Postdoctoral Scholar

Penn State University • University Park, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

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.

Requirements

• 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.

Nice To Haves

• 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.

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 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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).

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree