BioDyMIA is recruiting an Assistant professor (CNU section n°64) in BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING – FERMENTATION AND BIOREACTORS

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Section CNU 64

BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING – FERMENTATION AND BIOREACTORS

IUT Lyon 1 / BioDyMIA

TEACHING :

The Department is responsible for two main degree programs :

• The Bachelor of Science in Biological Engineering, Food Science and Biotechnology track (BUT GB SAB), a three-year program enrolling around 170 students, including those on apprenticeship contracts.
• The Professional Bachelor’s Degree in Integrated Quality of Packaged Foods (LP QIAC), a smaller program with around 10 apprentices.

The Department’s teaching team is made up of 9 academic staff with teaching and research responsibilities (including the successful candidate), 7 lecturers, 2 industry-based professionals on contract, 1 secretary, and 3 technical staff members.

Role and Teaching Responsibilities

The person appointed will teach in the field of biotechnology, with a particular focus on fermentation engineering and bioreactor technologies. Additional expertise in mycology, predictive microbiology, and/or the use of microbial growth modeling software would be a strong advantage.

More specifically, teaching (lectures, tutorials, and practical sessions) will cover the following areas:

• Microbiology (BUT) – mycology
• Industrial Physics and Control Systems (BUT) – open- and closed-loop regulation, first-order system response, on/off regulation, PID control
• Biotechnology (BUT) – industrial microbiology, including inoculum preparation, media composition, sterilization, bioreactor design and control systems, and mathematical modeling of gas exchanges and culture kinetics
• Methods of Investigation and Control in Biology (BUT) & Food Quality and Safety (LP QIAC) – mycotoxins
• Predictive Microbiology – within the SAE 5.1 (BUT) and Food Quality and Safety (LP QIAC) modules

The candidate will also supervise third-year students in the SAE 5.1 project, where expertise in fermentation engineering will be essential to support students preparing for the Innov’Aliment competition.

To facilitate integration into the teaching and research teams, a reduced teaching load will be granted in the first year. This arrangement may be extended into the second and third years upon request. Over time, the candidate will also be expected to take on pedagogical and administrative responsibilities within the Department.

Facilities and Environment
Teaching takes place in modern facilities, including :

• Laboratories for microbiology, chemistry/biochemistry, biology, fluid mechanics/electrotechnics, and packaging
• A technology hall equipped with professional and semi-professional equipment
• Computer labs, seminar rooms, and a lecture hall with capacity for 80 students

The campus at Bourg-en-Bresse hosts four academic departments (Computer Science, Biological Engineering, Business and Administration Management, and Energy Transition and Efficiency Professions). It also provides three lecture theatres, a library, a university restaurant, on-site IT services, and a health center staffed daily by a nurse.

Students and Programs

• Each year, the BUT welcomes around 70–80 first-year students, and 50–60 students in the second and third years.
• Classes are scheduled between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., with at least a one-hour lunch break.
• Apprenticeships are especially common in the third year of the BUT and in the LP program, with contracts managed through IFRIA.
• Many second- and third-year BUT students complete internships abroad, often in collaboration with partner research laboratories.
• The Department also contributes to a Master’s in Food Engineering coordinated by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The second semester of the M1 and the full M2 year are taught at Bourg-en-Bresse (M1 in initial training, M2 by apprenticeship). The teaching team is actively involved in supervising these students as well.

Further Information

• Detailed information on the BUT GB SAB and LP QIAC programs can be found on the IUT Lyon 1 website.
• Information on student admissions is available via Parcoursup.
• More details on the Technopole Alimentec can be found

Teaching Contact :

Maxime GUERY, Chef de département - maxime.guery[at]univ-lyon1.fr

Tel : 04 74 45 52 52 (secrétariat) ou 52 57 (bureau) ou 06 76 91 51 00 (portable professionnel)

RESEARCH :

BioDyMIA is dedicated to advancing the biopreservation of perishable foods (with a focus on meat and fish products) in order to extend shelf life and enhance quality. Our research ranges from the discovery of new preservation agents to their identification and characterization. We also investigate implementation mechanisms to control their stability and action kinetics. We adopt a broad definition of biopreservation, considering both biomolecules (sourced from food by-products or produced by microorganisms) and antagonistic bacteria, primarily lactic acid bacteria, which act against spoilage or pathogenic organisms such as Listeria monocytogenes.

While biomolecules show great potential, their effectiveness may be limited over time due to degradation or antagonistic factors. The use of bioprotective microorganisms offers a promising alternative. Their biopreservation effect may derive from their very presence — for example, through metabolic activity leading to the release of antimicrobials such as bacteriocins, or through respiratory activity. This raises the question of what constitutes the ideal characteristics for choosing bioprotective strains. An additional advantage of bioprotective bacteria lies in their potential to be combined with biopreservatives molecules, in line with the “hurdle technology” approach. One of BioDyMIA’s distinctive strengths is our emphasis on the implementation of these agents, particularly lactic acid bacteria. Key challenges include ensuring the stability of biopreservation agents and developing methods that optimize their action against targeted undesirable microorganisms. Effective control of these bioprotective strains also requires a nuanced understanding of the interactions between spoilage flora, background flora, protective flora, and other barriers to microbial growth in food.

We are seeking a motivated researcher to join our multidisciplinary team, which brings together expertise in microbiology, biochemistry, physical chemistry, and process engineering. The successful candidate will draw on their skills in fermentation to explore microbial growth, physiology, and interactions. This work will involve using media designed to mimic the microstructure and composition of perishable food matrices (and, in some cases, real matrices), while also accounting for environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition.

Experience in predictive microbiology would be a valuable asset. Above all, we are looking for someone with strong motivation to contribute to applied research with real-world impact.

Some publications :

*Anti-Listeria activity of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis LAB3 cells entrapped in alginate beads: effects of inoculum size, alginate bead formulation, and atmosphere composition. He et al. (2025). Frontiers in Microbiology (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1663475/full)

*Bioprotective yeasts: Potential to limit postharvest spoilage and to extend shelf life or improve microbial safety of processed foods. He et al. (2024). Heliyon ⟨https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24929)

*Effect of the interaction of nisin Z with various polysaccharides on its antibacterial activity. Azari-Anpar et al. (2023). Food Control (10.1016/j.foodcont.2023.109874)

*Staphylococcus aureus membrane-damaging activities of four phenolics. Bouarab et al. (2021). FEMS Microbiology Letters (10.1093/femsle/fnab081)

*Antibacterial properties of polyphenols: characterization and QSAR (Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship) models. Bouarab et al. (2019). Frontiers in Microbiology (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2019.00829/full)

Research contact :

Isabelle ADT (director), isabelle.adt[at]univ-lyon1.fr, tel : 04 74 47 21 48 (direct ligne) ou 04 74 45 52 65 (secretary)

Additional information