Job Description

Overview:

The Assistant Professor Zhang Dachuan at the Department of Food Science and Technology, National University of Singapore (NUS), is seeking a Research Fellow to join the team working on artificial intelligence and food science. This position focuses on the development and application of large language models (LLMs) for advancing food informatics, food bioactives research, and sustainable food innovation.

The selected fellow will contribute to cutting-edge projects such as:

• Developing domain-specific LLMs (named, FoodmoleGPT) that integrate molecular- and formulation-level food science knowledge.

• Designing multimodal AI systems that connect chemical, biological, and sensory data with textual and scientific knowledge.

• Applying LLMs to accelerate discovery in food bioactives, sustainable materials, and food formulation.

The position will be administered by the Department of Food Science and Technology (Faculty of Science, NUS) and hosted by the Food Informatics and AI Research Group. The Research Fellow will be based in NUS, with opportunities to collaborate with researchers in computer science, life sciences, and industry partners.

Duties:

• Conduct independent and collaborative research on LLM design, fine-tuning, and evaluation for food-related tasks.

• Develop AI workflows and platforms for integrating domain knowledge into LLMs.

• Publish high-quality research in peer-reviewed journals and present at international conferences.

• Work with multidisciplinary teams across NUS and external collaborators to validate and apply developed tools.

Qualifications

Eligibility:

• Degree and experience: Applicants must have a PhD in Computer Science, AI/ML, Computational Biology, Food Science with computational expertise, or a related field. Experience with natural language processing, machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow), and/or domain knowledge in food or chemistry is highly desirable.

• Language: Applicants must have strong communication skills and an excellent command of written and spoken English.

Documents Required for Application:

1. Curriculum vitae, including a list of publications.

2. Research statement (max. 3 pages) outlining experience and future plans at the AI–food interface.

3. Certified copies of PhD degree and transcripts.

4. Names and contact details of three referees (letters of recommendation to be provided upon request).

Contact Person for More Information:

For queries, please contact dachuan.zhang@nus.edu.sg

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus

Organization: Science

Department : Food Science & Technology

Job requisition ID : 30386