Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (IHA-ARS)-3

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture-Project Management

Proposed Minimum Salary

$5,000.00 monthly

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Position 3: Edible insects and health (Location: Texas A&M University, College Station)

Advisor : This position will work with Dr. Jeffery Tomberlin, Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas.

Overview : The commercial industry around entomophagy was valued at 33 million USD in 2015, with future growth estimated at more than 40% by 2023. Insects that have been eaten historically are generally considered safe for human consumption if properly processed like other animal products. The release of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s publication “Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security” in 2013 accelerated attention to the past, present, and future uses of insects as components of human diets and as animal feed ingredients. From the research world, studies on the role of insects in food systems cross disciplinary boundaries and bring together scientists from natural and social science as well as the humanities to document the past and explore the future potential of this group of organisms that up until now have escaped the globalization of food systems. This research will address the knowledge gaps related to the incorporation of edible insects as part of Precision Nutrition.  Research topics for Position 3 include optimization of dietary composition and other husbandry parameters for insect rearing.  Research topics for Position 4 include nutrient bioavailability in animal and human studies, microbiome and metabolomics, and prevention of age-related degenerative diseases.

Qualifications : PhD in a relevant discipline (e.g., nutrition, entomology, or a related discipline). Essential requirements include proficiency in insect rearing, assessing microbial community structure function, experimental design, and data analysis.  

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.