Postdoctoral Researcher at PreFerS
Introduction to The Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability:
The Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS) is a research program hosted by the Illinois Advanced Research Center at Singapore Ltd. (Illinois ARCS). The program aims to develop advanced fundamental sciences and technologies to implement fermentation-based production of foods and food ingredients, and also to enhance food security and sustainability in Singapore, particularly addressing the micronutrient food insecurity through precision fermentation.
About this Role
We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to advance the sustainable design and deployment of technological solutions for reliable and cost-effective production of safe, nutritious, and delicious foods. This position is funded by the Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS) and the Postdoctoral Researcher will join a strong cohort of faculty, Postdoctoral Researchers, and graduate students to work on research aimed at addressing global challenges in food production, environmental sustainability, and bioengineering.
Key Responsibilities
The Postdoctoral Researcher is expected to perform the following.
(i) Develop a systematic approach to screen processes and products in development by PreFerS researchers with market analysis and data from early-stage experiments and literature.
(ii) Integrate process modeling with techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) under uncertainty to evaluate and prioritize research and development pathways.
(iii) Support the automation of process synthesis and optimization based on product/process features. Target outcomes of the work are to develop precision fermentation and food processing components for a suite of open-source, accessible computational tools for rapid and robust TEA and LCA of technologies that transform renewable carbon to products using a variety of feedstocks and processes (examples at https://github.com/BioSTEAMDevelopmentGroup).
Qualifications
· A Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Biotechnology, or other relevant field;
· Ability to work independently and in a collaborative environment.
Strong candidates will also possess some of the following attributes:
· Experience with LCA/TEA and tools such as ASPEN/SimaPro/openLCA
· Experience with process synthesis and optimization
· Experience with programming (Python in particular)
· Experience with AI/ML
· Evidence of scientific impact of their Ph.D. (e.g., published papers)
Application Process
For prompt attention, candidates may email the following materials to Prof. Jeremy Guest ([email protected]), Prof. Yalin Li ([email protected]), Prof. Chueh Loo Poh ([email protected]) and Ms Jacqueline Koh ([email protected]) with the subject line “PreFerS Postdoc”: brief cover letter, curriculum vitae, names and contact information for three references, and up to two examples of scholarly output (e.g., published or submitted manuscripts). Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further assessment. The preferred start date is October 1, 2024, but later in 2024 is also possible. Review of the application materials will begin immediately until the position is filled.
