Postdoctoral Research Associate - Development of Electrolytes for Energy Storage and Conversion (Fixed Term)

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 year in the first instance.

We are currently seeking a postdoctoral research associate (PDRA) to join the group of Professor Oren Scherman in the Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis within the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry on a multidisciplinary project funded by an ERC Proof of Concept grant (AEROBEST). We are seeking a motivated and talented PDRA to join our dynamic team to further develop groundbreaking research on pyridinium-based electrolytes for long duration energy storage and associated technologies (see Nature, 2023, 623, 949-955, Chem. Sci., 2022, 13, 8791-8796, Nat. Nanotechnol., 2021, 16, 1121-1129, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 59, 15963-15967, Chem, 2020, 6, 1819-1830). This role focuses on advancing our understanding of redox processes and mechanisms that affect cycling stability and air tolerance in flow-battery systems. The successful candidate will play a critical role in designing, characterising, and optimising new electrolyte systems to improve energy storage performance and longevity. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the next generation of energy storage technologies that have significant potential for real-world impact.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct cutting-edge research on pyridinium electrolytes for redox flow batteries.
• Further develop the synthetic library of new pyridinium electrolyte compounds to probe their structure-property relationships in the context of applications in energy storage and conversion.
• Employ a range of techniques to study redox behaviour of electrolytes.
• Investigate the role of pi-dimerisation and intra- and intermolecular electron pairing in suppressing capacity fade due to radical reactivity and air exposure.
• Devise experiments on charge-discharge processes and mechanisms of capacity fade under battery operating conditions.
• Collaborate with wider research group to design novel systems for efficient energy storage.
• Analyse experimental data, prepare reports, and publish findings in high-impact journals.
• Mentor graduate students working on related projects.

Please see further particulars document for key and preferred qualifications.

Why Join Us?

• Work with a leading research group at the forefront of energy storage innovations.
• Opportunity to influence and drive real-world solutions for sustainable energy storage.
• Access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and collaborative research environments.
• Career development opportunities through mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration.

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 covering letter and include a 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. 

Inquiries about this post should be addressed to either Professor Oren Scherman (e-mail: oas23@cam.ac.uk) or Dr Jade McCune (e-mail: jam211@cam.ac.uk). 

Please quote reference MA43415 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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