Location: Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork. Salary: Research Officer scale €42,921 to €81,218. Post-doctoral, full time. Duration: temporary externally funded non Grant-in-Aid contract post, indicative duration 11 months, subject to contract. A panel may be formed from which future similar vacancies may be filled, active for a maximum of 12 months.
Basic function: To undertake research and development activities within the Startera project, focused on the development, optimisation and scale-up of defined starter cultures for non-dairy fermented foods. The successful candidate will develop and evaluate starter cultures for vegetable fermentations, optimise the production and stabilisation of a freeze-dried water kefir starter culture, and support validation from laboratory through to pilot and commercial scale. The role involves hands-on food microbiology and fermentation research, experimental design and data analysis, and close collaboration with Teagasc personnel and industry partners.
Background: Traditional fermented foods such as water kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi often rely on spontaneous fermentations or undefined microbial communities, which are difficult to control and scale, resulting in inconsistent performance, variable product quality and increased risk of batch failure. The Startera project aims to develop defined, stable and easy-to-use starter cultures for non-dairy fermented foods, convert an existing water kefir culture into a stable freeze-dried format, and validate its performance through laboratory, pilot and commercial-scale production trials. The post is based at Teagasc Moorepark with access to food microbiology, bioprocessing, fermentation and pilot-scale production facilities.
Key objectives: develop and evaluate defined starter cultures for vegetable fermentations; isolate, identify and maintain relevant microorganisms; produce and optimise freeze-dried water kefir starter cultures; conduct laboratory- and pilot-scale fermentation experiments; support transfer and scale-up of starter-culture production; assess culture viability, stability, fermentation performance and reproducibility; support commercial water kefir production trials with an industry partner; collect, analyse and interpret experimental data; maintain accurate records and prepare protocols, reports and project deliverables.
Requirements: An honours Level 8 degree (National Framework of Qualifications or equivalent) in Microbiology or a related discipline is essential; a postgraduate degree and/or research experience in food microbiology, fermentation, microbial biotechnology or food science is a distinct advantage. Excellent practical laboratory skills in microbiology and fermentation, strong organisational skills, ability to plan and conduct experimental work independently, accurate data analysis and reporting, and excellent written and verbal communication skills are required. Desirable: experience in microbial cultivation, food fermentation or starter-culture development, freeze-drying or other microbial stabilisation techniques, operating laboratory or pilot-scale fermentation equipment, and scaling fermentation processes.
Teagasc is committed to 'Equal Opportunities, No Barriers, Active Inclusion' and welcomes applications from people from diverse backgrounds.
Closing Date: 21/09/2026 12:00 PM
HOW TO APPLY:
Apply online through the Teagasc careers portal (registration/login required). An Information Booklet (ResearchOfficer_InformationBooklet.pdf) is available with the vacancy. Closing date: 21/09/2026, 12:00 PM. This is an open public competition.
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