Senior Research Associate in Hydrogen Storage

The role

The School of Civil Aerospace and Design Engineering (CADE) at the University of Bristol invites applications for Research & Innovation Associate in Hydrogen Storage (Grade J) to join the HyMax project team. Reporting to Dr. Sanjit Nayak within the Functional Porous Advanced Composites Group at Bristol Composites Institute, you will play a central role in advancing hydrogen storage technology and Net Zero solutions. This 12-month, 0.75 FTE position offers a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with significant support for career development, training, and potential independent research.

What will you be doing?

• Lead the design, development, and validation of lab-scale modular prototypes to screen hydrogen adsorption/desorption efficiency.
• Oversee the safe operation and maintenance of high-pressure and cryogenic hydrogen systems.
• Conduct synthesis and characterization of porous materials for hydrogen storage applications.
• Contribute to setting research objectives, collaborate with project partners (including Airbus, JLR, Hydrostar, Ecomar Propulsions, and the National Composites Centre), and disseminate findings through high-quality peer-reviewed publications.
• Ensure all research activities comply with University policies, particularly regarding ethics and health and safety protocols.

You should apply if:

Essential

• You hold a PhD (or are near completion) in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or Chemical Engineering.
• You possess a proven track record of delivering high-quality research outputs, such as peer-reviewed publications or patents.
• You have experience in materials synthesis and characterization.
• You demonstrate practical experience in designing experiments or prototypes.
• You have experience handling high-pressure gases.

Desirable

• You have experience specifically with cryogenic systems, high-pressure hydrogen handling, or proficiency in CAD/Python/MATLAB.
• You are an excellent communicator, capable of working collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams and engaging with industrial partners.

Additional information

To find out more about what it's like to work in the Faculty of Engineering, and how the Faculty supports people to achieve their potential, please see our staff blog:

https://engineering.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/category/engineering-includes-me/

Contract type: Fixed-term contract from 01/10/2026 until 30/09/2027

Work pattern: 0.75FTE / 26.25 per week hours

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Thursday 30th July 2026

For informal queries please contact:

Dr Sanjit Nayak - (Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Composite Materials Discover) - Email: s.nayak@bristol.ac.uk

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

Available documents

• ACAD108675 - Pathway 2 Job Description_Hydrogen Storage RA.pdf
• Faculty of Science & Engineering Further Particulars 2024-25 (2).pdf

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