Residue Chemist

(Ref: RC/AFRC/0107)

Location:	Ashtown Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15
Reporting to:	Head of Department, Food Safety Department
Grade/Salary:	Research Officer – with a starting salary of between €35,504 and €48,342 depending on relevant qualifications and experience. Appointment will be made on a permanent basis.

Basic Function

A vacancy exists at Ashtown Food Research Centre for a research officer to work in the area of chemical food safety. The researcher will complement a team with expertise in analytical chemistry through application of organic chemistry skills. This will include the synthesis of novel chemistries with food safety applications such as drug chemistries, biosensor chip chemistries, immunogens and metabolites

Background

The mission of Ashtown Food Research Centre (AFRC) is to assist the growth and development of the Irish food industry through excellence in technical and market research, advice and training. The main campus is located at Ashtown, Dublin 15 and consists of research and analytical laboratories and food processing pilot plants. Ashtown Food Research Centre has a staff of over 100, including approximately 40 with postgraduate qualifications. Each year the Centre does business with several hundred client companies, mainly in the Republic of Ireland but also Northern Ireland and overseas. In addition to industry services, AFRC carries out a dynamic programme of publicly funded food research in collaboration with universities and research institutes in Ireland, the EU and the USA. Research priorities are food safety, product quality and process technology in fresh products and in secondary processed consumer food products. The Centre has a well established international reputation as Centre of Excellence in meat technology and in the quality and safety of foods.

Residue Analysis Laboratory

The Residue Analysis Laboratory has national responsibility for research on food safety (chemical contaminants) and provides testing for the National Residue Testing Plan, under contract to the Department of Agriculture and Food. The research and testing programmes of the laboratory are focused on the development and application of appropriate technologies for the analysis of residues in food (veterinary drugs, mycotoxins, pesticides and contaminants). Within its programme, the laboratory has a number of sub-programmes which address analytical method development, residue analysis programmes, development of residue databases, novel residue analysis technologies and studies on the form and content of residues in food. Research on the detection and monitoring of residue levels is of primary importance in supporting the marketing of Irish food as products of high quality and safety. The Residue Analysis Laboratory, which is accredited for much of its testing to ISO 17025 by INAB, currently has 15 staff members including postgraduate students. Apart from its residue testing programme, the laboratory has a number of research projects funded by EU and national agencies. The laboratories are well equipped with analytical, including HPLC, LC-MS/MS (X2), nano-LC-MALDI-QTOF-MS, GC, biosensor and immunoassay equipment.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Contribute to maintaining the safety of Irish food through development and application of analytical technologies in residue analysis for contaminants in food.
Application of organic chemistry to synthesis of novel chemistries for use in analytical approaches to determination of chemical contaminants in food (including method development, assessment and validation).
Develop portfolio of research projects through successful competition for funding
Develop links with key stakeholders and researchers in institutes and universities on the island of Ireland and internationally.
Develop links with other research groups within Teagasc.
Contribute to management of the residue analysis laboratories and research programme.

Person Specification

	Essential	Desirable
Qualifications	Honours Level 8 Degree in chemistry	Analytical chemistry experience PhD in organic chemistry
Competencies	Excellent oral and written communication skills (including technical and reporting)	Experience in analytical chemistry HPLC, LC-MS/MS and HRMS. Experience in mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy.
Knowledge	Project management and planning. Funding mechanisms for food research	Food Safety Legislation. Chemical contaminants (veterinary drugs, toxins and persistent organic pollutants) Knowledge of the Irish Food Industry.
Attributes	Good thinker and capable of producing novel research Excellent communicator with good interpersonal skills	Good networker Good leadership skills

How to Apply

Application forms can be obtained by clicking on the links below.

Please submit completed applications forms by email to recruit@teagasc.ie.

Please state relevant reference code in all correspondence.

The latest date for receipt of completed application forms is 5.00pm on Friday 15th February 2008.

Teagasc is an equal opportunities employer. Canvassing will disqualify.