Research Associate (fixed-term post) (CC6611)

A postdoctoral position is available until August 2020, associated with the EPSRC funded project Advanced Manufacturing for Sustainable Biodegradable Microbeads, BIOBEADS.

This interdisciplinary project is delivered by a multidisciplinary team of Chemical Engineers and Chemists with complementary skills in engineering, membrane emulsification, biobased materials, sustainable ingredients, elucidation of soft material structure, and formulation. The BIOBEADS research team will also work with industrial partners, who are variously manufacturers of formulation ingredients and formulated products and equipment/technology providers.

Applications are invited from candidates with: 

a PhD in Chemistry, Chemical or Materials Engineering, or a related discipline; demonstrated ability to work in an interdisciplinary team, anda background in one, or more, of the following:membrane emulsification;fabrication of materials from biopolymers, particularly cellulose or chitin;Pickering emulsions and particle interactions;physico-chemical characterization, including particle/droplet size, surface tension, rheology, and scattering (X-ray, neutron);materials characterization, including porosity, compression strength/hardness, and surface characterization; and chemical cross-linking of polymers, or particles, and chemical reactions in multiphase systems.

Experience working with industrial partners and in cross-disciplinary research will be a distinct advantage, as will knowledge of formulation and a good grasp of the requirements of how technologies can be translated into manufacturing processes.  Sustainability, which underlies all of the work in BIOBEADS, is a key area of knowledge. 

You should demonstrate excellent communication skills, including a desire and drive to write research papers and the ability to organise your own workload while working to deadlines.  

You will be based in the Department of Chemistry and will work closely with a second Research Associate in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Bath; but will also be expected to interact with a broad range of discipline experts as required by the research.  You will be responsible for providing comprehensive quarterly technical reports and may be expected to travel to industrial partners’ manufacturing sites.

The University of Bath is committed to equality of opportunity. We invite applications from candidates irrespective of their gender, age, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious beliefs. We particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups, including women. The terms and conditions of employment at the University of Bath, can be found on the HR website (http://www.bath.ac.uk/hr/).

For further information, or an informal discussion about the position, please contact Professor Janet L. Scott (j.l.scott@bath.ac.uk), however, please ensure that your application is submitted via the University website.

Closing Date: 23 Apr 2019
Type: Education & Research