Academic position in Biochemistry of Nutrition

About us

UCLouvain is in the top 1% of universities worldwide. Founded in the heart of Europe in 1425, the university brings together 40,000 students and 6,000 staff members on 9 campuses in Brussels and Wallonia. Research and education activities are organised in 20 faculties, 23 research institutes, 5 learning centres and 18 libraries. UCLouvain also has two university hospitals.

UCLouvain is a major player in the transition to a sustainable society. The challenges of the ecological crisis are integrated into courses and the university develops numerous local projects (such as a university farm and sustainable campuses). As a digital university, UCLouvain is involved in open science and education, and trains academics in innovative teaching practices through its Louvain Learning Lab. Thanks to two science parks, the university’s research benefits from interaction with 250 companies and 3 incubators, which is fuelled further by being at the centre of a region driven by technological innovation.

UCLouvain has a long tradition of international collaborations for teaching and research through partnerships across the world. As a member of the Circle U. European University alliance, the university offers a unique opportunity to work in an environment of interconnected campuses across Europe (London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Pisa, Belgrade, Aarhus and Oslo).

The University's staff policy is based on five pairs of values which are fundamental pillars of the way the University operates, works and lives together: https://uclouvain.be/fr/emploi/politique-personnel.html

The position to be filled will be attached to the Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (AGRO-Louvain) which is an internationally recognized bioengineering school committed to put living systems at the heart of engineering, and to the Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), an ambitious life science research institute, investigating living systems through the prism of biochemistry and molecular and cell biology.

Post description

Within the Faculty of bioscience engineering (AGRO) and the Louvain Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology (LIBST), Science and Technology Sector, this position will include the following teaching, research and community service duties:

• Teaching 

You will teach mainly in the field of structural and metabolic biochemistry and its applications, as well as in the more topical field of human and animal nutrition and food quality, in the various courses managed by the faculty.

You will also be involved in mentoring student projects and trainees, mainly for students of the Master in bioengineering: agricultural sciences.

You will also be expected to supervise Master’s theses. 

• Research

You will develop your research activities, including the lead of research programmes, in the field of life sciences and particularly in a topic related to nutritional biochemistry.

This might involve research from metabolic, physiological or cell responses to food components, up to the conception of sustainable and innovative food, and the study of food impact on human or animal health. Research activities will possibly rely on available technological platforms such as the ones dedicated to imaging and microscopy, mass spectrometry, analytical chemistry, as well as the animal facilities (rodents and fishes), the university farms (which include a transdisciplinary centre for the study of food transformation and food transition) or the Clinical Investigation Center for Nutrition. Research activities will also possibly rely on collaborations with research teams of the "Earth and Life Institute" active in agro-food sciences.

You will be responsible for the supervision of PhD theses.

• In addition …

Once tenured, you will carry out various service activities and responsibilities within the institution, such as being a member of a programme committee or examination committee, or having management responsibilities within the faculty or research institute.

You will also contribute to serving society, particularly in the economic, social, cultural or development cooperation fields. Finally, you will ensure, through research and teaching activities, the university’s international visibility.

Who we’re looking for

• Education

You have a PhD in Agricultural Sciences and Biological Engineering or in Biology or in Veterinary Sciences (or any comparable discipline in Life Sciences).

• Experience

You have a proven track record in university teaching, with evidence where possible by formal evaluations. Your scientific experience is demonstrated by publications of international standing.

You have supplemented this with an extended stay or significant experience abroad, outside the institution that awarded your doctorate. 

• Skills

You are comfortable working as part of a team of academics and integrate research results into your teaching. You are capable of conducting high-level scientific research, from obtaining funding to team management. You are creative, open to pedagogical innovation and multidisciplinary.

You can communicate in French and English. If this is not the case, you undertake to acquire a command of these two languages within two years of taking up your position. Knowledge of other languages is an asset.

Specifically: 

Your PhD degree in Agricultural Sciences and Biological Engineering or in Biology or in Veterinary Sciences (or comparable domain in Life Sciences) will be associated with a research specialisation in the field of nutritional biochemistry. The ability to translate fundamental research outcomes into applications is expected.

What we offer

• Tenure after positive assessment of the probationary period – typically four years. This type of career entitles you to a public sector pension.
• Appointment as lecturer or professor according to your previous academic experience, as determined by the Rectoral Council.
• Teaching load capped at 90 hours for a full-time tenure-track position, and 150 hours once tenured. 
• An attractive and progressive salary according to seniority and the promotion process.
• A start date of 1 September 2025 at the earliest.
• An integrated leadership and management training programme, including a range of pedagogical, linguistic and other training courses. 
• Benefits including transport, family, culture, commercial, etc. 
• Official policy that supports equal opportunities and promotes diversity within academic and all other categories of staff.
• Specific emphasis on a work-life balance.

Practical Information

Application deadline: Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at noon (UTC+1 Time Zone)

Starting date: September 1st 2025 

Location:

Science and Technology Sector
(AGRO) (https://uclouvain.be/en/faculties/AGRO)
(IBST) (https://uclouvain.be/en/research-institutes/IBST)

Need more information?

Questions about this position:

Prof. Christine Dupont, Dean AGRO – doyen-agro@uclouvain.be
Prof. René Rezsohazy, President LIBST – president-libst@uclouvain.be

Questions about the procedure:
Cécile Lion, Rector’s Office, cecile.lion@uclouvain.be

Questions about online application:
Andreea Chiriac, Rector’s Office, secretariat-vrpp@uclouvain.be

Interested?

Apply only via the online application (applications submitted via any other channel will not be considered). 

To be considered, your application must contain within a single PDF:  

For full details of the application: https://uclouvain.be/en/careers/application-aca.html