Research Assistant/ Associate in Porous Metal Manufacturing

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Salary
Research Assistant: £33,951 to £35,608 per annum.
Research Associate: £36,636 to £38,784 per annum.

The Role
Green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis is a key technology for decarbonising energy storage, chemicals and steel production. However, the design of porous metal materials at the heart of these devices remains largely unexplored, and new manufacturing approaches are needed to unlock their full potential.

We are seeking an ambitious Postdoctoral Research Associate/Research Assistant to join the Electrochemical Engineering Science Group and work within Dr Daniel Niblett's team on the five-year UKRI EPSRC ION-H2 Fellowship. The programme combines computational modelling, machine learning, advanced manufacturing and electrolyser testing to develop next-generation green hydrogen technologies.

You will develop innovative manufacturing routes for structured and stochastic porous metal electrodes and transport layers using approaches such as additive manufacturing, powder metallurgy, casting, particle sintering and precision machining. These materials will then be characterised and tested in electrolysers using imaging and electrochemical techniques, with opportunities to work with collaborators specialising in advanced X-ray computed tomography.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research while developing independent research ideas within a supportive and growing team. The successful candidate will be encouraged to shape aspects of the programme, contribute to future research proposals, and develop their own research direction. The position provides an excellent platform for developing an independent academic or industrial career.

The ION-H2 programme forms part of the Niblett Group (www.danielniblett.com) and includes direct collaboration and shared resources with the Electrochemical Engineering Science Group led by Professor Mohamed Mamlouk. The group contributes to several major international projects, including:

• EPSRC Ocean Refuel - Floating offshore wind coupled to hydrogen production and novel membraneless electrolyser development, 2kW stack testing and modelling: https://www.oceanrefuel.ac.uk.
• EPSRC HyPT - AEM electrolyser catalyst modelling, operando x-ray imaging and membrane development: https://hyptcenter.asu.edu.
• ASTERISK - next-generation AEM membrane development: https://asteriskproject.eu.

The position offers flexible working arrangements and opportunities for international collaboration with leading groups in porous material manufacturing, imaging, machine learning and electrochemical engineering. Current collaborators include UNSW Sydney (Australia), Shenzhen University (China), Eindhoven University of Technology and University of Groningen (The Netherlands), SINTEF (Norway) and Nel Hydrogen (USA) providing opportunities for research visits and international networking.

The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative environment with access to expertise spanning electrochemistry, computational modelling, advanced manufacturing and imaging. There will be opportunities to publish high-impact research, build international collaborations and contribute to future funding applications.

We recognise that excellent researchers come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If this opportunity excites you, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every requirement.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Daniel Niblett (daniel.niblett@newcastle.ac.uk).

Find out more about the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/.

Find out more about our Research Institutes: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/research/advanced-materials-electrochemical-engineering/.

Contact for the post is daniel.niblett@newcastle.ac.uk.

Duration of post is 24 months.

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