Research Associate - Chemical Process Engineering (Fixed Term)

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Applications are invited for a 2-year Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position in Chemical Process Engineering under the supervision of Prof Erwin Reisner (Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge).

The project will enable the tech-transfer of chemo-enzymatic photoreforming, where solar energy is used to upcycle plastic waste into hydrogen (H2) gas. Specifically, an integrated process will be designed and assembled, where PET plastic waste is first broken down by enzymes and then photo-catalytically converted into H2 gas.

The PDRA will oversee the assembly of a continuous flow process to demonstrate the commercial feasibility of this solar chemical technology at a kg plastic, m2 photoreactor scale under real sunlight irradiation over several days. The outcome of this project should be published in top tier academic journals and also generate novel IP to support the commercial aspirations of this project. The PDRA will design, assemble and connect an enzymatic waste pre-treatment chamber and solar reactors and work together with an enzyme engineer and a sustainable technology expert in a highly collaborative setting. The PDRA will thus complement existing expertise in the Reisner laboratory and bring a strong skill set and expertise in chemical and process engineering.

More information about the laboratory and project can be found here:

• Website Reisner Laboratory: http://www-reisner.ch.cam.ac.uk/
• Publication on chemo-enzymatic photoreforming: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.3c05486
• Review solar reforming technology: https://rdcu.be/dxjBM 

This PDRA position will be funded by a Technology Investment Funding Award from Cambridge Enterprise and a Royal Academy of Engineering Chair in Emerging Technologies.

The PDRA should have (or be about to obtain) a PhD in Chemical or Process Engineering or a closely related discipline. A strong background in waste recycling, solar technologies, H2 technology and/or continuous flow processing would be desirable for the position.

Start date: September 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above.

Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV), a cover letter and publications list in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents that have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

For queries relating to your application or the application process, please contact Gioia Gregori, Administrator of the Reisner Laboratory, via email on pa-reisner@ch.cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference MA41933 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The Department holds an Athena SWAN silver award for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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