Job Description

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Research and Facilitation, Level B

Job Title

FBIC Food Application Research Scientist

Department

Food and Beverage Innovation Centre | Faculty of Land and Food Systems

Compensation Range

$6,949.92 - $9,992.50 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

July 6, 2026

Note:Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

July 31, 2027

Please include cover letter. This position is a one-year term appointment with the possibility of extension subject to the satisfactory performance review and continued operational needs.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

The Dan On Food and Beverage Innovation Centre (FBIC) at the Faculty of Land & Food Systems the University of British Columbia offers a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and development in the food and beverage industry.

The under-construction FBIC shall extend the Faculty’s current 3000 sqft Food Processing pilot plant facilities into a new 8250 square-foot facility, equipped with small industrial scale R&D equipment, pre-processing equipment, packaging equipment, freezer/cooler spaces, and 2 product development innovation bays. The current food processing pilot plant contains a series of lab-scale or pilot scale (0-10 kg/hr) processing, food thermophysical analysis equipment and other core facilities in the Food Nutrition and Health building.

The Food Application Research Scientist will be involved in applied research that bridges the gap between food chemistry, processing innovations, food function science and food technologies. The research scientist will receive and triage industry requests, help define technical problems, design applied experimental work, coordinate project execution, supervise technical work, interpret results, prepare partner-facing reports, and connect projects with the right faculty, staff, infrastructure, and UBC's administrative processes.

Organizational Status
Works collaboratively with members of the FBIC team and DAE staff regarding new clients’ businesses and research interests and works closely with LFS technical staff, graduate/undergraduate students and other outside professionals/consultants/networks such as the BC Food Hub Network. Engages with researchers from diverse disciplines, including food science, nutritional biochemistry and biophysics and materials engineering collaboratively to integrate insights and perspectives from these academic disciplines to advance the field of food innovation. Interacts with University Counsel when necessary.

Work Performed

• Oversees research activities, managing aspects such as research design, execution, data collection, and analysis, as well as integrated knowledge translation and completing final reports. Develops workplans and timelines, directing resources, leading team meetings, engages with industry.
• Develops and implements applied research methodologies, including scientific experiments, to investigate food products, ingredients, and processing approaches. Leads laboratory and pilot-scale research activities, interprets findings, and provides recommendations to support product development, innovation, and client objectives.
• Explores opportunities for intellectual property development, patent applications, and technology transfer arising from innovative food processes/applications and formulations.
• Interprets research finding results to draw meaningful, accurate conclusions and identifies trends, potential commercial applications and areas for innovation, providing a scientific basis for decision-making and further research directions.
• Advises graduate and undergraduate students involved in research projects, fostering a positive learning environment by sharing expertise, overseeing work, and facilitating their growth.
• Identifies opportunities and products that will improve business effectiveness, facilitating research for companies that may form potential business partners or providers, identifying potential target markets, coordinating plans with other departments to offer similar opportunities.
• Leads the negotiation and establishment of research and service contracts, licensing agreements, and collaborative projects with industry partners and the UILO.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with key stakeholders in the food and beverage sector, including industry leaders, government agencies, and funding organizations.
• Represents the Centre at industry events, conferences, and networking opportunities to enhance its visibility and reputation.
• Assists the FBIC Director in preparing and presenting reports to the various funding agencies, UBC bodies, industrial stakeholders and Steering/Advisory committees for the Food and Beverage Innovation Centre.
• Stays updated on regulatory and compliance requirements related to research partnerships and technology transfer in the food and beverage industry.
• Stays updated with the latest advancements in food process innovations, formulation technologies, and related fields by participating in professional development activities, workshops, and training programs.

• Contributes to public outreach activities to increase awareness of the research conducted in FBIC and its potential impact on health and well-being.
• Performs other duties as required in support of the Centre’s strategic initiatives in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of the position.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
As an Application Scientist in food process engineering and food composition analysis the exercise of discerning judgment and the subsequent impact of decisions carry paramount significance. The crux of effective research lies in adeptly selecting experimental frameworks, methodologies, and constituents that align with research objectives. This discernment in research design, combined with the ability to decipher the resulting data, plays a pivotal role in fostering reliable and meaningful outcomes. Furthermore, the formulation development process necessitates astute judgment in the choice of carriers, excipients, nutraceuticals and delivery mechanisms, as this decision-making can culminate in optimized therapeutic efficacy and minimized side effects. The aptitude to interpret complex data, creatively surmount formulation challenges, and sustain ethical considerations further underscores the Application Scientist’s influence in advancing the discipline. With each decision, be it in characterizing formulations or fostering collaborations, the scientist shapes not only their academic trajectory but also the broader landscape of bioactive delivery and its potential impact on healthcare outcomes. Through a cumulative sequence of well-considered choices, the scientist must possess the ability to drive innovation, thereby leaving an indelible imprint on the field's progress.

Supervision Received
Reports to the FBIC Director and can work independently, exercising his/her initiative. Referring to the director for new or unusual matters.

Supervision Given
Oversees graduate and undergraduate students involved in research projects.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of three years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant discipline related to Food Science, Food Chemistry, Food Engineering and Food Analysis.
• Strong background in food formulation development, analysis and material characterization.
• Proficiency in designing and conducting experiments, as well as analyzing complex data sets.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to understand and effectively communicate complex scientific issues to the non-expert public, both verbally and in writing.
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to multitask/prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Computer experience required at an intermediate level (e.g. MS Office, statistical tools and software).