food Science or Microbiology

Tools

PCR/qPCR

Genomic analyses

R

Python

Job description

The Kovac Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University seeks a Postdoctoral Scholar to lead research preventing cereulide contamination in infant formula and fermentation-derived foods. You will design experiments, analyze data, and mentor trainees while coordinating with collaborators across institutions.

Responsibilities include developing detection methods for emetic Bacillus cereus, performing genome analyses, and contributing to risk assessment models to inform industry and regulatory