Post-Doctoral Researcher, APC Microbiome Ireland: NourishMind (postbiotic solution targeting stress-induced weight gain) University College Cork in Ireland

University College Cork and APC Microbiome Ireland are recruiting a Post-Doctoral Researcher for the NourishMind project, a postbiotic solution targeting stress-induced weight gain. This is a 16-month fixed-term, full-time post within a highly collaborative translational research programme at the interface of microbiome science, clinical research, and health innovation.

The successful candidate will join a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Harriet Schellekens and work across the microbiome-brain-gut axis research programme at APC Microbiome Ireland. The project is supported by an Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund and is focused on developing a novel microbiota-targeting intervention designed to support regulation of eating behaviour and weight maintenance through modulation of microbiota-gut-brain signalling pathways.

The role is strongly research- and delivery-oriented. The postdoctoral researcher will play a leading role in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over clinical study assessing the effects of the intervention on eating behaviour and cardiometabolic health in adults with overweight and obesity. Key responsibilities include study set-up, clinical data collection, biological sample management, statistical analysis, interpretation of findings, and preparation of reports and publications. Participant recruitment and retention are outsourced, allowing the researcher to focus on study execution, data quality, and analysis.

Beyond the clinical study, the post also contributes to evidence generation supporting regulatory, intellectual property, and commercialisation activities. The appointee will work with clinical research organisations, laboratory partners, and regulatory advisors to ensure study conduct aligns with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), ethical standards, and data protection requirements. The position therefore offers strong exposure to translational research, clinical trial governance, and the pathway from discovery to market readiness.

Applicants should have a PhD or equivalent in Biological Sciences or a related discipline, ideally with experience in Neuroscience, Physiology, Nutrition, Psychology, Clinical Research, or Biomedical Science. Prior experience in human intervention studies is specifically requested. The employer also highlights the need for excellent organisational, communication, and analytical skills, together with the ability to work independently and engage constructively with participants, clinicians, and industry collaborators.

Salary is stated as €47,273 - €53,925 per annum (IUA PD Scale), with appointment dependent on experience and public sector pay policy. The role is based in Cork, Ireland, at University College Cork. Applications must be submitted online through the UCC vacancy portal. The closing date is 12 noon Irish local time on Friday, 21 August 2026. Informal enquiries may be directed to Dr Harriet Schellekens at [email protected].

This is a strong opportunity for a postdoctoral researcher interested in microbiome research, human clinical intervention studies, eating behaviour, obesity-related health, and translational commercialisation-oriented science.