Ghent University Global Campus (GUGC) is an integrated campus of Ghent University, Belgium, and the first European university to be part of the Incheon Global Campus (IGC) in Incheon, South Korea. Ghent University Global Campus currently offers Bachelor of Science programs in life sciences (Molecular Biotechnology, Environmental Technology, and Food Technology). Ghent University is globally recognized as a top-tier university in life sciences.
Please visit the Ghent University and Ghent University Global Campus homepages to learn more about our organization:
http://www.ugent.be/en(Ghent University)
http://www.ghent.ac.kr(GUGC)
Job summary
PhD research overview
Microbial contamination is a persistent challenge in food production. It affects food safety through the control of foodborne pathogens, and it affects food quality through spoilage by bacteria, yeasts, and molds. At the same time, consumer demand and regulatory pressure are accelerating the move toward clean-label preservation. This increases the use of naturally derived antimicrobial compounds and technologies, but it also raises an important question: can repeated or sublethal exposure select for microbial communities that become harder to control over time?
You will study tolerance and adaptation of foodborne bacteria and fungi to “natural” antimicrobials used in food production. As clean-label preservation expands (for example essential-oil compounds, plant phenolics, organic acids, bacteriocins, and chitosan), repeated or sublethal exposure may select for microbial communities that become harder to inactivate and that behave differently in real foods.
The PhD project combines controlled exposure and laboratory evolution experiments with microbial community profiling using DNA sequencing to track how communities shift under selective pressure and whether stable tolerance emerges over time. Selected isolates will be recovered and phenotyped to distinguish community replacement from true adaptation, and to assess potential cross-tolerance to other stresses relevant to food processing (for example sanitizers, acid, and oxidative stress).
Job qualification
-You hold a Master’s degree (MSc) in Food Science/Food Microbiology, Microbiology (food/industrial/environmental), Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, or equivalent. Alternatively, you will obtain this degree before September 1, 2026
- Hands-on experience with microbiology laboratory work, including aseptic technique, cultivation of bacteria and/or fungi, and basic quantification (e.g., CFU counting, growth curves) is a requirement
- Experience with antimicrobial susceptibility/tolerance assays (e.g., MIC/MBC, time–kill, stress challenge experiments) is an advantage
- Experience with controlled microbial cultivation systems (e.g., chemostats, bioreactors, continuous culture) is an advantage
- Experience with microbial community profiling (DNA extraction, PCR, amplicon sequencing/metagenomics) and/or data analysis (e.g., QIIME2, DADA2, basic R/Python statistics) is an advantage
- Ability to work carefully with replication, controls, and experimental design, and to keep accurate lab records
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Excellent command of English, both written and spoken (minimum score of 80 on TOEFL iBT)
Job description
- Design and conduct research on tolerance and adaptation of foodborne bacteria, yeasts, and molds to naturally derived antimicrobials used in food production
- Develop and execute controlled exposure and laboratory evolution experiments using selected natural antimicrobial compounds and relevant food-associated microbial communities
- Perform microbiological analyses including cultivation, enumeration, isolation and preservation of strains, and phenotypic characterization of tolerance and inactivation kinetics
- Conduct molecular laboratory work such as DNA extraction, PCR, library preparation, and sequencing-based community profiling
- Publish your research results in peer-reviewed international journals
- Have the willingness to work flexible hours if needed and occasionally participate in events outside of the regular working hours
- You participate in guiding (under)graduate students in their research projects
- Successfully complete the PhD programme by writing and defending a doctoral dissertation based on the research outcomes
How to apply
Requireddocuments
- Personal motivation letter
- Full professional/academic resume (CV)
- CopyoftheBachelor’sandMaster’sdegreecertificates
- Transcripts(overviewof studyresults).
All required documents must be submitted in English The documents must be merged into a single PDF file and sent to foodmicrorc2@gmail.com(subject line: Research assistant in food microbiology).
Application process and interview
After a first screening, selected candidates will be invited for a video interview.We reserve the right to keep applications on file for potential future job openings.
Selection Process : CV screening → Interview → Internal committee → Approval by campus council→Acceptance notice to the selected candidate.
For any inquiries regarding this vacancy, please send an email to Sam.VanHaute@ghent.ac.kr.
Please do not send your application to this email address, as it will not be considered a valid application!
Please visit the Ghent University and Ghent University Global Campus homepages to learn more about our organization:
http://www.ugent.be/en(Ghent University)
http://www.ghent.ac.kr(GUGC)
Job summary
| Full-Time Research Assistant, PhD Candidate – Ghent University Global Campus Department: Center for Food Biotechnology and Microbiology Degree: You hold a Master’s degree (MSc) in Food Science/Food Microbiology, Microbiology (food/industrial/environmental), Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, equivalent. Alternatively, you will obtain this degree before September 1, 2026 Contract: 1 year, extendable by 1 year after a positive evaluation, followed by a 2-year extension (maximum total duration: 4 years) Occupancy rate: 100% Vacancy Type:Full-time research assistant Last application date: May 31, 2026 Starting date: September 1, 2026 (preferred; negotiable) Scientific Supervisor: Prof. dr. Sam Van Haute |
PhD research overview
Microbial contamination is a persistent challenge in food production. It affects food safety through the control of foodborne pathogens, and it affects food quality through spoilage by bacteria, yeasts, and molds. At the same time, consumer demand and regulatory pressure are accelerating the move toward clean-label preservation. This increases the use of naturally derived antimicrobial compounds and technologies, but it also raises an important question: can repeated or sublethal exposure select for microbial communities that become harder to control over time?
You will study tolerance and adaptation of foodborne bacteria and fungi to “natural” antimicrobials used in food production. As clean-label preservation expands (for example essential-oil compounds, plant phenolics, organic acids, bacteriocins, and chitosan), repeated or sublethal exposure may select for microbial communities that become harder to inactivate and that behave differently in real foods.
The PhD project combines controlled exposure and laboratory evolution experiments with microbial community profiling using DNA sequencing to track how communities shift under selective pressure and whether stable tolerance emerges over time. Selected isolates will be recovered and phenotyped to distinguish community replacement from true adaptation, and to assess potential cross-tolerance to other stresses relevant to food processing (for example sanitizers, acid, and oxidative stress).
Job qualification
-You hold a Master’s degree (MSc) in Food Science/Food Microbiology, Microbiology (food/industrial/environmental), Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, or equivalent. Alternatively, you will obtain this degree before September 1, 2026
- Hands-on experience with microbiology laboratory work, including aseptic technique, cultivation of bacteria and/or fungi, and basic quantification (e.g., CFU counting, growth curves) is a requirement
- Experience with antimicrobial susceptibility/tolerance assays (e.g., MIC/MBC, time–kill, stress challenge experiments) is an advantage
- Experience with controlled microbial cultivation systems (e.g., chemostats, bioreactors, continuous culture) is an advantage
- Experience with microbial community profiling (DNA extraction, PCR, amplicon sequencing/metagenomics) and/or data analysis (e.g., QIIME2, DADA2, basic R/Python statistics) is an advantage
- Ability to work carefully with replication, controls, and experimental design, and to keep accurate lab records
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
- Excellent command of English, both written and spoken (minimum score of 80 on TOEFL iBT)
Job description
- Design and conduct research on tolerance and adaptation of foodborne bacteria, yeasts, and molds to naturally derived antimicrobials used in food production
- Develop and execute controlled exposure and laboratory evolution experiments using selected natural antimicrobial compounds and relevant food-associated microbial communities
- Perform microbiological analyses including cultivation, enumeration, isolation and preservation of strains, and phenotypic characterization of tolerance and inactivation kinetics
- Conduct molecular laboratory work such as DNA extraction, PCR, library preparation, and sequencing-based community profiling
- Publish your research results in peer-reviewed international journals
- Have the willingness to work flexible hours if needed and occasionally participate in events outside of the regular working hours
- You participate in guiding (under)graduate students in their research projects
- Successfully complete the PhD programme by writing and defending a doctoral dissertation based on the research outcomes
How to apply
Requireddocuments
- Personal motivation letter
- Full professional/academic resume (CV)
- CopyoftheBachelor’sandMaster’sdegreecertificates
- Transcripts(overviewof studyresults).
All required documents must be submitted in English The documents must be merged into a single PDF file and sent to foodmicrorc2@gmail.com(subject line: Research assistant in food microbiology).
Application process and interview
After a first screening, selected candidates will be invited for a video interview.We reserve the right to keep applications on file for potential future job openings.
Selection Process : CV screening → Interview → Internal committee → Approval by campus council→Acceptance notice to the selected candidate.
For any inquiries regarding this vacancy, please send an email to Sam.VanHaute@ghent.ac.kr.
Please do not send your application to this email address, as it will not be considered a valid application!
