This contract will be funded with the Foundation’s own resources.

IMDEA Food is part of the Network of Madrid Institutes for Advanced Studies (IMDEA), promoted by the Regional Government of Madrid with the aim of developing research that is both socially valuable and of international scientific excellence.

Within this framework, and as part of the Cardiometabolic Nutrition Research Group, the research project BICAROBESITY-CM – Functionalisation of bigels based on carob by-products for the formulation of meat products: preclinical and clinical evaluation in diabesity is being carried out, for which a postdoctoral researcher is required.

Ref. PD2025-022 – BICAROBESITY-CM – Postdoctoral Researcher

Principal Investigator: Dr. J. Alfredo Martínez Hernández

Research Line: Nutrition and Metainflammation

Research Group: Cardiometabolic Nutrition

Research Programme: Precision Nutrition and Cardiometabolic Health

The work plan and scientific-technical activities to be undertaken will include:

• Optimisation and assessment of nutritional resources and available metabolic databases to better understand outcomes related to obesity and adverse cardiometabolic traits.
• Analysis and implementation of new metabolic biomarkers with potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic value, including the design and translational conceptualisation of precision nutrition guidelines and their relationships with metabolomic markers of nutrient intake.
• Investigation, from a global perspective, of interactions—including shared mechanisms and the involvement of common pathophysiological pathways—between obesity and liver diseases, as well as cardiovascular risk factors, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
• Integration of nutriomic and metagenomic approaches to understand phenotypic interactions and responses to specific nutrients and diets through nutrigenetic, nutrigenomic, and epigenomic processes, supported by machine-learning and artificial-intelligence tools.
• Participation in nutritional intervention projects and recruitment activities.
• Administrative support and assistance in preparing scientific documents and research project applications.

(Please, see  FULL CALL FOR APPLICATION)

I. Entry requirements:

Education requirements:

• Education level: PhD in Biomedical Sciences or Experimental Sciences (Medicine, Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, Nutrition, Food Science or Nursing).
• Research field: Nutrition and Dietetics

II. Evaluation of Merits

Additional Training (other degrees or knowledge)

• Demonstrable knowledge or publications in precision nutrition and public health.
• Master’s degree in Personalised Nutrition or Nutritional Epidemiology.
• English (certifiable proficiency).
• Advanced computer and biostatistics skills.

      Professional Experience

• Experience in managing human databases and conducting epidemiological or clinical-trial statistical analyses.
• Experience working with human genetic/metagenomic data and corresponding biostatistical analyses.
• Participation in national and/or international multicentre projects.
• Knowledge of processing clinical samples in intervention trials, including biochemical, molecular, genomic and metagenomic determinations.
• Being first author of at least four articles published in high-impact journals in the biomedical and nutritional fields related to the programme.
• Demonstrable professional experience in nutritional counselling/consultation.
• Teaching collaboration in courses, seminars, postgraduate programmes and/or undergraduate teaching.

      Other Merits

• Participation in conferences.
• Courses related to clinical nutrition.
• Knowledge and experience in nutrition and lifestyle.

     Skills and Abilities (to be assessed during the interview)

• Proficiency in software such as Excel, SPSS, Stata, R or similar.
• Operational knowledge of Big Data/Machine Learning analysis and bioinformatics.
• Competencies: results-oriented research profile, proactive, responsible and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Organisational skills.
• Ability to work in a team with strong interpersonal skills.

The selection of candidates shall be carried out in accordance with the principles of equality, merit, ability and publicity, as well as objectivity, independence and professional rigour, respecting the confidentiality of the personal data of the participants, by means of a merit-based competition.

Once the deadline for the submission of applications has expired, and once the fulfilment of the requirements listed in the second base has been verified, the Selection Committee will proceed to assess the merits included in the curricula vitae related to the post and to select the candidates who best meet the established requirements, and will then open a second selection phase consisting of a personal interview.

The personal interview will consist of a face-to-face or videoconference interview which will focus solely on the merits put forward by the candidates in the competition phase and will be aimed at assessing the candidate's suitability for the post. The interview will last a maximum of 45 minutes.

Scale - selection criteria:

The evaluation process will be carried out according to the following criteria:

I. Additional training to be assessed: 0-30*.

II. Experience to be assessed: 0-30*.

III. Other merits to be assessed: 0-10*.

IV. Interview: 0-30

Contract type: Permanent employment contract for scientific-technical project activities (Art. 23 bis of the Spanish Science Act), in accordance with current legislation, including the legally established trial period.

Working hours: 37.5 hours per week, split workday schedule, from Monday to Friday.

Gross annual salary: Highly competitive remuneration based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience

Duration: Permanent, subject to project/funding availability
Start date: Immediate

Headquarter of the IMDEA Food Insitute, Madrid (SPAIN)