Research Associate / Senior Research Associate in Functional Biomaterials

Salary:

£37,099 - £41,732 (Grade I);

£41,732 - £46,974 (Grade J) per annum depending on experience

The role

We are looking for an enthusiastic and creative Postdoctoral Research Associate / Senior Research Associate to join a new interdisciplinary research initiative to develop engineered living metamaterials. This new class of biomaterials will be able to adapt and learn from external mechanical inputs and will exhibit shape changing properties driven by phenomena such as piezoelectricity, hygromorphism and thermomechanical actuation.

You will explore the use of natural fibre composites and bio-based matrices to produce engineered living materials (ELMs). These will be 3D printed to generate bio-based and sustainable metamaterial architectures with programmable memory with learning/adaptive behaviours.

The research programme is supported by a £2M European Research Council (ERC) grant (NEUROMETA; https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101020715) and the team will comprise highly collaborative engineers, materials scientists and biochemists.

We are looking for a world-class researcher with a high degree of innovative spirit and enthusiasm to operate at the very cutting edge of functional biomaterials design.  You will join this vibrant and exciting research team at the University of Bristol that spans multiple disciplines, including biomaterials design and fabrication, synthetic biology, and aerospace engineering.   

The position will be based in Biomedical Sciences in the Faculty Health and Life Sciences (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/life-sciences/) with access to leading edge infrastructure from the Bristol Bioprinting Centre (https://www.perrimangroup.co.uk/bioprinting) and the Wolfson Bioimaging Facility (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/wolfson-bioimaging/). You will also work closely with team members from the Department of Aerospace Engineering (https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/en/organisations/department-of-aerospace-engineering) and those from the Dorothy Hodgkin Building.

What will you be doing?

During this project you will design, build and test bio-based neuroactive metamaterials.

This will involve:

• Formulate and analyse new soft materials using natural fibre composites and bio-based hydrogel matrices.
• Work in a multidisciplinary team to help integrate these novel metamaterials with engineered living material structures.
• 3D print to generate bio-based and sustainable metamaterial architectures with programmable memory via learning/adaptive behaviours.

You should apply if

• You have, or are expected to receive a PhD in biochemistry, materials science, biomaterials, bionanomaterials, bioengineering or related discipline
• You are keen to work at the cutting edge of biomaterials and aerospace engineering research and development
• You are excited about working in a multi-disciplinary team to explore disruptive technologies beyond state-of-the-art.

Additional information

For informal enquiries please contact:

Prof Adam Perriman (chawp@bristol.ac.uk);

Prof James Armstrong (James.Armstrong@bristol.ac.uk) and

Prof Fabrizio Scarpa (F.Scarpa@bristol.ac.uk).

Interviews will take place during week commencing 22nd July 2024.

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