Postdoctoral Associate/Research Scientist - Seafood Chemistry, Quality, and Value-Added Processing at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Hampton, VA

Job description

Job Description The Feng Research Group at Virginia Tech invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate or Research Scientist to lead laboratory research on the chemistry, quality, safety, and value-added utilization of seafood. The position is based at the Virginia Seafood AREC in Hampton, VA, and supports federally and industry-funded projects on Chesapeake Bay wild-caught blue catfish, commercial clams, and other domestic seafood species. The selected candidate will work closely with seafood processors, extension specialists, and a multi-institutional research team. At the Postdoctoral Associate level the position will: The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct laboratory research on the chemistry, quality, safety, and value-added utilization of seafood in the Feng Research Group at the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) in Hampton, VA. The position supports federally and industry-funded projects on Chesapeake Bay wild-caught blue catfish, commercial clams, and other domestic seafood species, and works closely with seafood processors, Extension specialists, and a multi-institutional research team. Under the mentorship of the faculty supervisor, the Postdoctoral Associate will generate nutritional, flavor, mineral, and contaminant data that support evidence-based marketing, product development, and Extension programming for Virginia's seafood industry. This advances the land-grant research and Extension mission of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Virginia Tech. The appointment is a research training position intended to prepare the incumbent for an independent career in academia or research. At the Research Scientist level the position will: The Research Scientist will lead laboratory research on the chemistry, quality, safety, and value-added utilization of seafood in the Feng Research Group at the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) in Hampton, VA. The position supports federally and industry-funded projects on Chesapeake Bay wild-caught blue catfish, commercial clams, and other domestic seafood species, and works closely with seafood processors, Extension specialists, and a multi-institutional research team. The Research Scientist will independently lead defined research components, manage day-to-day laboratory operations and analytical method development, supervise research staff and students, and contribute to grant proposals as PI or co-PI where appropriate. The resulting nutritional, flavor, mineral, and contaminant data support evidence-based marketing, product development, and Extension programming for Virginia's seafood industry, advancing the land-grant research and Extension mission of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Virginia Tech. Responsibilities (both ranks) • Conduct nutritional composition analyses of seafood using AOAC official methods, including proximate composition, fatty acid profiles (with emphasis on omega-3 fatty acids), amino acids, and minerals. • Characterize seafood flavor chemistry, including volatile aroma compounds and off-flavor compounds (e.g., geosmin, 2-methylisoborneol) by GC-MS and related techniques, and non-volatile taste compounds. • Quantify essential minerals and contaminants of concern (e.g., iodine, selenium, zinc, mercury, lead, arsenic) using ICP-OES/ICP-MS with appropriate QA/QC procedures. • Evaluate texture, shelf life, and lipid oxidation, and support consumer sensory studies. • Contribute to the recovery and characterization of value-added ingredients from fish processing byproducts (e.g., fish oil, collagen, protein hydrolysates). • Coordinate large-scale sample collection and data management across sizes, seasons, and locations with industry partners. • Analyze data, prepare peer-reviewed manuscripts, project reports, and Virginia Cooperative Extension publications. • Support Extension and outreach activities, including industry training, chef workshops, and stakeholder meetin