Research Associate (Manufacturing Green Nanoparticles)

Chemical and Biological Engineering is a dynamic and thriving Department within the University’s Faculty of Engineering, comprising 36 academic staff, 45 research staff, 14 technicians, 22 support staff and over 500 undergraduate and postgraduate students of all ages and backgrounds from all over the World (www.sheffield.ac.uk/cbe) We are classed as one of the leading chemical engineering research departments in the country and the Department has a vibrant research culture spanning: • Particle science and technology/nanotechnology • Environmental engineering • Energy • Applications of post-genomics bioscience for biotechnology, environmental and bioprocessing applications. The Department is currently experiencing a period of strong growth in both research and teaching areas and you could be part of this exciting future. The Faculty is one of the biggest and best engineering faculties in the UK. Independent assessments of our research excellence confirm more than two thirds of our research to be either internationally excellent or world leading. The University of Sheffield has been named UK University of the Year in the 2011 Times Higher Education Awards. We've won this prestigious award because we’re a world-class university in a unique city. We are a community true to our civic roots and our straightforward approach informs everything we do, both close to home and around the world.

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to work on an exciting multidisciplinary EPSRC-funded project in the research group involved in the manufacture, characterisation and applications of nanomaterials using new nature-inspired green routes (further detail can be found at www.svplab.com). This project involves multi-university collaborations between University of Sheffield, University of Leuven, University of Oxford and Loughborough University. Markets for nanomaterials are worth multi-billion$, which serve a wide range of sectors including catalysis, electronics, separations, food and drug technology, and paints. However, most of these nanomaterials have limitations to their large scale production due to the use of toxic precursors and lengthy and multistep manufacture procedures with high temperatures and extremes of pH creating environmental, economic and scale-up challenges and limiting commercial supply to low gram quantities. A new class of nature-inspired green routes have been developed at Sheffield which can overcome all the issues faced by the traditional nanomaterials, while offering scalability and ease of producing tailored materials for desired application. This project aims to deliver a technology for large scale manufacturing of green nanomaterials with bespoke properties.

An important aspect of this project will be to understand the effects of processing conditions on nanomaterials properties in order to enable large scale manufacturing. You will undertake experimental work in identifying key processing parameters by exploring various reactors and conditions. By utilising this understanding, you will build, test and validate larger scale manufacturing set-up before finally producing tailored green nanomaterials. You will interact with collaborators to exchange results and ideas. The University of Sheffield provides free training in transferable and research skills (e.g. scientific writing, supervision and project management) for PDRAs. The PDRA will have formal career development review processes involving mentoring by senior staff and will receive continuous advice and support from their supervisor. To be considered for this role, you will have a minimum of a 2:1 Honours Degree and a PhD in Chemical Engineering or a related area; or you will have significant, relevant professional experience. You will have experimental expertise in synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials, or particle flow systems or continuous manufacturing of chemicals/materials. You will have an ability to write reports and papers for publication and you will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with an ability to listen, engage and persuade, and to present complex information in an accessible way to a range of audiences. You will have an ability to work autonomously and as part of a multi-disciplinary team