Three funded PhD positions in food virology (VIR.AL Chair)

Quebec City, Canada Funded positions (amount not stated) Fellowship On-site

Université Laval in Quebec City offers three funded PhD projects in food virology under Professor Julie Jean's VIR.AL partnership research chair. The projects study viruses in berries, pork products and dairy products, including viral persistence, methods to detect infectious particles and processing treatments or natural compounds that reduce infectivity.

Country: CA
Experience: Experience not specified
Salary / stipend: Funded positions (amount not stated)
Apply by: 29 Nov 2026
Job type: Fellowship
Work mode: On-site
Function: Research
Openings: 3

Who can apply

Master's in microbiology, virology, food science, molecular biology or related field

Review the original notice to confirm the requirements. Related degrees are not automatically equivalent; the recruiting organisation decides eligibility.

What you’ll do

Study viral prevalence and persistence in food matrices (berries, pork or dairy products, depending on the project)
Develop and optimise methods to recover, detect and characterise infectious viral particles
Test food processing technologies, industrial treatments and natural compounds for reducing viral infectivity
Work with scientific and industry partners on surveillance and microbiological risk assessment tools
Present results at conferences and publish in international journals

What the employer asks for

Master's degree in microbiology, virology, food science, molecular biology or a related field
Strong interest in food microbiological safety and food virology
Lab experience in microbiology, molecular biology or cell culture
Able to analyse and interpret scientific data
Good oral and written scientific communication; autonomy, rigour and teamwork
Previous food virology experience not required; training is provided

Pay, benefits and perks

Minimum guaranteed scholarship of CAD 25,000 per year
Up to CAD 10,000 more through Université Laval's student success support programme, if eligible
Support with external scholarship applications
Access to food safety laboratories on the Laval campus
Flexible start in 2027

How to apply

Read the full notice and follow the instructions on the original application page.

Closes 29 Nov 2026; start 1 Jan 2027.

Skills for this role

What employers ask for in Dairy Plant & Dairy Technology roles. named in this notice

Cell culture
Virus detection and characterisation
Molecular biology
Data analysis
Microbiological risk assessment
Dairy Technology
Dairy Plant
Dairy Production
Dairy QA
Milk processing
Milk reception
Platform tests
Pasteurisation
HTST
UHT
Homogenisation

Check your resume against this vacancy

Prepare for the interview

Questions commonly asked for Dairy Plant & Dairy Technology roles. Practise answers with an example and a number.

Explain the HTST and UHT processes and the critical parameters you monitor.
Which platform tests do you run on raw milk at reception, and what do they tell you?
How do you detect and prevent adulteration in milk procurement?
What are the CIP steps in a dairy plant, and how do you verify cleaning?
How is yield calculated for paneer, curd or cheese, and how would you improve it?
Which FSSAI standards apply to milk and milk products you have worked with?

Before you apply

Read the original notice end to endDates, eligibility and the application route are decided by the employer, not by FSD.
Tailor your resume to this vacancyMatch the keywords in the requirements. Resume Studio shows what is missing.
Prepare a short research statementOne page on your project experience and why this group or call fits.
Line up refereesMost calls ask for two or three referees; tell them in advance.
Check the funding termsFellowship amount, duration, HRA and eligibility (NET / GATE) differ between calls.

Source & editorial check

Notice is in French and English; apply via the ABG link.

Original posting: Date not stated
Checked 2026-11-05 · Updated 2026-11-05