BASIC INFORMATION
Title: PhD Candidate Position: Food Additive Manufacturing – Improving 3D Food Printing with Advanced Physical Technologies
Organization: University of Lleida and Agrotecnio Research Center
Department: Food Technology, Engineering and Science
City: Lleida Country: Spain Address: Av. Alcalde Rovira Roure, 191. E-25198
Website:,
Email:
Research field: Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, Biomaterials or related disciplines.
Research profile: First Stage Researcher (R1)
Type of contract: 4 years Job status: Full time Hours per week: 37.5
Gross salary: 25,116 euros per year + research stay at a foreign laboratory
Application deadline: 08/02/2026, 23:59:59 h Europe/Madrid
Offer starting date: 01/10/2026
Offer Description
The FOODNOVELTECH group at the University of Lleida and the Agrotecnio Research Center invites expressions of interest from highly motivated postdoctoral researchers willing to apply for a FPU Fellowship (2025 call) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
The selected researcher will join the project “Improvement of complex starch-based bioinks through advanced physical processing technologies for food additive manufacturing,” funded by the same Ministry. The project focuses on enhancing starch-based bioinks for 3D food printing by applying advanced physical processing technologies such as pulsed electric fields, ultrasounds, high‑moisture extrusion, and hydrothermal processing. The main goal is to optimize the structural and physicochemical properties of complex starch‑based bioinks, including those enhanced with polysaccharide additives, to improve their rheology, stability, and printability. The project will also assess how these modifications influence the quality, texture, appearance, and storage stability of the printed products, contributing to the development of customized and sustainable food manufacturing solutions.
The selected candidate will join a multidisciplinary and international team working at the interface of food processing, soft‑matter physics, and additive manufacturing. The group offers access to pilot‑scale processing facilities, rheological characterization tools, and 3D printing platforms. FOODNOVELTECH brings together faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, PhD candidates, and technicians from multiple countries, fostering a collaborative, dynamic, and inclusive environment.
The group’s research focuses on novel processing technologies, biotechnology, and nanotechnology to produce safe, minimally processed foods with high nutritional and sensory quality. It also explores bioeconomy strategies for the valorization of food by‑products and the development of new plant‑based foods. Current lines of work include improving 3D food printing through the modification of plant‑based bioinks using advanced physical technologies.
FOODNOVELTECH is internationally recognized, with one member listed as a Highly Cited Researcher in Agricultural Sciences (Clarivate), and three members ranked among the top 2% scientists worldwide in Food Science (Stanford University). The group has supervised 10 PhD thesis and published over 80 papers in high‑impact journals in the last five years.
Requirements
Skills / Qualifications
- BSc in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, Biomaterials, or related disciplines.
- MSc in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Material Science, Biomaterials, or related disciplines.
- Good level of English (spoken and written); Spanish or Catalan is an asset but not required.
- Highly motivated, proactive, and eager to contribute to an emerging field at the intersection of food processing, materials science, and additive manufacturing.
Additional Information
Benefits
- Scientific mentoring, guidance, and support during proposal preparation and submission.
- Four‑year full‑time contract.
- Gross salary of 25,116 € per year.
- Additional funding to cover a research stay at a foreign laboratory.
- PhD Training and supervision.
- Integration into an internationally active food technology research group.
- Collaboration opportunities with national and international partners.
- Opportunity to participate in university teaching, gaining experience in lectures, laboratories, or seminars.
Eligibility criteria
- BSc :
- Awarded after January 1, 2022 in the case of BSc with 240 ECTS.
- Awarded after January 1, 2021 in the case of BSc with 180 ECTS + MSc with a minimum of 60 ECTS.
- The grade point average of the candidate’s BSc and MSc academic records must be equal to or higher than 8.0 (scale from 1 to 10).
- IMPORTANT: In the case of people who completed their studies outside Spain, the minimum grade point average must be calculated in accordance with the declaration of equivalencies of the average grade of the academic record provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
- A MSc granting access to doctoral studies completed or be enrolled in the final year of an official Master’s degree in the 2025/26 academic year that grants access to doctoral studies in the 2026/27 academic year.
Selection process
The research group will first check all applications for eligibility and assess the suitability of candidates’ background and expertise in relation to the research project.
Candidates who pass the group’s pre‑selection will receive full support in preparing and submitting their FPU Fellowship application to the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities. Deadline: February 14 at 2 pm Spanish peninsular time.
Note: The final funding decision rests with the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation, and Universities, as part of FPU evaluation process.
Additional comments
Applications should be submitted as a single pdf-file via e‑mail to Prof. Dr. Pedro Elez‑Martínez ( ), including:
- CV
- BSc and MSc Academic transcript with the grade point average
- Motivation letter (max. 1 page)
- The name (including e‑mail) of two people for reference
IMPORTANT: Applications that do not include the BSc and MSc academic transcript with the grade point average will be rejected (equivalence of the grade point average provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities web application for those people who completed their BSc and/or MSc outside Spain).
More information: FPU Fellowship Call 2025:
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