Safety and Processing Stability in Indonesian Smallholder Dairy Systems KU Leuven in Belgium

KU Leuven/BioTeC+ is offering 2 PhD positions in the VLIRUOS TEAM project SAFE-ID (Enhancing Milk Safety and Processing Stability in Indonesian Smallholder Dairy Systems through in vitro-in silico Data Integration).

The project focuses on improving milk hygiene, processing stability, and data-driven quality management in Indonesian smallholder dairy systems, especially under tropical climate and infrastructure constraints. The research aims to help farmers and cooperatives produce safer, higher-quality milk and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese.

Project partners include KU Leuven/BioTeC+ in Belgium and Indonesian universities UNIMUS (Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang) and UNDIP (Universitas Diponegoro). The work combines experimental research, predictive modelling, doctoral training, and stakeholder engagement.

PhD1 (KU Leuven - UNIMUS) covers development of antimicrobial and anti-biofilm milk-contact surfaces, microbial contamination dynamics, biofilm assays, growth/inactivation kinetics, contamination pathway mapping, and hygiene protocol evaluation. The topic is designed around raw milk safety in tropical smallholder dairy systems.

PhD2 (KU Leuven - UNDIP) investigates how raw milk physicochemical variability affects pasteurization, fermentation, coagulation, and shelf life. The topic includes controlled dairy processing trials, fermentation kinetics, shelf-life assessment, and predictive process modelling to improve processing stability.

The positions are suitable for candidates with a background in food science & technology, (bio)chemical engineering, biotechnology, microbiology, or a closely related field. Applicants should hold a master’s degree with an excellent academic record. Interest in food processing, food microbiology, and food safety/quality is expected, and prior experience with lab-scale experimentation, data processing, and scientific writing is a plus. A minimum B2 level English proficiency is required; non-native speakers must provide proof of competency.

The appointment is a 4-year PhD programme within the KU Leuven Arenberg Doctoral School, subject to positive evaluation by the doctoral committee after the first year. Successful candidates will perform full-time research for 36 months in UNIMUS (PhD1) or UNDIP (PhD2), with two 6-month secondments at KU Leuven/BioTeC+ in Gent, Belgium. Funding is provided according to the VLIRUOS SAFE-ID project budget.

Applicants should submit the usual KU Leuven application documents plus a cover letter, a 3-page project proposal for the chosen PhD, proof of language proficiency, and contact details of 2 referees. For more information, contact Prof. dr. ir. Jan Van Impe ([email protected]) or Dr. ir. Monika Polanska ([email protected]).