Research Associate

About the role

The Department of Mechanical Engineering are seeking to appoint a Research Associate within the TREFCO project.

This position is an EPSRC funded collaboration led by University of Bath and has 8 industrial partners, including battery manufacturers, recyclers, material suppliers and equipment producers. The focus of this is to investigate thermal recycling methods for functional coatings and develop wavelength sensitive adhesives which will ‘unglue’ when subject to certain types of radiation.

• This specific role is to lead research into impacts of different thermal methods on degrading adhesives to aid recycling.
• While experience with adhesives is not necessary, this role would suit someone with a good track record in research from a Physics / Chemistry or Mechanical/Chemical/Materials Engineering background.
• This role will integrate into a team that bridges across all the subjects listed above and the research focus can be directed (within reason) based on the successful applicant’s background. Applicants would work on either item 5a or 5b dependent on their skill set.

Key aspects of the role include:

1. To undertake research into the potential of NIR radiation and intense pulsed light (IPL) as methods to degrade commercial adhesives to aid debonding within a recycling process.
2. To benchmark processes against other commercial ‘debondable adhesives’
3. To adjust commercial adhesives formulation to include absorbing particles to enhance energy adsorption at specific wavelengths. Assessing impacts to bond strength by the incorporation of particles.
4. Manage the validation of a new Near Infra red (NIR) machine in Bath

5a. Materials characterisation (microscopy/XPS/DSC) to understand chemical impact of thermal processing.

5b. Develop a heat transfer model based on processing and materials absorption characteristics of the adhesives to aid further research.

About you

As a member of Research Staff at the University of Bath, you will be encouraged to take up a minimum of 10 days professional development pro rata per year

A lower grade offer may be made (Grade 6) with comparable reduction in responsibilities and amendment in job title to Research Assistant, if a suitable applicant cannot be found to fill the Grade 7 position. Applicants will need to be within six months of their course completion date and will be promoted to Research Associate once their PhD has been awarded. 

• will hold a PhD in the area of Physics / Chemistry or Mechanical/Chemical/Materials Engineering.
•  will have experience in at least one of the following areas: materials recovery, advanced thermal processing, mechanical testing - particularly of bond strengths, materials characterisation (SEM/ XRD and XPS). 
• be a self started and able to pick up new concepts quickly.
• have good communications skills and have experience of collaborating between different institutions.
• This role will integrate into a team that bridges across all the subjects listed above and the research focus can be directed (within reason) based on the successful applicant’s background. Applicants would work on either item 5a or 5b dependent on their skill set.
• have experience of managing the installation and validation of specialist laboratory equipment.

Further information

This position is offered on a full-time (36.5 hours), fixed term basis for a duration of 8 months.

For informal discussions please contact Rick Lupton rcl38@bath.ac.uk and Alfred Hill ce9ah@bath.ac.uk.

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