Indigenous yeasts for flavour development in premium no-alcohol beer and wine

The geographic isolation of Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) has promoted the divergence of unique lineages, leading to a high level of endemism in its flora and fauna. Less is understood about microbial diversity and their evolutionary histories compared with macro-organisms, despite their importance to ecosystem function and potential uses in biotechnology.

Yeasts particularly play a pivotal role in the quality and style of fermented products, with different species and strains imparting distinct flavours and aromas. This project aims to harness the unique metabolic properties of indigenous NZ yeast to develop premium no-alcohol beer and wine.

As a candidate, you will work alongside local communities and industry to isolate yeast, understand their evolutionary histories and metabolic potential, and test them under industrially relevant conditions. You will have a strong background in ecology, evolution and genetics, and be experienced with statistical and phylogenetic analyses, including using R. You will be willing to work with a passionate team from diverse backgrounds and to engage with community and industry stakeholders. 

• Ecology and/or genomics
• Statistics/bioinformatics
• Microbiology
• Molecular lab methods such as DNA extraction, PCR, DNA sequencing
• Strong communication skills with experience in both academic and industry settings

Friday 10 April 2026