Research Scientist in Texture/Touch Biophysics(Job Number: 150000YI)

“Single-minded purpose and wide-ranging choice”

Nestlé Research Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland Undefined period of time contract, 100%

Lausanne is home to the 3 strongholds of Nestlé’s fundamental research: the Nestlé Research Center (NRC), the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) and the Nestlé Clinical Development Unit (CDU). They all investigate the complex interactions between nutrition, health and wellness.

Demonstrating strong result focus and autonomy you will be providing expertise by linking food sensory perception with human physiology and biophysics through experimental or numerical assays to guide food design for enhanced sensory performance.

Key responsibilities

• Apply expertise in food oral processing cross-category to understand sensory properties of products as function of their material properties
• Liaise with external stakeholders to build hypothesis regarding mechanisms of sensory texture perception
• Build competence in describing relevant physiological structures that could impact sensory texture perception
• Build biological/physical/numerical models for new and existing physical structures leading to texture perception
• Define experimental plans to obtain results in agreement with objectives defined within project or competence development
• Develop internal/external network of partners to achieve necessary competence building
• Develop psychophysics experiments and liaise with sensory experts to verify applicability to real food systems

Education and experience

• PhD in Physiology, Biophysics or Bioengineering
• Research experience in the field of sense of touch, mechanoreceptors or related
• Knowledge in oral physiology will be considered an asset
• Hands on experience in standard animal biology or molecular biology techniques (ex. Cell culture)
• Fluency in English

Show us that you demonstrate proactive cooperation and strong initiative. Being rigorous and confident in your skills, while willing to learn, is what will set you apart from the other candidates. If you are a team player, passionate about this position and if you want to make a difference to our performance, apply using the "Apply Through Website" button in English. Please enclose a list of publications.

Over the last 5 years, the 600-staff NRC has published around 1000 scientific publications in peer review journals and files about 80 patents every year. The NRC also has around 100 research collaborations with universities or research institutes around the world. The NRC devotes itself to 5 main research programs: food safety and integrity, first 1000 days and healthy kids, healthy ageing, healthy pleasure and sustainable nutrition. The NRC plays an important role in providing the science behind healthier products, such as the reformulation of products with lower levels of sugar, salt and fat, and an increase in vitamins, minerals and fibre. (learn more about the NRC at www.research.nestle.com).

The Nestlé Group is the World’s leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness Company with 92.2 billion Swiss Francs in sales in 2013, more than 330,000 employees worldwide and 468 factories in more than 86 countries. We offer an attractive and dynamic international working environment with constant opportunities for development, reflecting our conviction that people are our most important asset. Learn more about our Group and reasons to join us on www.nestle.com