Research Associate in the Development of Microbatteries and Tracking Tags for Insect Tracking

Research Associate – Microbatteries and Insect Tracking Tags

Overview

We have an exciting, cross‑disciplinary role, working as part of a team to develop a novel insect tracking system that could lead to new insights in animal intelligence and have spin‑out opportunities. This role develops the vital micro‑battery power source for these tags. The overall project develops a novel tracking method that expands animal tracking to a huge range of species, which will lead to a revolution in movement ecology.

To enable this we need light‑weight microbatteries. You will initially focus on the development of these micropower solutions: building on proof‑of‑concept work, you will develop production‑scalable approaches for sub‑10 mg lithium microbatteries, with over 150 μAh capacity. The battery is likely to have many other applications (with a possible spin‑out to allow us to scale production). You will also build on initial work experimenting with thin‑film solar as an alternative approach. In the next phase, as well as supporting tag deployment you will develop novel electrically‑small antenna (guided by Dr Stephen Henthorn) using extreme meandering and metamaterial‑inspired approaches.

You will be working as part of a friendly and supportive, highly cross‑disciplinary team including PhDs, RF‑engineers, other Research Associates and ecologists, giving you the opportunity to learn new skills and experience and publish in several fields. You will be based in Sheffield but may visit Exeter to support collaborators deploying the system. The wide range of disciplines involved means that you will have a great opportunity to move into several future areas (battery chemistry, machine learning, movement ecology, RF‑engineering, electronics etc.).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Devise, develop and test fabrication approaches for the construction of microbatteries in a scalable manner (using thin‑film polyimide PCB as the substrate), addressing the following questions:
  • How to seal the batteries
  • Experimenting with various construction approaches – could we laser cut components in place, for example?
  • Could we build the battery directly onto the same PCB as the rest of the tag’s SMDs?
• Test battery capacity, current, longevity, mechanical properties etc.
• Support wider integration into the tag (connections, in‑situ charging etc.).
• Other related work:
  • Potentially expand microbattery construction methods for other applications (including different geometries and capacities, e.g. through stacking).
  • Integrating and testing small thin‑film solar cells into the tag.
  • Support the testing of small antennas for further reductions in tag size.
  • Could the size be reduced further (especially if directly built on circuit PCB).
• Write journal articles and present at conferences the results of this work.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

• Essential
  • A PhD in a STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Maths) subject.
  • A background in chemistry or a related engineering discipline.
  • Submitted work to a peer‑reviewed journal or conference.
  • Published in a high‑quality peer‑reviewed journal or conference.
  • An ability to solve engineering problems, taking into account final unit costs.
  • Engineering, fabrication, manufacturing or hardware development experience.
• Desirable
  • Experience working with battery development.
  • Practical hands‑on experience of using (ideally chemical) research lab tools and equipment.

Salary and Conditions

Grade 7 – £38,784 to £46,049, with potential to progress to £51,753. Full‑time, Two years. Line manager: Lecturer in Machine Learning (project lead). Direct reports: None.

Benefits

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro‑rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A range of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (e.g. Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways.
• A range of generous family‑friendly policies:
  • Paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies.
  • Support for those going through the menopause.
  • Paid time off and support for fertility treatment.
  • And more.

Equal Opportunities

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative, and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.