Are you passionate about the future of sustainable food production and eager to contribute to the fast-developing field of cellular agriculture? We are seeking a mission-driven individual to join our team as a Postdoc in Process Intensification for Cellular Agriculture, with a focus on Bioprocess design of a Scale-out Production Methodology.
As a postdoc you will be responsible for:
With the world’s population predicted to surpass nine billion by 2050, substantial challenges emerge regarding food production and security. Traditional practices such as livestock farming and fishing are deemed unsustainable due to their resource-intensive nature and adverse environmental effects.
Therefore, there is an ever-growing need for innovative and sustainable food production technologies. Cellular Agriculture is an emerging technology where animal derived products are produced using cell culture technologies instead of livestock. Despite significant advances in the field, several key technical obstacles remain to be addressed before this technology is viable at a commercial scale. One key hurdle to the adoption of this technology, is the development of methodologies that allow conventional livestock framers to maintain a source of income as CellAg develops.
In this project, we aim to develop a scalable process that can be adopted by traditional farmers, enabling a transition from conventional livestock farming to a more sustainable model—where farms become cellular agriculture facilities producing cultured meat.
Your team
You will join the Cellular Agriculture research theme of the Bioprocess Engineering chair group led by Prof. Rene Wijffels. Bioprocess Engineering works on a sustainable and healthy future by engineering efficient bioprocesses for high quality natural products. The group offers expertise in reactor engineering, down-stream processing and metabolic engineering to teach and develop innovative bio-based processes. Our research aims at developing the scientific field and applications in typical Wageningen themes such as circular processes, food and environmental sciences. We study different types of cells, including photoautotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms and animal cells to develop production systems for biobased products, including commodity and specialty chemicals and biopharmaceuticals. Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.
Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands. The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.
We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated. You are curious and passionate about cellular agriculture, possess great problem-solving and analytical skills, and are highly motivated to contribute to the development of a safe and secure food system.
You also possess:
For more information about the procedure, please contact Rutger Voorrips, corporate recruiter, by e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected].
Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
You can apply until the 1st of September 2025. Don’t wait with your application till the deadline. We will close the advert before the closing date if we have found the right candidate before.
Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure.
Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
As a postdoc you will be responsible for:
- design and optimize bioprocesses for cultivated meat production, including media formulation, cell growth, differentiation, and harvesting techniques;
- conduct and optimize the production of porcine and bovine cells in wave bioreactors, developing a scale-out approach to enable farm-level production;
- lead the technology transfer from laboratory-scale to the world’s first cellular agriculture farm, including developing standardized protocols, assisting in facility design, and training cellular agriculture operators;
- support the training and development of research scientists and technical staff collaborating with you on the project;
- supervise BSc and MSc thesis projects related to cellular agriculture and bioprocess engineering;
- contribute to scientific excellence by actively participating in the preparation and writing of grant proposals and research publications.
With the world’s population predicted to surpass nine billion by 2050, substantial challenges emerge regarding food production and security. Traditional practices such as livestock farming and fishing are deemed unsustainable due to their resource-intensive nature and adverse environmental effects.
Therefore, there is an ever-growing need for innovative and sustainable food production technologies. Cellular Agriculture is an emerging technology where animal derived products are produced using cell culture technologies instead of livestock. Despite significant advances in the field, several key technical obstacles remain to be addressed before this technology is viable at a commercial scale. One key hurdle to the adoption of this technology, is the development of methodologies that allow conventional livestock framers to maintain a source of income as CellAg develops.
In this project, we aim to develop a scalable process that can be adopted by traditional farmers, enabling a transition from conventional livestock farming to a more sustainable model—where farms become cellular agriculture facilities producing cultured meat.
Your team
You will join the Cellular Agriculture research theme of the Bioprocess Engineering chair group led by Prof. Rene Wijffels. Bioprocess Engineering works on a sustainable and healthy future by engineering efficient bioprocesses for high quality natural products. The group offers expertise in reactor engineering, down-stream processing and metabolic engineering to teach and develop innovative bio-based processes. Our research aims at developing the scientific field and applications in typical Wageningen themes such as circular processes, food and environmental sciences. We study different types of cells, including photoautotrophic and heterotrophic microorganisms and animal cells to develop production systems for biobased products, including commodity and specialty chemicals and biopharmaceuticals. Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:
- sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
- working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
- there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
- a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
- excellent pension scheme.
Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.
You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.
Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.
Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands. The mission of Wageningen University & Research is ‘To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life’.
We pursue this mission through a synergistic approach between Wageningen University and Wageningen Research Foundation (applied research). Our research focuses on questions within the domains of food, living environment, and society. With approximately 30 locations, 7,700 staff members, 2,500 PhD candidates, and over 13,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is among the world’s leading knowledge institutions in its domain. The integral approach to challenges and the collaboration across various disciplines form the core of the unique Wageningen approach.
Read the 5 reasons why your future colleagues enjoy working at WUR.
We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves and do not appreciate unasked for services from recruitment agencies. However, sharing in your network is appreciated. You are curious and passionate about cellular agriculture, possess great problem-solving and analytical skills, and are highly motivated to contribute to the development of a safe and secure food system.
You also possess:
- a PhD in Biology, Biotechnology, Bioengineering, Biochemical Engineering, or related fields, with demonstrated experience in animal cell culture;
- minimum of 2 years of hands-on experience in mammalian cell culture;
- knowledge of basic cell-laboratory techniques, including 2D cultures, metabolite analysis, microscopy, and cell banking:
- experience with mammalian cell cultures in suspension using aggregates or microcarriers is highly advantageous;
- hands-on experience with bioreactors and process design skills are highly desirable;
- experience with Process Analytical Technology (PAT) for process automation, monitoring, and control in biomanufacturing is highly desirable;
- previous experience with protocol writing or technology transfer is a significant plus;
- experience in grant proposal writing.
For more information about the procedure, please contact Rutger Voorrips, corporate recruiter, by e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected].
Ready to apply?
Click on the application button next to the vacancy on our website. Only applications submitted through our website will be considered.
You can apply until the 1st of September 2025. Don’t wait with your application till the deadline. We will close the advert before the closing date if we have found the right candidate before.
Procedure
As part of our selection process, an assessment may be incorporated within the procedure.
Welcome, safe, and valued
Wageningen University & Research (WUR) highly values diversity and inclusion because we believe that different insights lead to innovative solutions. We create a work environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, and appreciated, regardless of background, identity, or experience. Together, we are building a culture where everyone's unique contribution adds to the success of our organization.
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