Research Associate/Research Assistant in Technical Assessment of Carbon Dioxide Removal

Closing date: Midnight on 5^th February 2023

Heriot-Watt University has established a reputation for world-class teaching and leading-edge, relevant research, which has made it one of the top UK universities for innovation, business and industry.

The School of Engineering & Physical Sciences has an international research reputation and close connection with the professional and industrial world of science, engineering and technology.

Job Summary

We are seeking motivated and enthusiastic people to work with us to assess the technical potential of several carbon dioxide removal technologies. Carbon dioxide removal is recognised as an important part of meeting climate targets, but the merits and drawbacks of many approaches remain poorly understood. Upon completion of these ambitious projects, the research team will have completed ground-breaking research on the performance assessment of several CDR approaches and provided the field with a framework for best practice that will form the standard for the field.

We are recruiting multiple posts for two projects:

• Mineral carbonation of mine waste: The team will work with colleagues from the University of Alberta, Monash University, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation to explore the potential of mineral carbonation/ CO2 uptake in mine wastes.
• Ocean alkalinity enhancement: The team will work with a range of international stakeholders, technology developers, and scientists to develop a framework for the performance assessment of methods of increasing ocean alkalinity.

We are looking for candidates with a range of skills in the performance assessment of chemical/mineral based reaction systems, this may include chemical/process engineering, environmental engineering, electrochemical engineering, mathematical modelling. There are also opportunities to participate in our other projects in CO₂ capture, utilisation and storage, and negative emission technologies (rccs.hw.ac.uk).

We anticipate making appointments at multiple grades:

• For Grade 7: The successful applicants must either hold a PhD (or about to obtain) in a computational/numerate physical sciences degree (e.g., engineering, physics, chemistry), or have a postgraduate degree with substantial professional experience in technology design or assessment.
• For Grade 6: The successful applicants must hold a post-graduate degree in a computational physical sciences degree (e.g., engineering, physics, chemistry).

The posts are available from 1^st of March and will run for 24-30 months.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The post holders are required to:

• Develop performance assessment frameworks that fit a range of CDR technologies and systems
• Develop numerical models of various CDR technologies and systems (e.g., mineral carbonation, electrochemical conversion) to assess their technical performance
• Undertake technoeconomic and/or life-cycle assessments

For all criteria, further details and how to apply:

enzj.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/job/2692/?utm_medium=jobshare

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers disc.hw.ac.uk.

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