At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team to research innovative water treatment strategies for sustainability and chemical circularity.
- Company: Cranfield Water Science Institute, a leader in water science and engineering.
- Benefits: Flexible working options, collaborative environment, and opportunities for impactful research.
- Other info: Dynamic team with excellent career growth and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in sustainable drinking water production and environmental impact.
- Qualifications: PhD in engineering, chemistry, or environmental science with research experience in water treatment.
The predicted salary is between 47250 - 57750 £ per year.
The Cranfield Water Science Institute welcomes applications from passionate, skilled and motivated engineering, chemistry or environmental science graduates with a PhD in the field of water or wastewater treatment processes to join our team and contribute to investigate treatment strategies for chemical circularity and sustainability in drinking water production.
About the Role
We are looking for a self-driven Research Fellow to join our dynamic team to address the challenge of chemical circularity and sustainability in drinking water treatment. The UK produces 5 trillion litres of high-quality drinking water each year. Producing this water currently relies on large volumes of chemicals and energy intensive processes, which generate significant waste, emissions, and environmental pressures. Based at Cranfield University, this research is part of Chemnovate – Circular and Low Carbon Chemical Solutions for Drinking Water. Chemnovate is a new project awarded funding by the UK water regulator OFWAT and is led by Anglian Water in partnership with Cranfield University, Essex and Suffolk Water Limited, Northumbrian Water Limited, Scottish Water Limited, Spring Innovation Limited. The project aims to address the major challenges to achieving chemical circularity and sustainability in drinking water production.
The successful candidate for this position will investigate advanced and innovative treatment options for coagulant recovery in drinking water. This research will look at the latest membrane-based technology to recover high purity coagulants from drinking water treatment. The aim is to mitigate the environmental impact of drinking water coagulant sludge in the UK, which currently is either sent to landfill or applied to agricultural land. The researchers will use our drinking water laboratory, analytical facilities and the National Research Facility for Water and Wastewater Treatment to deliver this innovative research. You will join us as part of a cross-organisational team, working with Cranfield researchers, water companies and innovation facilitators to translate experimental findings into feasibility analyses, benchmarked against UK water company operational data. This is a great opportunity for any researcher passionate about water processes, environmental engineering and science to deliver impactful research for the water sector.
About You
You will have a PhD (or close to completion) in a relevant engineering or science discipline such as, but not limited to, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, chemistry or environmental science related to the research topic. The successful candidates will assess the feasibility of advanced and innovative technologies for coagulant recovery such as membrane systems or electrodialysis. The ideal candidate will have expertise in:
- Experimental research related to water treatment processes, ideally in the field of coagulant recovery, membrane processes or other relevant separation processes
- Advanced analytical techniques, particularly those pertaining to natural organic matter characterisation
- Statistical data analysis
- Designing new experimental bench-scale set ups
- Working with pilot plants
You will have project management skills and demonstrable experience of timely research delivery, with excellent demonstrable communication skills and experience working with different stakeholders. You will be able to demonstrate a track record of high-quality scientific publications. The ideal candidate will have knowledge and experience of water chemistry and treatment. Equivalent industry experience would be considered.
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. The Water Science Institute undertakes globally leading research and post graduate teaching in water and wastewater process science, engineering and management. We drive sustainable solutions to combat the multiple challenges being faced by our water resources, assets and services. We have a track record of delivering collaborative cutting-edge discovery science on the transformation, removal and recovery processes in water and wastewater treatment systems. Our academic and research staff, including scientists, engineers, technologists and policy specialists have engaged in delivering postgraduate teaching, research, consultancy and training in an international arena for over 40 years.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 13 September 2026. Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Research Fellow in Water Treatment Sustainability (Coagulant Recovery) in Cranfield employer: Cranfield University
Cranfield University is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that encourages innovation and collaboration within the Faculty of Business and Management. With flexible working arrangements and a strong focus on employee development, staff are empowered to grow their skills while making a meaningful impact on students' entrepreneurial journeys. The university's commitment to fostering a vibrant academic community makes it an attractive place for those passionate about teaching and mentoring the next generation of entrepreneurs.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Research Fellow in Water Treatment Sustainability (Coagulant Recovery) in Cranfield
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We think you need these skills to ace Research Fellow in Water Treatment Sustainability (Coagulant Recovery) in Cranfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Skills:When applying for a role in environmental engineering tech, make sure to highlight your technical skills like CAD software proficiency, data analysis, or modelling techniques. These are essential for the job and should stand out in your CV and cover letter, showing how you can contribute to projects at Cranfield University.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Cranfield University
✨Brush Up on Environmental Regulations
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