Data Scientist in Food Systems (KTP Associate)

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Environmental Sustainability

Data Scientist in Food Systems (KTP Associate)

Fixed Term Contract for 36 months

£35,000 to £42,000 per annum, dependent upon qualifications and experience (40 hours per week), plus £2,000 personal development budget

Location: Moulton Bulb Company Ltd, Long Lane, Moulton, Spalding, PE12 6PP

We welcome applications from passionate, skilled, committed, prospective experts in Data Science in Food Systems to join our team passionate in onion supply chain, to contribute in reducing losses due to fungal disease throughout the supply chain.

An exciting opportunity to work as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate has arisen as part of a collaboration project between Moulton Bulb Company Ltd and Cranfield University. The project will focus to transform industry understanding of fungal contamination caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae.

Your role will be to lead on a project whose objective is to reduce waste in the supply chain. This will be done by working with and implementing data collection, data-driven trials and analysis strategies. You will embed new knowledge and expertise that will transform industry understanding of fungal contamination caused by Fusarium, reducing onion losses from field to market.

This role requires skills of data acquisition, management and statistical analysis within the food supply chain. Knowledge of food microbiology and postharvest would also be desirable in this role. This role would suit an individual with an excellent ability to implement new solutions in a dynamic evolving food system environment. Previous experience of analysing complex datasets for the food supply chain industry would be ideal for this role.

You will hold a MSc level degree in a food technology, data science, bioinformatics or microbiology-related field, with previous training in a statistics-related subject, or preferably a PhD in food microbiology or postharvest.

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.

The Centre for Soil, Agrifood and Biosciences is one of three Centres within the Environmental Sustainability theme at Cranfield University offering world-class and niche postgraduate-level research, education, training and consultancy. We are unique in our multidisciplinary approach by bringing together experts supporting the food chain system, such as soil science, postharvest technology, and applied mycology. Find out more about our work here.

You will be based at Moulton Bulb Company Ltd in Spalding and work closely with Andrew Fuller (Moulton Bulb supervisor), and with a team of academics at the Cranfield University Centre for Soil, Agrifood and Biosciences.

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.

We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.

Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

An individual currently or previously employed by Moulton Bulb Company Ltd would not be eligible for the KTP Associate role.

Individuals who have already been a KTP Associate would not be considered an ideal candidate.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen, Senior Lecturer in Applied Molecular Mycology, on (E):

Apply online now. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: . Please quote reference number 5258.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 12 April 2026

Deadline to fill the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion complementary survey: 15 April 2026

(This is mandatory but does not form part of the selection process. The survey will not be shared with the recruiting manager or shortlisting panel)

Interviews to be held: 23 and 24 April 2026

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

www.cranfield.ac.uk

This partnership received financial support from the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme. KTP aims to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base. This successful Knowledge Transfer Partnership project, funded by UK Research and Innovation through Innovate UK, is part of the government’s Industrial Strategy.