Research Assistant/Associate in Silicon Carbide in Power Electronics (Fixed Term)

A full time position is available for a Research Assistant/Associate in the Department of Engineering, to work on the characterization of materials for Silicon Carbide devices, as part of a project in Power Electronics, commencing in July 2026. The successful candidate will have obtained or be about to complete a PhD in the relevant field. Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in the use of advanced electron microscopy techniques for the study of materials and devices, including cross-sectional device preparation and analysis.

The post holder will be located in West Cambridge, UK. For electron microscopy experiments and data analysis the post holder will be based at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, Wolfson Electron Microscopy Suite.

Key responsibilities:

• Characterization of power semiconductor devices by electron microscopy. This will include FIB sectioning and STEM-based analysis of devices, data analysis.
• Assisting with other semiconductor device projects.
• Assisting with supervisions of PhD, MPhil, MSc and MEng students.
• Developing research objectives and proposals, joint research and conduct collaborative research projects.
• Writing up research work for presentation and publication.
• Continually updating knowledge and understanding in field of power devices with special emphasis on wide bandgap materials and technologies.
• Managing own research and administrative activities, with guidance if required.
• Assisting in the preparation of proposals and applications to external bodies.

The skills, qualifications and experience required: PhD-level experience of FIB preparation of cross sectional devices, and of advanced STEM techniques for imaging, diffraction and EELS spectroscopy. Experience of python-based data analysis of STEM data.

Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will be appointed at Research Assistant level, which will be amended to Research Associate once the PhD has been awarded.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 21 months or until 31 March 2028, whichever comes soonest in the first instance.