Research Fellow in Materials Chemistry - Battery Characterisation and Recycling

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to March 2025

Role Summary

A Research Fellow position is available until March  2025 for candidates with expertise in experimental materials chemistry, battery chemistry or recycling, joining an interdisciplinary team of researchers in the groups of Dr Phoebe Allan, Prof. Paul Anderson and Prof. Peter Slater.

The post is a fixed term Research Fellow position funded by the research grant “Recycling and Reuse of EV batteries (ReLiB)” that is provided by the Faraday Institution, the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research and skills development. The Faraday Institution vision is to bring together scientists and industry partners on research projects to reduce battery cost, weight, and volume; to improve performance and reliability (The Faraday Institution - Powering Britain’s Battery Revolution).

The overall aim of the ReLiB project (ReLiB – Sustainable Management of Lithium-ion Batteries) is to understand the conditions required to ensure the sustainable management of lithium-ion batteries when they reach the end of their useful life in electric vehicles. This will enhance the overall efficiency of the supply chain and ensure that the UK has the facilities required for safe, economic and environmentally sound management of the materials contained in lithium-ion batteries.

Main Duties

• Leading the collection, analysis and critical interpretation of structural data sets from multiple techniques to characterise lithium-ion battery materials.
• Designing and developing in situ lab-based/synchrotron experiments with central facility scientists, including the drafting of applications for peer-reviewed beamtime.
• Collaborating with academic and industrial partners to achieve the objectives of the project.
• Supporting the day-to-day running of the ReLIB project including contributing to an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• A first degree in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science or related subject, and a PhD (or close to completion) in Solid-State Chemistry, Crystallography, Materials Science, or a related discipline. 
• A proven track record in structural characterisation of solid-state materials including the collection and analysis of powder diffraction data, or in the field of battery chemistry or recycling. 
• A proven ability to communicate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• A demonstrable ability to contribute to the planning and organising of research, and a clear willingness to work as part of an interdisciplinary research team.

Informal enquires can be made to  Dr Phoebe Allan, email: p.allan@bham.ac.uk and Professor Peter Slater, email: p.r.slater@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' button.

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