Junior research scientist in food process engineering

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INRAE presentation

INRAE, the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food, and Environment, is a public research organization bringing together 12,000 employees across 272 units in 18 centers across France. As the world’s leading institute specializing in agriculture, food, and the environment, INRAE plays a key role in supporting the necessary transitions to address global challenges.

Faced with population growth, food security challenges, climate change, resource depletion, and biodiversity loss, INRAE is committed to developing scientific solutions and supporting the evolution of agricultural, food, and environmental practices.

INRAE is recruiting researchers by open competition and offering permanent position.

Work environment, missions and activities

Your work will be carried out within the Joint research unit Matériaux Et Transformations - UMR UMET (https://umet.univ-lille.fr/) and in particular within the Processes at Interfaces and Materials Hygiene team (PIHM, https://umet.univ-lille.fr/PIHM/index.php?lang=fr) in Villeneuve-d'Ascq, which produces knowledge to control hygiene and processing quality in the agrifood industry. This team comprising 35 people is internationally recognized for its expertise in food processing hygiene. It is the benchmark unit in the INRAE landscape addressing these issues. These skills are all the more crucial as transitions in agrifood systems have led to the emergence of new sources of protein (plant protein, etc.) obtained using various industrial processes affecting their functional properties (solubility and aggregation rate). This leads to the formation of fouling deposits on heat exchangers that differ from those observed during the pasteurization/UHT treatment of more conventional products such as dairy products. These deposits are costly in terms of environmental resources (water, energy and detergent) and are potential sources of microbiological risk. In the context of the transition in food systems, as well as the urgent need to reinforce the sustainability of these systems, the scientific challenge is to eco-design reliable and sustainable processes that will make it possible to control the quality of food containing new protein sources, as well as processing hygiene, while preserving the environment. 

To meet these challenges, you will develop a research project with two main objectives aimed at: 1) Using a multi-scale approach (molecular to pilot), understanding the process-structure-property relationships of foods containing new protein sources, and elucidate the mechanisms of surface contamination. 2) Developing adapted and innovative processing and hygiene processes to limit surface contamination and reduce the environmental impact of the process and cleaning-in-place while guaranteeing the safety of the processed product. 

The stages envisaged for your future project will be developed in partnership with the other researchers in the team and may include: 
- Molecular-level studies of the material/food interface, in particular the denaturation and aggregation phenomena of these proteins during UHT and pasteurization treatments, using innovative characterization techniques. 
- Studying the impact of operating conditions (physico-chemistry of solutions and process parameters) on the thermal transformation of these new protein sources. 
- Improving the eco-performance of the process by setting up a pilot-scale test loop in the technological facilities, integrating the specific features of alternative proteins. - Developing predictive models based on experimental data, leading to a better understanding and control of protein fouling. 
- Developing innovative clean-in-place processes for protein fouling.

In terms of equipment, you will have access to the technological facilities (pilot scale to reproduce industrial processing and cleaning phenomena), a technical platform for advanced surface modification and characterization of materials, as well as techniques for physico-chemical and biochemical characterization of proteins. Numerous characterization tools are also available on the Institut Chevreul platforms to which the UMET unit belongs (electron microscopy, confocal microscopy, X-ray scattering, etc.). 

You will benefit from strong, long-term collaborations with the STLO and BioEcoAgro Joint Research Units, as well as established international and industrial collaborations. Current projects include the International Associated Laboratories (LIA) FOODPRINT in partnership with Suzhou University (China) and SAMBA with the Federal University of Viçosa (Brazil), the PROTEINOPEPS industrial chair with INGREDIA, and industrial collaborations with NxtFood. You will also develop a network of collaborations to study the processing of not purely dairy proteins and the associated hygiene problems.

The activity can be carried out on several sites (University of Lille, Certia).

Training and skills

Competition open to candidates with a PhD (or equivalent). The recruitment aims to provide additional Reaction Engineering skills to understand the transformation of agro-resources and associated fouling phenomena integrating transport phenomena (flow, heat, matter) and transfers at interfaces (equipment walls). A PhD in chemical engineering or agrifood process engineering is strongly recommended along with an interest in fluid mechanics and process instrumentation. 

Skills in process engineering linked to the transformation of new agro-sourced products are recommended. Knowledge of protein physics and chemistry, fluid mechanics and energy, as well as modelling, would be an additional asset. Other skills are also recommended such as the ability to work as part of a team, to collaborate (and set up new collaborations) with different partners (other research teams, industrialists, etc.), and to promote your work. 

Candidates should have a good command of English (both written and spoken), and long-term international experience would also be desirable. Successful candidates who have not yet acquired this experience abroad will be required to do so after their probationary period (1st year).

Let’s talk about your future job in a video!

INRAE's life quality

By joining our teams, you benefit from:

- 30 days of annual leave + 15 days "Reduction of Working Time" (for a full time);
- parenting support: CESU childcare, leisure services;
- skills development systems: training, career advise;
- social support: advice and listening, social assistance and loans;
- holiday and leisure services: holiday vouchers, accommodation at preferential rates;
- sports and cultural activities;
- collective catering.

For international scientists: please visit your guide to facilitate your arrival and stay at INRAE. 

How to apply

1. I download the applicant guide Application guidelines CRCN 2025 pdf - 3.93 MB
2. I write down the profile number CR-2025-TRANSFORM-1
3. I apply GO