• Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator’s (FaBA) Program: Based in the Faculty of Science | School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability
• Full-time (100%), fixed-term position for up to 3 years
• Base salary will be in the range $117,120.53 - $138,769.70 + 17% super (Academic Level B)
• Based at our St Lucia campus

About This Opportunity

Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) is a national, $160 million initiative accelerating innovation, sustainability and growth across the Australian food and beverage manufacturing sector. Hosted by The University of Queensland in partnership with QUT, UniSQ and UniQuest, FaBA connects industry with world-class research capability, next-generation talent and pilot-scale infrastructure.

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Fellow to join the FaBA / AGFS research team. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the interface of applied research and industry translation, contributing to the development of next-generation food ingredients and products with enhanced nutritional functionality, improved processing performance and reduced allergenicity. You will work in a collaborative, inquisitive and industry-connected research environment, translating scientific discovery into real-world impact for Australia’s food and beverage sector.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Research: Conduct high-quality, applied and industry-linked research in functional and nutritional foods, translating laboratory and pilot-scale outcomes into commercially relevant solutions and research outputs.
• Supervision and Researcher Development: Contribute to the supervision, mentoring and development of Honours and Higher Degree by Research students, supporting researcher performance, capability building and professional growth.
• Citizenship and Service: Demonstrate active academic citizenship through collaboration, service roles and partnership-building activities that align with UQ values and support the objectives of FaBA and the broader University.

This is a research focused position. Further information can be found by viewing UQ’s Criteria for Academic Performance.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will bring:

• Completion of a PhD in Food Science, Biochemistry or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced analytical techniques including HPLC, UPLC, LC–MS/MS and HPAEC–PAD, applied to complex food and biological matrices.
• Experience in protein separation, characterisation and quantitative analysis, including Western blotting, ELISA and mass spectrometry-based proteomics (MRM, PMF).
• Hands-on experience in bacterial genetic engineering, including strain engineering and functional validation.
• A minimum of three years’ experience in food product development, spanning benchtop formulation through pilot-scale evaluation and manufacturing scale-up.
• Evidence of successfully seeking, obtaining and managing external research funding.
• A growing record of supervision of Honours and Research Higher Degree students.
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills, with a publication record commensurate with opportunity and the ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.

Industry experience in a commercial R&D environment within the food, nutrition or ingredient sectors will be highly regarded.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you will have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds from around the world, within a collaborative and ambitious environment where interdisciplinary research is encouraged. UQ is committed to creating change together, supporting research excellence through world-class facilities, grant writing support and meaningful industry engagement.

The benefits of joining UQ are broad and include being part of a Group of Eight university, recognition of prior service with other Australian universities, up to 26 weeks of paid parental leave, 17.5% annual leave loading, flexible working arrangements including hybrid options, access to exclusive internal-only opportunities, and genuine career progression through the academic promotions process.

Interested?

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Professor Nidhi Bansal at n.bansal@uq.edu.au.

For application queries, please contact talent@uq.edu.au, stating the job reference number in the subject line.

When you apply, please ensure you upload a resume, cover letter, and responses to the ‘About You’ section.

Other Information

Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of relevant pre-employment checks, which may include verification of the right to work in Australia and qualifications. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

Relocating from interstate or overseas? We may support you with obtaining employer-sponsored work rights and a relocation support package, however upfront costs will still be expected to be covered. You can find out more about life in Australia’s Sunshine State here.

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ, and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing talent@uq.edu.au or calling +61 7 3365 2623.

Applications close Tuesday May 19th 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-63303). Interviews have been tentatively scheduled for May 28th and May 29th 2026.