"Research Associate in Sustainable Battery Technology"

UCL - Chemistry Department

Location:LondonSalary:£43,981 to £52,586Hours:Full TimeContract Type:Fixed-Term/ContractPlaced On:27th January 2026Closes:17th February 2026Job Ref:B04-07060

The Chemistry Department at University College London is the oldest in England, and today is one of the best in the UK, being ranked 3rd in the UK for its world-leading research in REF2021. We are located in Bloomsbury, at the heart of London, and offer an exciting and vibrant environment in which to study in one of the UK's top universities.

The Department of Chemistry at UCL is committed to supporting excellence in both research and teaching. The department offers undergraduate BSc and MSci programmes in Chemistry and currently teaches ~750 undergraduates registered in Chemistry as well as students who select Chemistry on the Natural Sciences programme and first year Chemistry for life scientists. The department also offers a number of Postgraduate Taught Masters courses with about 80 students per year and has an overall PGR student school of about 200 students.

The Chemistry Department has over 60 members of academic staff carrying out world-leading research. We specialise in the areas of organic synthesis, chemical biology, computational chemistry, nanotechnology, inorganic and materials chemistry, physical chemistry and chemical physics. The department has an annual research income of around £15 million, derived from many sources including the Research Councils (EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, and NERC), European Commission and a wide range of charities and industrial partners in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Details about our research can be found on the departmental website http://www.ucl.ac.uk/chemistry

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to work in the group of Dr Yang Xu in the Department of Chemistry at University College London.

The appointee will investigate potassium-sulphur batteries. A key feature of the project will be to understand the electrochemistry of potassium-sulphur reactions including the behaviour of electrochemical potassium plating/stripping on current collector and the phase transition of sulphur oxidation/reduction reactions, to improve the kinetics of potassium-sulphur reactions by developing electrocatalysts.

The postholder will be required to investigate the anode/electrolyte interfacial kinetics, examine the multi-phase reactions of the cathode, and discovery efficient catalysts for cell reactions. The appointee will be part of a collaboration team and as such be required to present results and contribute significantly to a feedback loop.

The successful candidate will have a PhD degree (or about to be awarded a PhD) in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related subject.

Expertise in conversion cathode materials and alkali metal batteries as well as experience in mechanistic investigation of battery electrochemistry via a suite of in-situ/ex-situ characterisations are essential.

They should have an appropriate publication track record, demonstrated commitment to excellence, and exceptional skills in mechanistic study of battery electrochemistry. They will be expected to work closely with existing group members and collaborative team, offer supervision and support to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and have effective written and verbal communication skills in English.

Customer advert reference: B04-07060