Postdoctoral Research Associate Design and Synthesis of Functional Semiconductors and their Application in Water Splitting Devices - Grade 7

We seek to recruit a talented Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) to develop functional semiconductors by polymer assisted deposition (e.g. new van der Waals materials, ferroelectric semiconductors and semiconductors for water splitting applications). We will then use these materials to fabricate highly efficient water splitting devices and develop operando XPS methods to characterise the same.

This post is funded through Dr Elisabetta Arca’s New Investigator Award (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX032116%2F1) and her UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=UKRI2347).

The post will be based in the Department of Physics and in the Stephenson Institute for Renewable Energy, with occasional national and international travel to state-of-the-art facilities and conferences.

You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with partnering institutions, mentor junior team members and contribute to outreach activities, to build a profile at the forefront of the field. More information about the job and the person specification are available in the job description.

Given the multidisciplinary nature of the project we welcome applications from candidates who hold a PhD (or expect to complete a PhD within 3 months from the application closing date) in a range of fields including Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering.

To apply for the position please follow the apply link and upload:

• CV (no more than 3 pages)
• Cover letter (no more than 1.5 pages)
• Description of your short- and long-term career plans (no more than 1 page)
• Sample of written work (e.g., a journal article) with a brief description (150 words maximum) of your contribution to the work and its relevance to this project
• The names and contact details of two referees

For informal enquires about the post, please contact Dr Elisabetta Arca (Elisabetta.Arca@liverpool.ac.uk)

If you are still awaiting your PhD to be awarded you will be appointed at Grade 6, spine point 30.  Upon written confirmation that you have been awarded your PhD, your salary will be increased to Grade 7, spine point 31.

This post is fixed term until 31 October 2029.

Commitment to Diversity

The University of Liverpool is committed to enhancing workforce diversity. We actively seek to attract, develop, and retain colleagues with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We welcome applications from all genders/gender identities, Black, Asian, or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, individuals living with a disability, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Closing Date: 17 July 2026

For full details and to apply online, please click on the apply button above.

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