Research Associate Investigating Lithium Batteries Via Multiphysics Reduced Order or Continuum Modelling

Campus: South Kensington, London 

Job Summary 

­­­The Electrochemical Science & Engineering Group is looking to hire motivated and enthusiastic researchers to develop Lithium-sulfur or Lithium-ion battery models to join our diverse and expanding team at the centre of cutting-edge research in electrochemical storage. 

Funded by the Faraday Institution, the postholders will contribute towards a vision of bringing together scientists and industry partners on research projects to reduce battery cost, weight, and volume; to improve performance and reliability (faraday.ac.uk). The positions will contribute towards establishing a global hub for emerging battery technologies, with plans to use a multi-disciplinary, ‘whole-cell’ approach, to systematically tackle the challenges facing Li-S and Li-ion technology, via material and component development and design, in addition to developing models across a broad range of scales, to optimise the engineering of devices.  

These positions offer the opportunity to collaborate with leading researchers from multiple universities in UK as part of two large consortia LiSTAR (Li-sulfur batteries) and Multiscale Modelling (Li-ion batteries), including Cambridge, Oxford and Warwick Universities, among others. The university research is supported by a core group of strategic industrial partners, together with a group of additional industrial supporters. 

Duties and Responsibilities

You will focus on developing reduced order and continuum modelling tools to capture the underlying physics which govern performance and degradation in multilayer pouch cells. This will involve:

• Developing reduced order, multiphisics models for Li-sulfur and Li-ion batteries, including new approaches to modelling degradation and thermal effects
• Being involved in collaborations, both internal to Imperial College and members from the consortium. This will include participation in meetings and managing research and deliverables.
• Preparing reports and delivering presentations at Faraday Institution meetings. This involved interpreting both experimental and modelling outputs and translating these into clear, insightful analyses to share with other consortium members and a range of technical and non-technical stakeholders from the policy, business and civil society communities.
• Taking initiatives in the planning and implementation of research

You will also be expected to plan and conduct your own work, publishing papers and presenting your work at national and international conferences.  

Skills, knowledge and experience

You must:

1. Have an Undergraduate or Masters degree in Physical Sciences, Engineering, Maths or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience.
2. Have experience and knowledge of modelling physical, chemical or electrochemical systems in a Multiphysics environment.
3. Have experience working in a research environment, good practice in research, and have proven and clear technical writing and analysis skills
4. Have a creative approach to problem-solving.

A PhD (or near completion) in a relevant subject area is a desirable qualification, however it is not an essential requirement. 

Experience and knowledge of modelling electrochemical energy storage devices would also be considered an advantage. 

Further information: 

This is a fixed term position until 31^st March 2025 in the first instance with potential for extension, subject to funding.

Queries relating to the position should be directed to Dr Monica Marinescu at monica.marinescu@imperial.ac.uk.  

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £41,694 to £44,888 per annum.

Our preferred method of application is via our website. Please visit our website using the provided link for more information about the post and the application process.

Closing date: 21^st July 2024

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