Research Fellow (Battery Materials and Interfaces) - College of Engineering and Physical Sciences - 108087 - Grade 7 in Birmingham

Position Details

College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to March 2027

Closing date: 15th October 2026

Background

The post holder will work within the Energy Materials Group (EMG) under the line management of Dr Dominic Spencer-Jolly on the EPSRC-funded project, FLOWCAT (Flow synthesis of lithium-rich cathodes).

The post holder will continue ongoing work on the development of a continuous flow process for cathode precursor synthesis. They will: (1) synthesise and characterise cathode precursors prepared by continuous flow co-precipitation; (2) synthesise and characterise final cathode materials; (3) prepare and electrochemically test battery cells using cathodes made by this method.

Role Summary

• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids
• Operate within area of specialism
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results
• Contribute to the writing of research papers and/or patents

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods
• Undertake management/administration arising from research
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews *
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters *
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research *
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines*
• Fosters a fair and equitable workplace for all staff
• Identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant university policies and procedures
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity duties document.
• These indicative responsibilities may also be included in a research role at grade 6.

Person Specification

• A PhD (or near completion-post-viva) in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or other relevant to the research area
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluent understanding of: (1) preparation of battery materials by co-precipitation methods; (2) characterisation of cathode particles by techniques including electron microscopy, particle size analysis, tap density analysis, and X-ray diffraction with Rietveld refinement; (3) battery electrochemistry
• Previous experience of (1) synthesis of battery materials by co-precipitation, and (2) electrode manufacture, battery assembly, and electrochemical testing
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics and duties under the Equality Act 2010. Including fostering good relations and advancing the universities Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).
• Other relevant criteria from our equality and diversity knowledge, skills and experience document.

Informal enquiries to Dominic Spencer-Jolly, email: d.h.spencer-jolly@bham.ac.uk

Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.