Postdoctoral Scholar

Clay Today; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits package

Postdoctoral Benefits page

Job summary

The Kovac Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar to lead research preventing cereulide contamination in infant formula and fermentation-derived ingredients. The role covers experimental design, data analysis, mentoring, and communication with collaborators on microbiology, sequencing, and risk assessment.

Responsibilities include developing detection methods for emetic Bacillus cereus, performing large data analyses, and contributing to

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct independent research aligned with project objectives.
• Perform microbiological analyses including isolation, cultivation, enumeration, and characterization of Bacillus cereus group isolates.
• Develop, validate, and optimize culture-based and molecular detection methods for emetic B. cereus.
• Conduct experiments evaluating growth, toxin production, and survival in infant formula and fermentation systems.
• Perform whole genome sequencing and sequence data analyses.
• Coordinate project activities across collaborating institutions and industry partners.

Job description

Postdoctoral Scholar

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Kovac Laboratory in the Department of Food Science at The Pennsylvania State University seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar to lead research on the prevention of cereulide contamination in infant formula and fermentation-derived food ingredients. The successful candidate will work on a multidisciplinary project focused on improving detection of cereulide-producing Bacillus cereus, understanding factors driving cereulide formation in industrial fermentation systems, and contributing to the development of quantitative microbial risk assessment models to support industry and regulatory decision-making.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will play a central role in experimental design, laboratory research, data analysis, project coordination, publication development, mentoring trainees, and communication with collaborators.

Major Responsibilities

Research and Laboratory Activities

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 B. cereus. Conduct experiments evaluating microbial growth, toxin production, and survival under conditions relevant to infant formula and industrial fermentation systems. Conduct whole genome sequencing and sequence data analyses. Design and execute challenge studies and storage studies involving foodborne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. Ensure compliance with laboratory safety protocols, biosafety procedures, and quality assurance practices. Maintain detailed laboratory records and support data reproducibility and research integrity.

Data Analysis and Risk Modeling

Manage, organize, and analyze large microbiological and experimental datasets. Perform statistical analyses using R or similar software. Support the development of predictive microbiology and quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) models. Generate figures, tables, and visualizations suitable for scientific publications, reports, and presentations. Contribute to data integration across laboratory, environmental, and risk modeling components of the project. Assist with development of decision-support tools for industry and regulatory stakeholders. Conduct whole genome sequence analyses.

Project Management and Coordination

Coordinate project activities across collaborating institutions and industry partners. Assist in tracking project milestones, deliverables, and timelines. Organize and document project meetings, prepare agendas, and distribute meeting summaries and action items. Contribute to annual reports, progress reports, and sponsor-required deliverables. Maintain organized project documentation and data management systems. Facilitate communication among project participants and external collaborators.

Scientific Writing and Dissemination

Lead and co-author peer-reviewed scientific publications. Prepare conference abstracts, posters, oral presentations, and extension materials. Contribute to grant proposals, progress reports, and technical reports. Present research findings at national and international scientific meetings. Communicate scientific findings to academic, industry, and stakeholder audiences.

Mentoring and Laboratory Leadership

Mentor undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and visiting scholars. Provide training in microbiological techniques, laboratory safety, data analysis, and research best practices. Supervise undergraduate research projects and assist with student professional development. Foster a collaborative and productive laboratory environment. Contribute to onboarding and training of new laboratory personnel.

Laboratory Operations

Assist with laboratory organization, equipment maintenance, and inventory management. Coordinate purchasing of laboratory supplies and reagents. Monitor laboratory resources and ensure continuity of research activities. Contribute to development and maintenance of laboratory standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Food Science, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biological Engineering or a closely related field.
• Strong research background in food microbiology, microbial ecology, food safety, or related disciplines.
• Experience working 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.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Bacillus cereus, spore-forming bacteria, foodborne pathogens, or toxin-producing microorganisms.
• Experience with molecular methods such as PCR, qPCR, genomic analyses, or sequencing-based approaches.
• Experience with microbial risk assessment, predictive microbiology, or mathematical modeling.
• Proficiency in R and/or Python for statistical analysis and data visualization.
• Experience with food manufacturing, fermentation systems, or food processing environments.
• Familiarity with analytical chemistry techniques used for toxin detection.
• Prior experience coordinating multi-investigator or industry-partnered research projects.
• Experience supervising or mentoring undergraduate researchers.

Desired Professional Attributes

The ideal candidate will be scientifically curious, highly organized, and capable of balancing multiple project components simultaneously. Successful candidates will demonstrate initiative, attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage complex projects while maintaining high standards of scientific rigor. The ability to collaborate effectively with academic researchers, industry partners, students, and regulatory stakeholders is essential.

Expected Outcomes

The Postdoctoral Scholar will have the opportunity to lead high-impact research addressing an emerging food safety issue with direct relevance to infant health, contribute to the development of new detection and risk assessment tools, publish in leading food safety journals, build an independent research portfolio, and gain experience managing multidisciplinary collaborative projects.

Background Checks/Clearances

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

BENEFITS

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

For more detailed information, please visit ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

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