Research Fellow (Battery Materials Recycling)

University of Birmingham - College of Engineering and Physical Sciences - School of Metallurgy and Materials

Location: Birmingham

Salary: £36,636 to £46,049 Grade 7

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 2nd September 2025

Closes: 23rd September 2025

Job Ref: 97591S24

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to March 2026

Background

The post is a fixed term Research Fellow position funded by the research grant “Recycling and Reuse of EV batteries (ReLiB)” that is provided by the Faraday Institution, the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research and skills development. The Faraday Institution vision is to bring together scientists and industry partners on research projects to reduce battery cost, weight, and volume; to improve performance and reliability.

The overall aim of the ReLiB project is to understand the conditions required to ensure the sustainable management of lithium-ion batteries when they reach the end of their useful life in electric vehicles. This will enhance the overall efficiency of the supply chain and ensure that the UK has the facilities required for safe, economic and environmentally sound management of the materials contained in lithium-ion batteries.

Researchers at the University of Birmingham will be investigating separation technology efficiency, and characterisation of separated lithium ion battery fractions, in addition to closing the loop of these material streams through manufacturing efforts and electrochemical testing.

To help us achieve our ambitious goal we are looking to recruit a post-doctoral staff member within the Metallurgy and Materials department. The post holder will support black mass valorisation efforts and contribute to re-manufacturing recycled Li-ion battery streams produced from the project, on a reel-to-reel scale.

The successful candidate will be responsible for remanufacturing cells (pouch format) on pilot plant scale, using materials produced from project partners, and effectively benchmark performance of these recycling routes to determine and evaluate processing characteristics on the material streams.

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some, but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required.
• Collect, analyse, interpret research data through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, research interviews.
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding.
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars, presenting talks etc.
• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other battery researchers within UoB and our other partners.
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to students where appropriate to the discipline.
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods.

Person Specification

A first degree in Chemistry, Physics, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science or related subject, and a PhD (or close to completion) in an area relevant to materials recycling or battery manufacture, mineral engineering or chemical engineering.

Prior knowledge, experience and achievements in physical processing of wastes, electrode manufacture and electrochemical testing protocols for batteries is highly desirable. However, training will be given to the right candidate in these areas.

Informal enquiries can be made to Emma Kendrick, email: e.kendrick@bham.ac.uk

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.