Research Fellow (Life Cycle Assessment of Manufacture and Recycling of New Energy Devices)

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract to Aug 2029

The SuMaCer (Sustainable Manufacturing of Functional Ceramics for Europe’s Net-Zero Industry Energy Devices) project is a new, successful project within the EU’s Horizon 2030. The project is a large consortium of five academic institutions and eight industry partners, all working together on developing the energy devices needed to power the transition to Net Zero, spanning batteries, fuel cells and electrolysers. We are recruiting a highly motivated researcher with a background in life cycle assessment and a strong interest or background in energy materials or devices, to join a successful team at the University of Birmingham.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

In line with the principles of Net Zero Pollution, the primary aims of this role are to embed life cycle thinking across the project and to gather the data required for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculations. You will engage directly with the researchers involved in designing and running new manufacturing processes; assess the safety and sustainability of the selected materials, following the EU’s Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework; assess the sustainability of the manufacturing and recycling processes involved; track the economic and circularity indicators of the prototype devices and advise your fellow researchers on how to improve the sustainability of their processes.

You will inform the research partners of the data required for your life cycle inventory, proactively gather that data and perform calculations to determine environmental hotspots and key impacts. You will update the project partners on the credentials of their processes and suggest a range of possible improvements that they could realistically implement, through leading and participating in eco-design workshops. As many of the processes involved will be at low technology readiness level (TRL), you will be required to extend your LCA calculations to provide prospective assessments, using well defined future scenarios. You will also perform technoeconomic assessments (TEA), to identify cost estimates, as well as scan for risks and opportunities in the energy and hydrogen sectors.

Skills and Knowledge

The position requires an individual with a high-level of analytical capability. Expertise in one or more of the following areas would be an advantage:

• life cycle assessment,
• life cycle social assessment,
• techno-economic modelling,
• materials flow analysis,
• energy device supply chain modelling,
• energy device manufacturing,
• or recycling processes.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should have a PhD in an area related to any of the areas listed above, broadly conceived. The ideal candidate will be a skilled communicator able to effectively disseminate complex information for academic and policy audiences. They will also be able to coordinate their work with others to engage with relevant expertise across the project’s wider research networks.

For further information please contact Jacqueline Edge, j.s.edge@bham.ac.uk

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working

Advert information