Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Radiation Grafted Ion Exchange Membranes

The University of Surrey is a global community of ideas and people, dedicated to life-changing education and research. 

We have a bold vision of what we want to achieve - shaping ourselves into one of the best universities in the world, which we are achieving through the talents and endeavour of every employee.  

Our culture empowers people to achieve this aim and to collectively, and individually, make a real difference.  

The role

The School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering is looking to recruit a full time postdoctoral researcher for a 3 year EPSRC-funded project. The project is led by Lancaster University who are looking at developing new Terahertz-based methods for probing the states of water in ion-exchange membranes; the Lancaster team will also conduct solid-state NMR experiments. The University of Surrey team's role is to synthesise and characterise a wide range of radiation-grafted ion-exchange membranes with a diversity of water contents and states that will then be supplied to Lancaster for testing.

A public summary of the grant can be found at https://gow.epsrc.ukri.org/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/Z534237/1 

The successful candidate will be joining a small and friendly research team led by Prof John Varcoe and will be supported by a team of specialist technicians. This is an on-site laboratory-based role and the bulk of the work will be conducted in the school's synthesis and characterisation laboratories, including a brand new energy research lab. The primary activities include: membrane synthesis; measuring ion-exchange capacities using auto-titration techniques; Raman microscopic mapping; and measuring physical properties such as ionic conductivities and water uptakes. The candidate will be expected to liaise with external partners including Lancaster University, commercial project partners (membrane suppliers), and other academic researchers who can conduct advanced characterisations such as X-ray, electron, and neutron scattering and imaging experiments.

Due to the timing of activities and the need to quickly supply materials to Lancaster University, the candidate must be able to start laboratory work at the start of January 2025.

About you

The candidate must hold (or be close to completion of) a PhD or EngD involving Polymer Chemistry. It is essential that the candidate has several years of experience of both polymer synthesis and characterisation and ideally will have direct experience of the radiation-grafting process and high-resolution Raman microscopy. Applicants are expected to be self-reliant and have a track record of: safe laboratory working and hazardous substances risk assessments; publications; problem solving and statistical skills; proactive engagement with a range of stakeholders (beyond academia); and innovation processes such as patenting (we anticipate foreground IP that will need protecting). The candidate must be willing to help supervise undergraduate final year project students on related projects, as well as demonstrating on an undergraduate practical involving the group's auto-titrators in Oct/Nov of each year (1 day per week for 3 weeks).

How to apply

Only applications via the University of Surrey Website (jobs.surrey.ac.uk) will be accepted.

If shortlisted, interviews will be held on the 2^nd Dec 2024 (Microsoft Teams or in person).

Further details

For more information and to apply online, please download the further details and click on the 'apply online' button above.

Advert information