Research Fellow in Materials Modelling Full-time NEW

Research Fellow in Materials Modelling

UCL's Faculty of Engineering Sciences comprises ten academic departments that undertake research and teaching across a wide range of disciplines. Our scientists and engineers take discoveries from fundamentals to practice, producing innovative technological solutions to challenging problems. It is a dynamic and growing faculty, with a strong vision and desire to use our talents to 'Change the world.

UCL Mechanical Engineering has been pioneering the development of engineering education, having taught the core discipline for over 165 years. UCL was home to the UK's first ever Professor of the Mechanical Principles of Engineering, Eaton Hodgkinson, in 1847. It was also where Sir Alexander Blackie William Kennedy introduced organized laboratory practicals in university education training; a world-leading educational innovation at the time.

UCL Mechanical Engineering, we develop and apply core competencies to produce world-class research into a wider range of engineering challenges than most would imagine. Amongst many other avenues we are:

• Leading research into low carbon shipping
• Designing the greenest engines and novel sustainable fuels
• Studying the flow of red blood cells in channels thinner than a human hair
• Using 'lighter than air' building materials to develop the solar power stations of the future.
• Developing the most advanced brain models for dementia
• Designing propulsion systems for advanced multihull ships.

Aviation will be one of the largest contributors of carbon emissions by 2040. The successful deployment and adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one of the most viable near-term solutions to lower emissions. BP international has been involved in various international programmes to grow SAF production by co-processing a higher fraction of bio-feedstock in their refineries, but it is unknown how the new operating environments will affect material corrosion. It is critical to assess the long-term behaviour of existing components given that bio-feedstocks are much more corrosive than petroleum-based oil feedstock. This project will develop physics-based mechanistic and physics-informed machine learning models to predict metal corrosion and other material degradation processes. The project outcomes will support bp adopting digital solutions for corrosion management.

About the Role

We are looking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to work on material corrosion modelling. The Applied Metallics group is involved in a large industry-sponsored collaboration programme between bp, UCL, University of Leeds, Imperial College London and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to predict material corrosion induced by bio-feedstock. This project will look to develop a physics-based modelling suite for bio-feedstock induced metal corrosion and predict corrosion for a wide range of material and processing environments alongside other researchers working on complementary modelling and experimental efforts. The postholder is expected to conduct a variety of computational activities to develop physics-based mechanistic and physics-informed machine learning models to predict bio-feedstock induced corrosion.

Activities of the project shall include:

• Assess existing Thermodynamic, continuum, and atomistic models to study main mechanisms driving metal loss from bio-feedstock co-processing, e.g. high-oxygen concentrations, highly-reactive free fatty acids, hydrolysis, and thermal degradation;
• Modify and further develop the computational models to improve their accuracy under selected conditions and determine corrosion rates on specific materials;
• Develop a physics-informed machine learning model using the previously assessed and improved mechanistic models as loss functions and train them over a wide range of experimental data available;
• Use the modelling suite to define material descriptors for material corrosion.

The postholder is expected to be actively engaged with internal and external collaborators, including from industry and universities, to disseminate the findings and contribute to publishing scientific papers.

Please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification for more insight into the post's duties and responsibilities.

About You

We are seeking a researcher with a PhD, or equivalent experience, in a relevant discipline and a strong understanding of machine learning methods applied to materials design and optimisation. The successful candidate will have demonstrable knowledge of multiscale modelling approaches, including atomistic modelling or related techniques, and experience applying more than one computational method to materials research.

A proven ability to develop and define research approaches to investigate surface-related materials problems is essential, as is a track record of writing and publishing high-quality papers in peer-reviewed journals. Experience of working collaboratively with industrial partners and with experimental researchers is also required, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the project.

The role requires excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a collaborative research environment.

Candidates should also demonstrate a commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion, in line with UCL's Ways of Working. Experience of teaching, supervising or mentoring undergraduate and/or postgraduate students would be advantageous.

We would also welcome applications from candidates who have contributed to the wider research community through organising scientific events or through leadership roles in scientific or engineering societies.

What We Offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.

Further application guidance

Please note that this is an onsite post primarily based at the Bloomsbury campus.

This Grade 7 post is a 22 month appointment remunerating at Spine Point 32 (£47,186.00 including London Weighting Allowance).

Please include a Supporting Statement with your CV, describing how you meet each criterion in the attached Job Description & Person Specification, giving examples. Your application will be scored against each criterion.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL's workforce, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and – for Grade 9 and 10 roles – women.

Read more: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Applicants should also familiarise themselves with UCL's policies on: Prevention of Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Personal Relationships Policy.

Our department holds an Athena Swan Bronze award in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality.

Available Documents

• Download: FINAL Research Fellow in Materials Modelling.pdf