Research Fellow in Sustainable Polymer Synthesis – School of Chemistry – 106953 – Grade 7 Full-time

Research Fellow Position

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 realizing 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 revolutionizing 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.

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 behavior 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 characterization, 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.

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

• 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 organizing 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.

Possess a first degree in area of specialism.

• Has obtained or is preparing to defend a higher degree (PhD) relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications.
• Excellent research profile in the area of in the area of polymer synthesis, polymer characterization and polymer degradation.
• High level analytical capability and experience in use of characterization of polymers by a range of techniques including NMR, IR, chromatography, light scattering etc.
• Proven experience in thermomechanical characterization of polymers by methodologies such as (but not limited to) 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 analyzing 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, organize, 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 audience standard and communicate complex information clearly.
• Ability to install and maintain relevant equipment and to train other personnel on operation of this equipment.
• Co-ordinate 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 in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.