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Contract Research Officer - Hub4Food

Location: Ashtown Food Research Centre. Address: Teagasc, Ashtown, Dublin 15
Research
Salary: Research Officer with a Salary Scale of €40,580 to €77,284
Closing Date: 27/11/2024 12:00 PM
Funded Full Time

Job Description

Duration:

Temporary externally funded non Grant-in-Aid contract post, the indicative duration of which is 20 months, subject to contract. A panel may be formed from which future similar vacancies may be filled; such a panel will remain active for a maximum period of 12 months.

Basic Function:

Teagasc seeks to appoint a Research Officer to support the delivery of the Interreg Atlantic Area funded project ‘Hub4Food’, focused on enhancing the research, development, and innovation capabilities of the food sector whilst promoting the development of new and improved food products (with a focus on marine origin). The successful candidate will be based at the Ashtown campus in Dublin, where facilities include research and analytical laboratories and a food processing pilot plant.

Background:

Hub4Food is a transnational initiative, in which agri-food clusters and research & technology centers from France, Spain, Ireland, and Portugal collaborate. The project aims to enhance the research, development, and innovation capabilities of the food industry in the Atlantic Area, as well as promoting the development of new and improved food products (with a focus on marine origin). Hub4Food promotes the adoption of new technologies and processes to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of food sector companies, in particular SMEs.

The Research Officer will have expertise and experience of food product development and processing, along with documented experience of scientific and technical outputs. The successful candidate will develop, undertake and deliver on pilot projects with industry as part of the project. They will engage in active ongoing collaboration with the other project partners and will also be expected to work with the wider project team to ensure deliverables are met. The appointee will also be engaged in the dissemination of the project outcomes to the scientific community, agri-food industry stakeholders, government and other state agencies.

The mission of Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown is to assist the growth and development of the Irish food industry through excellence in research, advice and training. The multi-disciplinary campus at Ashtown, Dublin 15 consists of research and analytical laboratories and food processing pilot plants with an international research community in a collegial environment. Researchers at the Centre collaborate both nationally and internationally with other institutes and universities in publicly funded research and development projects and industry contracts. Of pivotal national importance, the Centre works closely with the food industry to ensure that outputs from the research programme contribute to supporting the sustainability and competitiveness of the food sector.

Job Objectives

To support the implementation of the project and work plan as detailed to ensure milestones and deliverables are met.
To collaborate with the national and European partners in the project, as well as food sector companies engaged.
To develop, plan and conduct pilot projects in Teagasc centres in collaboration with food sector companies and support the scaling and implementation/application of the outputs in industry.
To design experiments and processing trials, laboratory/pilot plant management activities associated with the project.
To carry out administration and dissemination activities related to the project.
To report findings and prepare scientific and popular press publications.
To assist Teagasc in meeting the commitments of the Quality Customer Service Charter and Action Plan.
To actively participate in the annual business planning and Performance Management Development System (PMDS) processes.
Fully co-operate with the provisions made for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of themselves, fellow staff and non-Teagasc staff and co-operate with management in enabling Teagasc to comply with legal obligations. This includes full compliance with the responsibilities outlined in the Safety Statement.
Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time

* This job specification is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive. It will be reviewed from time to time with the post holder.

Skills Requirement

	Essential	Desirable
Qualifications	An honours Level 8 qualification, (as recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications or equivalent), in science/food science/food engineering.	A postgraduate degree and/or research experience in food processing or food science would be a distinct advantage.
Skills	Documented evidence of research and technical expertise in food product development/processing. A documented working knowledge of a range of food processes at pilot or industrial scale. Track record of dissemination activities. Excellent project management, analytical, report writing skills. An ability to collaborate with project partners and team members. Excellent communication skills (oral, written, presentation) with a demonstrated ability to enable effective knowledge and technology transfer activities. Demonstrated ability to generate new ideas, unique concepts and solutions.	Proven record of scientific communications. Aptitude for multidisciplinary approaches.
Knowledge	Experience in setting own research agenda. A documented and in-depth understanding of food ingredients, product applications and food processing technologies. Evidence of teamwork and active collaborations with industry and academic partners.	Knowledge of the food regulatory landscape and associated requirements/claims will be a distinct advantage.
Behavioural Competencies	Ability to work as part of a team, including consulting, collaborating and building relationships with key stakeholders. Strives for high quality of work and demonstrates commitment to the programme. Ability to communicate effectively to enable knowledge and technology transfer.
Other	As this role will involved driving vehicles, candidates must satisfy and continue to satisfy during employment with Teagasc, legal requirements to drive a car unaccompanied on Irish public roads.
Eligibility	This is an open public competition. Should a current serving Teagasc staff member be successful in their application through open public competition for this post, their current contract of employment with Teagasc will come to an end on taking up this post.

Note: The ‘essential’ qualifications, knowledge, skills and behavioural competencies outlined above are ‘must-have’ which will be used in the selection process.

Attachment(s):

ResearchOfficer_InformationBooklet.docx.pdf

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