Academic ConnectDescription
Research Associate in Harnessing electron-phonon interactions in nanoplasmonic solar energy conversion
Job number
ENG03536
Faculties
Faculty of Engineering
Departments
Department of Materials
Salary or Salary range
£43,003 - £51,885 per annum
Location/campus
South Kensington Campus - On site only
Contract type work pattern
Full time - Fixed term
Posting End Date
25 Jun 2025
About the role
The purpose of this role is to carry out research on the Leverhulme Trust Research Project titled “Harnessing electron-phonon interactions in nanoplasmonic solar energy conversion.” The goal is to develop new computational methods that will enable design of metallic nanoparticles with dramatically increased efficiency of solar to chemical energy conversion by exploiting the interactions of hot carriers generated by light with lattice vibrations.
What you would be doing
Main Duties:
- Work both independently and as a part of the team to deliver the outputs of the Leverhulme Trust Research Project.
- Develop an approach to model electron-vibration interactions in metallic nanoparticles containing millions of atoms.
- Use the new computational approach to study physical processes driven by electron-phonon interactions in large nanoparticles for applications in photocatalysis.
- Report results to team leaders and collaborators.
- Attend relevant workshops and conferences as necessary.
- Promote the reputation of the Group, the Department and the College.
In addition, at Research Associate level:
- Take initiatives in the planning of research.
- Direct the work of small research teams.
- Write reports for submission to research sponsors.
- Submit publications to refereed journals.
- Provide guidance to staff and students.
What we are looking for
- Hold a PhD in Materials, Physics, Chemistry or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience
- Practical experience within a research environment and / or publication in relevant and refereed journals
- Experience of collaborating with other theorists and experimentalists
- Practical experience in electronic structure theory methods, tight-binding, force field techniques, electrodynamics of nanoparticles
- Knowledge of electronic structure theory and modelling light-matter interactions
- Knowledge of modelling vibrations in materials and vibration-electron coupling
What we can offer you
- The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
- Grow your career: gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
- Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
- Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.
Further information
*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £43,003 to 46,297 per annum.
If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Johannes Lischner, j.lischner@imperial.ac.uk.
Further guidance may be sought from Mrs Darakshan Khan (d.khan@imperial.ac.uk).
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
Available documents
Attached documents are available under links. Clicking a document link will initialize its download.
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Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
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About Imperial
Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.
Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.
As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.
This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.
Our Culture
We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.
Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.
