Research Fellow (Energy Materials, PASTY Project)

The post is a fixed term Research Fellow position funded associated with Project PASTY: Preparing Affordable LFP to meet Sustainability Targets for Years. The project is an Industrial Sprint, funded by the Faraday Institution, and is in collaboration with Cornish Lithium. Project PASTY's vision is to demonstrate a cost-effective route towards the production of commercial cathodic active material, LiFePO4, from a sovereign supply of lithium from geothermal waters, supporting the UK's industrial strategy and effort towards Net-Zero.

The postholder will play a leading role in the delivery of this project, with the synthesis of LiFePO4 materials, and the evaluation of all materials within the workflow using elemental and phase characterisation techniques, in addition to electrochemical performance validation testing.

The successful candidate will apply a range of synthetic procedures and characterisation methods (PXRD, SEM, ICP-OES, electrochemical testing). The candidate will play an active role in data collection inputs/outputs to support the life cycle assessments to evaluate the production process. The postholder will be part of a vibrant and dynamic team focused on sustainability and criticality, as part of the Energy Materials Group (EMG) within the School of Metallurgy and Materials.

Sustainability is a critical and interdisciplinary research theme at the University, and as such, the postholder will have ample opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, such as with colleagues within the Faraday Institution's flagship recycling programme, ReLiB, which is led from the University.

As part of this role the postholder will work within the 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:

- The development and application of synthesis strategies for the manufacture of commercial cathode active material LiFePO4, ensuring a high regard for safety is maintained.
- The recording of inputs and outputs to apply and assess the developed synthesis processes through Life Cycle Assessments and Technoeconomic Assessments.
- The characterisation of materials, including establishing and operating new analytical capability (XRD, SEM, ICP-OES, electrochemical testing) for compositional and microstructural measurements.
- Analyse and interpret research data to assess the effectiveness of synthesis route.
- Preparing quarterly reports/presentations to update the consortium on progress made in the research, in addition to fortnightly reports at a local level.
- Contribute to writing bids for research funding.
- Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars, talks and posters.
- Work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other battery researchers within UoB and other industry partners.
- Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline.
- Undertake management/administration tasks arising from research.
- Contribute to School research-related activities and research-related administration.
- Contribute to enterprise, business development and public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader.
- Address and resolve challenges that may impact the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.
- Promote equality and value diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
- Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding.
- Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods.

Person Specification:

- A first degree in Chemistry or Materials Science, and a PhD (or post-viva) in an area relevant to material characterisation and synthesis, such as solid state chemistry.
- Experimental expertise in solid state synthesis and processing of inorganic oxide materials.
- Experience in hydrothermal synthesis is desirable. Prior knowledge, experience and achievements in elemental quantification (ICP-OES), cathode synthesis, and solution processing is highly desirable.
- Demonstrably high-level analytical capability.
- Demonstrable ability to communicate complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
- Demonstrable ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
- Proven ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
- Understanding of, and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
- A demonstrable ability to contribute to the planning and organising of research, and a clear willingness to work as part of an interdisciplinary research team.
- Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day-to-day activity.