Research Fellow (Battery Materials Recycling - DEMO)

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £35,880 to £45,163 with potential progression once in post to £47,874. Grade: 7

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to September 2025

To create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities within an established research programme and/or specific research project. 

Role Summary

The Birmingham Centre for Strategic Elements and Critical Materials, and the Energy Materials Group (EMG) has recently won an APC award with a consortium to develop novel shredding and separation technologies addressing the commercial and technical challenges around processing end-of-life Li-ion Batteries (LIBs). Researchers will be investigating safe shredding and separation of battery materials, characterising separated LIB materials, and providing streams of reclaimed active material.

The postholder will contribute to the development and optimisation of new shredding processes to recover critical materials from LIB wastes. They will work as part of a multidisciplinary research team with the researchers at the University of Birmingham (UoB) and with the other industrial partners.

As part of this role the postholder will work within EMG and contribute to writing future bids; operating within area of specialism. They will analyse and interpret research findings and results; contribute to generating funding; and contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and public understanding of the discipline.

Main Duties

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Collect, analyse, interpret research data through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, research interviews.
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other battery recycling project researchers within UoB and at other partners.
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars, presenting talks etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and students who may be assisting with research
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promote equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• Hold a Batchelor degree in Science or Engineering discipline relevant to the project or equivalent qualifications
• Hold a PhD (or one near to completion) in an area relevant to materials recycling, battery manufacture, mineral, mechanical, electronic or chemical engineering.
• Prior knowledge, experience and achievements in: physical processing of wastes, battery safety, or destructive battery testing is highly desirable, however training will be given to the right candidate in these areas.

Informal enquiries to Dr Rob Sommerville r.sommerville@bham.ac.uk 

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.

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