Senior Research Fellow / Principal Research Fellow (Food Design and Formulation Lead)

Job Description

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Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). Full‑time (100%), fixed‑term position for up to five years.

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Base salary ranges: $145,961.51 – $168,043.68 + 17% super (Academic LevelC) and $175,404.39 – $193,070.79 + 17% super (Academic LevelD).

Key Responsibilities\n

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• Lead high‑impact research in food design and formulation, food processing, ingredient chemistry, and structure‑function relationships, publishing results in leading national and international forums.
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• Develop innovative food processing technologies and scalable solutions that support translation from laboratory research through to pilot‑plant and commercial manufacturing environments, strengthening industry partnerships and commercialisation pathways.
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• Supervise higher degree research students and mentor emerging researchers, fostering a supportive, inclusive, and high‑performing research culture.
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• Build strategic partnerships across academia, industry, and government, contribute to governance and service activities, and champion a collaborative culture aligned with UQ values.
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QualificationsLevelC (Senior Research Fellow)\n

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• Completion of a PhD in Food Science, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
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• Established research profile with national recognition and a strong record of publications in high‑quality refereed journals and conference outputs.
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• Demonstrated expertise in food design and formulation, ingredient chemistry, food functionality, and structure‑function relationships.
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• Experience developing and optimising complex food systems and translating research outcomes into practical applications.
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• Evidence of capability in scaling technologies and formulations from laboratory through pilot‑scale environments, including collaboration with industry partners.
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• Experience applying AI, machine learning, or advanced analytics to integrate chemical, sensory, process, and experimental data to support innovation and process optimisation.
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• Strong record of securing competitive research funding from national, industry, or commercial sources.
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• Demonstrated success in HDR supervision, researcher mentoring, and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.
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LevelD (Principal Research Fellow)\n

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• Completion of a PhD in Food Science, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
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• Internationally recognised research profile with a sustained record of outstanding achievement and leadership in food design and formulation, food processing, or closely related fields.
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• Outstanding publication record in leading international journals and evidence of shaping significant research agendas within the discipline.
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• Deep expertise in food and ingredient chemistry, processing technologies, functionality, and structure‑function relationships, with evidence of delivering impactful innovation.
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• Extensive experience leading scale‑up activities from laboratory to pilot plant and commercial manufacture, and demonstrated impact through industry adoption, translation, or commercialisation of research outcomes.
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• Proven leadership in the application of AI‑enabled data integration, machine learning, and predictive modelling to accelerate food innovation and optimise processing performance.
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• Excellent record of attracting and leading major competitive funding initiatives from government, industry, and commercial partners.
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• Extensive record of HDR supervision to completion, with demonstrated capability to build, lead, and mentor high‑performing research teams.
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• Evidence of strategic partnership development, leadership of large collaborative programmes, and influence across academic, industry, and government sectors.
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Benefits\n

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• Up to 26 weeks paid parental leave.
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• 17.5% annual leave loading.
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• Flexible working arrangements.
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• Access to world‑class facilities, equipment, and grant‑writing support.
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• Opportunities for career progression via the academic promotions process.
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• Diverse, inclusive, and connected community of researchers.
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