Postdoctoral Research Associate - Development of Electrolytes for Redox Flow Batteries (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 and validate 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 further development and testing of pyridinium-based electrolytes. The successful candidate will play a critical role in optimisation and validation of electrolyte systems to quantify and improve energy storage performance. 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 in-depth R&D on pyridinium electrolyte composition to optimise electrochemical performance, improve stability and lifetime.
• Develop and test pyridinium electrolyte materials that demonstrate high energy density, enhanced stability and an extended lifetime.
• Employ a range of techniques to study the redox behaviour of pyridinium-based electrolytes.
• Build and operate redox flow battery testing set ups.
• Design and perform electrochemical and battery tests on materials to validate new materials and adjust formulation based on performance metrics.
• Maintain detailed documentation of developmental process, experimental results, protocols, and results.
• Analyse experimental data, prepare reports, and publish findings.

Key Qualifications:

• The successful candidate must have, or be about to obtain, a PhD in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field with a focus on battery testing.
• Hands-on experience in electrochemistry and redox flow batteries.
• Ability to apply electrochemical and materials science knowledge to overcome material limitations and enhance battery performance.
• Experience with a range of spectroscopic techniques (NMR, EPR) and electrochemical characterisation methods.
• Proven ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative research team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Effective time management and organisation skills, ability to prioritise and meet deadlines and manage communication across multi-centre partners.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience in synthetic chemistry, both synthesis and characterisation and associated techniques (NMR, DLS, UV/Vis, Electron Microscopy, vibrational spectroscopy etc).
• Knowledge of supramolecular chemistry
• Demonstrated ability to tackle complex scientific problems and translate research into practical applications.
• Experience in analysis coding (Python, MATLAB, Java/ImageJ etc.).

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.

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).

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.

Advert information