Postdoctoral Researcher: Fermented Beverages and Gut Health

The Laboratory of Food Systems Biotechnology (FSB) develops computational methods and utilizes "omics" technologies to study microbial ecosystems in food production and human health, with the ultimate goal of creating microbial communities and products that optimize food quality, safety, and human health.

We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join an innovative project on developing non-dairy probiotic and postbiotic beverages using food side streams as a fermentation substrate. This project integrates food microbiology, gut microbiota research, and biotechnology within a circular economy framework to reduce food waste and promote sustainable food solutions.

You will join a collaborative team of scientists to support the development and optimization of fermentation strategies for probiotic growth on grain-based substrates and their impact on gut health. You will screen and characterize probiotic strains for biomass yield, bioactive production, and gut survival, as well as investigate the effects of innovative fermented products on gut microbiota.

This research will involve the use of advanced technologies such as gut fermentation models, metabolomics, and Illumina marker-gene sequencing to study microbial communities, health-related biomarkers, and taxonomic signatures associated with beneficial metabolites in food systems.

You’re passionate about sustainable food innovation and enjoy working across different scientific fields. You love the scientific process and are excited to apply your skills to explore microbial ecosystems in food production. You have experience with biological data analysis as well as microbiology and biotechnology techniques. You’re always up for a challenge, eager to learn new methods and technologies, and thrive in a fast-paced research environment. You enjoy collaborating with others, bringing fresh ideas to the table, and turning innovative projects into reality.

Key Qualifications:

• PhD in Microbiology, Biotechnology, Food Science, or a related field
• Strong expertise in fermentation, gut microbiota research, and bioactive compound analysis.
• Outstanding record of scientific communication and publications
• Excellent interpersonal communication, teamwork and organizational skills
• Ability to plan and direct complex research projects
• English language proficiency (written and spoken)

Desired qualifications:

• Experience in food formulation and microbial screening
• Experience with metabolomics (HPLC, LC-MS/MS)
• Experience with DNA sequencing library preparation and analysis (16S rRNA gene and/or shotgun metagenome)
• Familiarity with gut fermentation models

ETH Zurich is a family-friendly employer with excellent working conditions. You can look forward to an exciting working environment, cultural diversity, and attractive offers and benefits. These include a collaborative and supportive team of scientists; an engaging and friendly workplace culture; access to world-class facilities and technology platforms; further training opportunities and mentoring for career development; delicious baked goods.

In general, postdoctoral researchers at ETH Zurich have a full-time employment. A part-time employment may only be considered in exceptional cases (e.g. child- or familycare, other projects or employment).