Associate Professor in Emerging Cooling Technologies (Research and Education)

2023 marks ten years since the Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage was formed with a £6m capital grant that has given the university a leading position in energy research in the UK. Since then, researchers at the university have attracted £10s millions of external funding to establish centres of excellence across multiple domains under the umbrella of the Birmingham Energy Institute (BEI).

This is an exciting time to join the university as it continues to invest heavily in energy research through academic appointments and facilities, including a new £40m+ net zero building being designed for the BEI on the Edgbaston campus, and development of the world’s smartest campus as part of a pathway to net zero. This follows investment in the Birmingham Energy and Innovation Centre at Tyseley Energy Park where we are working with local industry and policy makers in East Birmingham. We are also collaborating to establish centres of excellence in Africa to develop sustainable cooling and cold chain. 

Built on robust technical refrigeration and cooling systems knowledge, you will lead the research and teaching of whole system step-change approaches to sustainable cooling technologies. These could be for example in developing resilient cold-chain for food and pharma products within the wider transition to renewables in both low- and middle-income countries, and high-income countries.  This necessarily goes beyond simple energy efficiency of existing technologies but needs also to consider, energy system and energy storage; the opportunity offered by modal shifts (e.g., drones) or product reformulations; the underlying business models as well as behavioural changes, policies, and industry operational interventions. Candidates should have an established national and international reputation through significant original research work and a clear record of impact in cooling technology.

You will be expected to lead and further grow our capabilities in cooling technologies, collaborating with colleagues to provide the critical interdisciplinary capability that is needed to address energy challenges. This will involve initiating, conducting, and publishing international-quality research, as well as developing a portfolio of proposals for external funding from UKRI, industry, government, and other sources.

The position will be based in the School of Chemical Engineering, where the university’s energy research is centred, including energy storage, thermal energy technologies, energy systems and policy, sustainable cooling, fuel cells, hydrogen/ammonia, and other energy vectors. Research across the university covers a wide range of areas including nuclear engineering, carbon capture and storage, strategic element and critical materials, environmental economics, power systems, and fuel poverty.

Person Specification

• A higher degree relevant to the research/teaching area (usually PhD) or equivalent qualifications.

Demonstrated excellence in at least Research, with competence in Learning and Teaching, and Management and Administration.

For an informal discussion about this position please contact Toby Peters (T.Peters@bham.ac.uk) or Head of School, Gary Leeke (G.A.Leeke@bham.ac.uk)

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the Apply Online button above or visit our careers website;

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working

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