Research Fellow in Sustainable Polymer Synthesis - School of Chemistry - 106953 - Grade 7 in Birmingham

Position Details

School: Chemistry, University of Birmingham

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

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

Grade: 7

Contract: Full Time, Fixed Term up to October 2030

Closing date: 1 March 2026

Background

The School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham is a vibrant and thriving academic community, with over 130 academic and research staff, 25 professional services staff and over 600 students. We provide an inclusive and supportive environment where we strive to support every member of staff in realising their career potential. With a strong focus on our four Research Themes of Energy, Sustainability, Environment and Health, and a number of interdisciplinary Interest Groups serving as testbeds to explore new and emerging areas of interest, Birmingham is a dynamic place to work. We have ambitious plans to expand our research activity and are in an exciting period of growth: major investment from the University has delivered a state-of-the-art molecular sciences research building.

This investment builds on a major recent expansion of our academic staff and investment in our teaching and learning provision, with our Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, which opened September 2018, already revolutionising how we teach undergraduate practical chemistry. We are a collegiate School community. You will demonstrate academic citizenship, develop and maintain generous, mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with the School, ensuring the way you carry out your role impacts positively on how others carry out theirs.

Role Summary

We are looking for a Research Fellow to work on advancing the state-of-the-art in the understanding of the degradation of water soluble polymers that are, or could be, used in formulated products. In particular, this project will focus on studying the physicochemical properties of a wide range of polymers as well as their degradation behaviour in different media to understand the key design factors that enable biodegradation in the environment. The project is multidisciplinary with postdoctoral researchers and PhD students looking at different aspects of the project across the schools of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Law and Microbes, Infection and Microbiomes and in collaboration with 7 other partners from across industry.

This post will be hosted in the group of Prof. Andrew Dove in the School of Chemistry. The research fellow will be responsible for both conducting original research, including polymer synthesis, degradation and characterisation, as well as contributing to the management of the project. You will have appropriate research experience to undertake this project, alongside a proven ability to conduct and publish research in polymer science.

The Research Fellow is expected to contribute to a wide range of research activities, under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI), Professor Andrew Dove, responding to academic needs and timelines as required.

Main Duties

• Perform research and collect data in the specified area to a high level of competency and quality
• Provide guidance and supervision to support staff and students in the group
• Maintain a high level of knowledge of the immediate and surrounding literature
• Undertake management/administration arising from research including organising project review meetings
• Contribute to developing new ideas, directions, techniques and methods in order to advance the project and enhance its quality
• Analyse and interpret data generated from all aspects of the project
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Contribute to writing scientific papers and bids for research funding
• Disseminate research findings by oral and other presentation in a range of fora from group meetings to research seminars and conferences etc.
• 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
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promote equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture

Person Specification

• Possess a first degree in area of specialism.
• Has obtained or is preparing to defend a higher degree (PhD) relevant to the research area or equivalent qualifications.
• Excellent research profile in the area of polymer synthesis, polymer characterisation and polymer degradation.
• High level analytical capability and experience in characterisation of polymers by techniques including NMR, IR, chromatography, light scattering, etc.
• Proven experience in thermomechanical characterisation of polymers by methodologies such as DSC, TGA, etc.
• Interest in interdisciplinary research and willingness to learn new techniques.
• Ability to keep up to date with new developments in the fields relevant to the project.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team on research programmes.
• Adept at analysing and interpreting data.
• Able to apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary project area of research.
• Ability to plan, organise, implement and deliver programmes of research work to tight deadlines.
• Ability to guide and manage research of others.
• Ability to write and give presentations to both national and international audiences and communicate complex information clearly.
• Ability to install and maintain relevant equipment and to train other personnel on operation of this equipment.
• Coordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly in day-to-day activity.

Interviews are likely to be held between 16th and 27th March 2026. For further information please contact Prof. Andrew P. Dove, an email is provided in the original description.

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.