Postdoctoral Research Associate (Geological Hydrogen Storage)

Full-time: 35 hours per week

Fixed-term contract: for 24 months 

The Opportunity: 

The University of Edinburgh is a world-class, research-intensive institution. We offer a supportive working environment, excellent facilities, and opportunities for professional development within a diverse and international community. 

This is an Academic Research (Postdoctoral Research Associate) opportunity within the School of GeoSciences. 

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the University of Edinburgh contribution to the Horizon Europe Clean Hydrogen project HyCavern, which is developing safe and scalable hydrogen storage in mined, lined rock caverns. 

The postholder will deliver a laboratory programme focused on low-carbon concrete performance and sliding-layer/interface material stability. This will include concrete slurry and early-age testing, hydrogen durability and transport testing on cementitious materials, and ageing/compatibility testing of candidate sliding-layer and interface systems under controlled exposure conditions. The role will involve applying appropriate analytical and characterisation techniques, maintaining rigorous QA/QC and traceable datasets, and providing robust outputs for consortium reporting, technical guidance, and publications. 

Your skills and attributes for success: 

• PhD (awarded, or thesis submitted by the start date) in cement/concrete materials, civil/material engineering, materials science, geoscience/geochemistry (cement/engineered barriers), chemistry, or a closely related field. 
• Demonstrated ability to deliver a laboratory programme to deadline, including test planning, QA/QC, documentation, and reliable execution. 
• Practical experience in cementitious materials testing, including slurry/early-age behaviour and/or durability/transport behaviour. 
• Strong understanding of cementitious materials chemistry and durability (hydration and pore solution chemistry, transport/permeation processes, and ageing mechanisms) relevant to long-term integrity of lined rock cavern concrete and interfaces. 
• Strong capability in materials characterisation, with evidence of applying several relevant analytical techniques (e.g., SEM/EDS, XRD, µCT, FTIR, TGA/DSC, DMA, and porosity/transport/permeability methods). 
• Strong data handling and reporting skills, with excellent written and verbal communication, and ability to work effectively in a collaborative international project environment. 

Working pattern: 

This post is full-time (35 hours per week). 

This is a laboratory-based role and requires regular on-site attendance (daily during active experimental runs). Remote working will be limited and only permitted occasionally for specific tasks, subject to prior agreement with the line manager. As such, applicants should not expect routine or regular home working as part of this post. 

Informal enquiries may be directed to Dr Aliakbar Hassanpouryouzband (Hssnpr@ed.ac.uk). 

Apply now to join an international consortium and deliver new experimental and modelling insights relevant to natural hydrogen systems. 

A career with us has a range of other benefits that can be tailored to your lifestyle: 

• Competitive salary 
• Generous annual leave and public holiday entitlement 
• Defined benefits pension scheme 
• A wide range of staff discounts 
• Family-friendly initiatives and wellbeing support 
• Professional development and training opportunities 

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