Research Associate in GB Chemicals in Newcastle upon Tyne

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits .

We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

The Role

We are excited to launch this new opportunity for a Research Associate in Biodegradation Testing to join us in the School of Engineering.

This position focuses on developing new workflows and high-throughput biodegradation methods to screen and test the persistence of chemical products, using case studies, that generate data to identify chemical structures/moieties that may lead to environmental persistence.

Great British Chemicals is a National Research & Innovation Centre for Sustainable Industrial Futures.

Funded by EPSRC and NERC, the centre will unite the UK chemical industry, academic researchers and policy makers to advance innovative, scalable and sustainable technology solutions for de-fossilising chemicals manufacturing.

We aim to create people-focussed opportunities to truly shape sustainable carbon management.

You will contribute to research that explores new and existing chemistries, from precursors generated from non-fossil fuel feedstocks, which underpin modern chemical products towards those that are safe and sustainable by design.

The aim is to develop test methods that can be utilised earlier in product development rather than current regulatory persistence assessment tests that are used after product development.

You will join a diverse community of colleagues based in Newcastle in our Environmental Engineering Research Group and work with Russell Davenport Oliver Heidrich, and collaborate with Elizabeth Gibson from the School of Natural and Environmental Sciences.

You will work closely with interdisciplinary teams to develop suitable case study chemicals (with a focus on water soluble polymers), biodegradation test workflows, analytical techniques, data, and regulatory guidance that enable stakeholders the opportunity to evaluate sustainability trade-offs and inform policy, industry strategy, and innovation pathways.

This role is embedded in a flagship programme addressing one of the most critical global challenges: transitioning to sustainable, circular, and net-zero industrial systems.

We are particularly keen to hear from those with a passion for collaboration and the ability to interact and engage with industry, academia, and environmental regulators, and who can be an integral part of a diverse network of specialists.

We are looking for candidates who have experience.

The research integrates chemical structure and function with bioinformatics, biodegradation test platforms, and chemical, microbiological and environmental analyses towards supporting industry in complying with chemical safety regulations and policies.

You will contribute to shaping a new generation of biodegradation tests used to facilitate early screening of potentially persistent chemicals - ensuring chemical products are environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially responsible.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles. pdf .

These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate
• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding
• Evaluate and select appropriate chemicals as case study examples
• Apply a combination of literature reviews, expert knowledge, and chemical and biological databases with chemi/bio-informatics analyses to develop and validate enzyme assays for the selected chemicals
• Develop generic end-point analyses to quantify chemical disappearance or biotransformation in a high-throughput manner and validate them in the laboratory using appropriate sensitive analytical techniques
• Apply the approach to develop high-throughput biodegradation assays using natural environmental inocula to generate datasets to investigate the role of chemical structure on biodegradation outcomes
• Support the development of guidance for stakeholder industry and environmental regulators
• Knowledge, Skills and Experience
• Experience of using chemical and biological databases and chemi/ bio-informatic tools
• Laboratory experience of developing and using in vitro enzyme and/or biodegradation assays using environmental inocula
• Experience of using analytical chemistry techniques (e. g. LC or GC mass spectrometry, size-exclusion/gel permeation chromatography, NMR, FTIR)
• A good understanding of microbiology
• Skills in data analysis, modelling, or programming (e. g., Python, R, MATLAB, or similar)
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems
• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high quality publications
• Demonstrable experience and evidence of publishing papers
• Attributes and Behaviour
• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

• Honours degree in Chemistry, Microbiolog, Biotechnology, Biological Sciences, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering or a related discipline
• Ph D in Chemistry, Microbiolog, Biotechnology, Biological Sciences, Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering or a closely related field
• Driving Lience (Desirable)

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.

We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.

We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.

We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

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