Research Assistant/Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Department: West Cambridge

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 9 months in the first instance. Appointments will be subject to satisfactory completion of a three-month probationary period.

Applications will be reviewed shortly after the closing date and it is expected that interviews will be conducted in mid-September 2024. The successful candidate would ideally start by October 2024.

Applications are invited for a Research Associate to work in the Device Materials Group with Professor Sohini Kar-Narayan in the Department of Materials Science & Metallurgy. The role will involve the design, fabrication and testing of microfluidic devices with integrated electrodes for real-time fluid characterisation.

The successful candidate will help support the work of Prof. Kar-Narayan in the area of bioelectronic devices for remote health monitoring, and the role will involve (i) the design, fabrication and calibration of microfluidic biosensors; (ii) development and integration of ion-selective membranes; (iii) design and modification of experimental setups as required; (iv) aerosol-jet printing of functional materials for device integration; (v) computational modelling of the electrical behaviour of fluids; (vi) development of machine learning algorithms to analyse electrical impedance data from complex solutions; (vii) management of health and safety documentation relevant to the project; (viii) documentation of design processes and fabrication procedures within an appropriate document management system. The post-holder will be expected to work under their own initiative for most of their daily duties and also to troubleshoot and resolve any issues they encounter. The post-holder will also be expected to interact with industrial partners and manufacturers.

Applicants should hold a PhD degree (or have recently submitted their PhD thesis) in an appropriate field such as Materials Science. Experience with microfluidic devices and multi-channel impedance measurements is essential. The candidate must be proficient in the use of Optomec Aerosol-Jet printer, SLA 3D printers, multi-channel impedance analysers, electrical probe stations, profilometry, COMSOL and Python. The candidate must have experience in working with industry, with an understanding of market requirements and analysis. The candidate must have great attention to detail and excellent record keeping and communication skills. Good interpersonal skills as well as the ability to communicate their work clearly to the research team as well as external stakeholders will also be very important. Highly motivated candidates will have an opportunity to take an active role in the translation of lab-based research into real-world biomedical devices, as well as expand their research skills.

Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will be appointed at Research Assistant level, which will be amended to Research Associate once the PhD has been awarded.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please visit: www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/47898.

Please refer any queries to Professor Sohini Kar-Narayan by email: sk568@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference LJ42913 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

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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