Research Associate in Organometallic Chemistry

About the role:

Applicants are invited for a three-year research associate position within the Crimmin Research Group at Imperial College. This role will be held at our state-of-the-art laboratories in the Molecular Science Research Hub building in west London. You will work alongside a dynamic team of researchers that span synthetic chemistry and computational modelling.

The post is funded by the Leverhulme Trust to investigate Alkane Activation with Heterometallic Complexes. Alkanes are a common building block in chemical manufacturing processes. They are used widely in the synthesis of polymers, surfactants, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, and many everyday products which improve our quality-of-life. As a direct result, reactions that activate and functionalise the C–H bonds of alkanes are of significant interest. In this project, we aim to develop heterometallic complexes, containing two metals (e.g. Ni, Fe, Al) directly bonded to one another, capable of activating the C–H bonds of alkanes. We will develop the fundamental reactivity of these systems and ultimately apply them to the catalytic conversion of alkanes to alkenes through dehydrogenation. The project builds on recent breakthroughs from our team (Chem. Sci. 2018, 9, 5435-5440; J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 8770-8777;  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 4252–4259; Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, e202408257).

Further details about the group including our research interests, publications, group members, and outreach activities can be found here on our website: crimmingroup.org.

What you would be doing:

Your key duties and responsibilities will be (i) the undertaking of original research, (ii) mentorship of team members, (iii) contribution to manuscripts and research proposals based on your research, and (iv) supporting and developing a safe, friendly, and supportive research environment with the research team.

What we are looking for:

• Hold, or near completion of, a PhD in Chemistry or a closely related discipline.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication in international scientific journals.
• Experience with synthetic chemistry, including organometallic chemistry and aspects of catalysis.
• Experience with a range of analytical methods such as multinuclear NMR, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and mass spectrometry
• Experience using computational methods (DFT) and physical chemistry (kinetics) to carry out mechanistic analysis of chemical reactions is desired, though not essential.

What we can offer you:

• The chance to work closely with a team of research scientists with the collective aim of improving sustainability in chemical manufacturing.
• Training to support strengthening of your CV in areas of computational and experimental research.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• Grow your career: Gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for progression.
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).

Further information

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant.

The Chemistry Department at Imperial College London holds a Gold Athena Swan award holder.

Candidates must complete and online application. Please complete and upload an as directed, also providing a CV.

Should you have any queries about the role please contact: Prof. Mark R. Crimmin, m.crimmin@imperial.ac.uk

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