"Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Food Science (Permanent)"

Maynooth University, National University of Ireland Maynooth - Department of Sport Science and Nutrition

Placed On: 13th March 2026

Closes: 12th April 2026

Job Ref: 040623

The role

Maynooth University is committed to a strategy in which the primary University goals of excellent research and scholarship and outstanding education are interlinked and equally valued.

We are seeking an excellent academic to join our staff as an Assistant Professor / Lecturer in Food Science. Candidates should ideally possess a robust Food Science background, specializing in teaching (including laboratory-based practicals) in areas such as food technology (processing and packaging), food rheology, food analysis and quality assurance, product development, food microbiology, food chemistry, food safety and authenticity, food policy, food marketing, and/or taste and sensory science: (www.maynoothuniversity.ie/study-maynooth/undergraduate-studies/courses/bsc-food-science-and-human-nutrition). Candidates should have prior experience delivering laboratory-based Food Science modules and supervising practical classes using relevant analytical and microbiological laboratory equipment (e.g. rheometers, texture analysers, HPLC/GC systems) appropriate for Food Science teaching.

The person appointed will have a proven record of teaching, research and publication, appropriate to career stage. They will be expected to make a strong contribution to the teaching programme of the Department and undertake teaching duties on the Department’s undergraduate programmes, future postgraduate programmes, as well as the supervision of Master’s and PhD students. The current undergraduate programme (MH222 – Food Science and Human Nutrition) was launched in 2024.

The appointee will be expected to build a strong research profile, that supports the University’s research strategy including affiliating to the Research Institutes, where appropriate and working with colleagues on national and international research. The appointee will be expected to sustain and conduct research, engage in scholarship of quality and substance and generate publications of international standard.

Salary:

Assistant Professor/Lecturer (2026): €65,401 – €103,564 p.a. (7 points)

Assistant Lecturer: €42,599 – €72,718 p.a. (14 points)

Appointments will be made in accordance with public sector pay provisions.

The ideal candidate will have:

Essential

• A PhD in Food Science or a strongly related discipline;
• Experience of and a demonstrated commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and assessing modules related to food technology (processing and preservation), food rheology, food analysis and quality assurance, product development, food microbiology, food chemistry, food safety and authenticity, food policy, food marketing, and/or sensory science;
• Experience of developing undergraduate modules and programmes related to food technology (processing and preservation), food rheology, food analysis and quality, product development, food microbiology, food chemistry, food safety and authenticity, food policy, food marketing, and/or sensory science;
• A strong academic record in research, with a record of scholarly work and publication of international quality, demonstrating potential to become a significant contributor in their field;
• Experience supervising graduate research students;
• Experience of, and commitment to, working in an interdisciplinary setting;
• Good administrative, organisational, and communication skills.
• A commitment to departmental teamwork.

Desirable

• Experience with laboratory-based equipment used for food processing technology, food rheology, food microbiology, food chemistry and food safety, and/or experience of conducting sensory analysis;
• Experience with curriculum development and programme leadership;
• Experience developing and marking assessment tasks;
• Experience in supervising undergraduate research projects;
• Experience in supervising student workplace experience;
• Experience in developing industry partnerships for student workplace experience and/or research;
• A commitment to external communication of science to the general public.

For further details including full comprehensive job description please see reference number 040623on the Maynooth University vacancies page at: www.maynoothuniversity.ie/human-resources/vacancies