Research Assistant

University of Plymouth - School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences

Are you an ambitious materials scientist or chemical engineer looking to bridge the gap between healthcare sustainability and clean energy innovation? Join us to lead the charge in transforming medical waste into second-life nanomaterials for a greener NHS.

About the role

As a Research Assistant (RA), you will be the primary experimental lead for the "Circularity and sustainability in volatile anaesthetics" project. Reporting directly to the academic lead, you will be responsible for demonstrating scalable regeneration and upcycling strategies for carbon adsorbents used in medical carbon capture systems. You will manage the laboratory-scale validation of thermal and chemical processes and coordinate with industrial partners, including SageTech Medical and the Manufacturing Technology Centre.

This is a part-time position working 29.6 hours per week on a fixed-term basis with a starting date of 1 May 2026 until 30 September 2027 due to funding.

Key responsibilities and projects:

• Adsorbent regeneration: Develop and optimise thermal, chemical, and hybrid reactivation protocols to restore the capacity of exhausted carbon materials from medical capture systems.
• Bio-graphite synthesis: Spearhead the conversion of spent adsorbents into sustainable "bio-graphite" and benchmark its electrochemical performance for energy storage technologies.
• Second-life photocatalysis and remediation: Lead the preliminary testing and evaluation of spent carbons as "second-life" adsorbents and photocatalysts to degrade persistent pharmaceutical pollutants, such as propofol and ibuprofen, in hospital effluents.
• Advanced material characterisation: Execute comprehensive characterisation throughout the material lifecycle, using N2 sorption, SEM/TEM, Raman, XRD, and TGA.

Due to the nature of the role, unfortunately we are unable to accommodate working from home.

The successful candidate may be required to obtain an ATAS Certificate prior to this research being undertaken.

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role then please contact:

Dr Lee Durndell, by email at lee.durndell@plymouth.ac.uk

Please note: We’re currently unable to sponsor this role under the Skilled Worker visa route. However, we welcome all applicants, as other visa options may be available.

What we’re looking for

About the candidate:

• Technical expertise: A strong background in functional nanomaterials design, carbon valorisation and/or synthesis, or circular process engineering.
• Analytical proficiency: Experience in advanced material characterisation techniques, specifically gas sorption, electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
• Project leadership: Proven ability to manage complex experimental workplans and meet deliverables in a collaborative research environment.
• Sustainable mindset: A commitment to circular economy principles and the translation of lab-scale research into real-world environmental solutions.

For more information about the job and the person specification, please refer to the job description.

Closing Date: 12 midnight, Monday 2 March 2026

About us

You will join a high-impact, interdisciplinary team collaborating across the University of Plymouth (UoP), SageTech Medical, and the National Health Service (NHS). This project sits at the forefront of the Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing – Grand Challenge. You will have access to world-class facilities, including UoP’s specialised reactors and industry partner facilities, providing a unique platform for high-level academic and industrial networking.

The School of Geography Earth and Environmental Sciences holds a Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education.

Our Offer

A summary of our comprehensive benefits can be viewed here.