Research Assistant/Associate

Company description:

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Job description:

The Role

We are looking to appoint a Research Assistant/Associate in the atomistic modelling of new solid electrolyte materials for fuel cells. The successful candidate will be based in the Ion Transport and Interfaces Group of Dr James Dawson at Newcastle University, as part of his recent EPSRC award entitled "Hexagonal Perovskite Derivatives for Next-Generation Ceramic Fuel Cells".

Oxide ion and proton conductors, which exhibit high conductivity at intermediate temperatures, are necessary to improve the performance of ceramic fuel cells. The crystal structures of these materials play a pivotal role in defining their ionic conduction properties and the discovery of new materials is a pivotal research focus for the development of next-generation fuel cells.

The candidate will be responsible for carrying out atomistic simulations of ion transport in a variety of topical perovskite solid electrolytes and their interfaces using a combination of density functional theory, molecular dynamics and other complimentary computational methods. Experience in the application of machine learning to materials will also be highly beneficial for the project.

This project will be carried out in close collaboration with experimental partners at the University of Aberdeen who will carry out the synthesis and characterisation of perovskite-based solid electrolytes for ceramic fuel cells.

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.

The role is a full-time, fixed term (36 months) position in the first instance. The start date will ideally be April 2023, but some flexibility is possible.

For informal enquiries please contact Dr James Dawson at james.dawson@ncl.ac.uk.

For further information about the research group, please see the Dawson Group website.

Applications should be made through the Newcastle University jobs portal: https://jobs.ncl.ac.uk, where you are invited to provide evidence of how you meet the essential criteria required for the role outlined in ‘The Person' by uploading a letter of application along with your Curriculum Vitae (CV).

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