"Research Fellow (109562-0824)"

Location  

University of Warwick Campus, Coventry

Department  

Physics

Position Type  

Fixed Term, Full Time

Duration  

3 years

Salary  

£33,966 to £44,263 per annum

About the Role  

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Alex Robertson (Assistant Professor) at Alex.w.robertson@warwick.ac.uk.

We are looking to appoint a Research Fellow to work with us to characterise the electrochemistry of batteries and electrocatalysts beyond the current state-of-the-art. You will join a team of researchers working on this challenge and will be part of the wider Microscopy Group in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick, where we are working to diagnose the atomic level processes and interactions that govern energy materials. Your role will be to synthesise and characterise battery and catalyst materials, with a particular focus on developing and using advanced in situ and operando characterisation methodologies.  

About You  

We are looking for someone who has or will soon obtain a PhD in Physics, Materials Science, or a related discipline, and has a proven track record of undertaking experimental research in electrochemistry, rechargeable batteries, catalysts, nanomaterial synthesis, operando electrochemical transmission electron microscopy plus other supporting in situ techniques, and microfabrication of devices in a cleanroom. You will have a proven track record in academia and will have demonstrated effective collaborations with industrial partners. 

For further information regarding the skills required for this role please see the personal specification section of the attached job description.

If you are near submission or have recently submitted your PhD but have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made as Research Assistant at the top of level 5 of the University grade structure. Upon receipt of evidence of the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow on the first point of level 6 of the University grade structure. 

About the Department  

You will be joining the Warwick Microscopy Group (Microscopy Group (Physics) (warwick.ac.uk)), which is a collaboration between several academic who all study materials at the nanoscale, using our well-equipped local facilities in microscopy as well as national facilities across the UK. Dr Alex Robertson specialises in the use of in-situ TEM techniques to understand two-dimensional materials and energy materials. This project will also offer opportunities to form cross-discipline collaborations with Warwick’s Electrochemistry group (Warwick Electrochemistry and Interfaces Group), who are world renowned experts in characterising electrochemical reactions, and the WMG battery research team (Battery Materials and Cells Group - WMG (warwick.ac.uk), who are projects leads in the UK’s Faraday Institution battery challenge research effort. 

Department of Physics 

The post will be based in the Department of Physics, a vibrant academic department with 200 academic, research, technical and professional services staff, over 800 undergraduate students and 200 postgraduate research students.  

We are proud of our diverse community of staff, students, and visitors, and are committed to maintaining an excellent record in teaching and research by ensuring that there is equality of opportunity for all, fostered in an environment of mutual respect and dignity. 

We hold an Athena SWAN Silver award, a national initiative to promote gender equality for all staff and students. We are also a Juno Champion, which is an award from the Institute of Physics to recognise our efforts to address the under-representation of women in university physics and to encourage better practice for both women and men.   

Further information about working in the Department of Physics and the benefits available can be found at www.warwick.ac.uk/physics/staff/working/.  

The University supports flexible working and requests for part-time working or job-share will be considered where possible. 

Childcare for interviews 

Childcare can be provided for you at the University of Warwick Nursery (www.warwick.ac.uk/services/childrensservices/nursery) in order for you to attend the interview. Childcare is subject to availability of places at the Nursery. 

About the University  

Born in the 60s with a mindset of boldness, imagination and collaboration, the University of Warwick is a world-leading research-intensive university with the highest academic and research standards. We’re one of the world’s top universities, ranked 67th in the world and 10th in the UK*, with 92% of our research assessed to be ‘world leading or internationally excellent’**. 

You'll be joining a diverse, innovative and globally connected community committed to igniting real world progress. Here at Warwick, we offer you opportunities to follow your ambitions as long as you bring the energy and determination to succeed.

*QS World University Rankings 2024

** Research Excellence Framework 2021

To find out more about us visit our website.

How to Apply  

CLOSING DATE: Thursday 15 August 2024 at 11.55pm

To apply, please click ‘Apply’ below and submit an application form by the closing date. Please plan for any potential delays as you will not be able to submit an application past this deadline (even if you opened the form at, say, 11.30pm).

Please attach a CV and cover letter.

• Your CV should include your most recent employment experience, any other relevant experience, and education history.
• Your cover letter must detail how you meet each of the essential criteria found in the Job Description document below (desirable criteria too, where possible).

Please see here for guidance on writing a cover letter. We highly recommend using individual criteria as headers and giving examples below, though you are free to format the letter as you wish.

To streamline our hiring processes, we can only accept applications via our official website, warwick-careers.tal.net.

Interview Date: August/September 2024.

Start Date: As soon as possible.

What we Offer  

We will provide you with a great range of benefits, which include an attractive pension scheme, 30 days holiday plus Christmas closure, excellent learning and development opportunities, and savings on a wide range of products and services. We offer a generous maternity/paternity/adoption/parental leave policy, and onsite childcare facilities. 

We recognise the importance of a healthy work/life balance and offer you access to flexible working, for more information click here. 

We are proud to say that we are a Living Wage employer.

If you are considering relocating to the UK, read our Relocation Guide to find out more about what Warwick has to offer and what might be involved in the process.

Our Commitment to Inclusion  

Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social, and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding. 

We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here. 

The University currently holds a Race Equality Charter Bronze Award, Athena Swan Sliver Award and a Disability Smart Bronze Award. The University of Warwick is also one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University Alliance. 

Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)

The University of Warwick complies with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against anyone who makes a Disclosure relating to a conviction or other information revealed. More information is available on the University’s Vacancy pages and applicants may request a copy of the DBS Code of Practice.

Right to Work in the UK   

If you do not yet have the right to work in the UK and/or are seeking sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa, please follow this link which contains further information about obtaining the right to work in the UK.