Research Fellow in Scalable Solar-driven Hydrogen Production Reactors-Modelling

About us

UCL Department of Chemical Engineering is one of the top research and teaching departments in the UK and has world-class standing. The department offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and has an extensive research portfolio across a wealth of areas, from molecular scale to complex systems.

The project is focusing on scalable solar-driven H2 production from water and bioalcohols by the full solar spectrum in a flow reactor. This project is supported by the European Commission and UKRI, and is in collaboration with research groups in Max-Plank Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, ETH, Max-Plank Fritz Haber Institute, University of Naples Federico II, and University of Hong Kong together with an industrial consortium.

About the role

The role relates in particular to solar energy utilisation and advanced reactor design. The main purpose of the role is to develop efficient reactors that incorporate dual catalysts that can operate under visible light and infrared irradiation respectively, to produce H2, and simultaneously oxidise bioethanol to high-value chemicals. The target is to achieve a high quantum yield with high selectivity toward high-value chemicals.

Salary is £42,099 - £45,521 per annum including London allowance.

This is a fixed-term part time role of 12 months (0.25 FTE), starting on 1st October 2024.

This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/conditions-service-research-teaching-and-professional-services-staff f or more information.

About you

The successful applicant will join a highly motivated team working on flow reactors and systems for innovative solutions for advanced manufacturing of chemicals and materials. The successful applicant must:

• Have already obtained a PhD in Chemical Engineering, or a cognate discipline.
• Have experience in reaction engineering, continuous reactor design, phtotochemical/catalytic reactor engineering.
• Experience with design, assembly, commissioning of continuous flow reactor setups, analysis instruments (such as GC) and maintenance of experimental equipment.
• Experience in modelling reaction and transport processes (e.g., kinetics, mass and heat transfer, mixing, computational fluid dynamics, residence time distribution).
• Experience of multi-disciplinary cooperation working, including collaborative research.
• Experience in present findings of research activity to colleagues and collaborators for review purposes.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits. Please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.

If you have any queries about the role, please contact .

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