Research Fellow in Battery Materials Recycling

The Birmingham Centre for Strategic Elements and Critical Materials has recently won an Innovate UK project with ICoNiChem, MSolv, Jaguar Land Rover, Circa and Universities of York, Warwick and Birmingham, to investigate the recycling and reuse of materials from lithium ion batteries, called Reclamation and Remanufacture of Ltihium ion batteries; R2LIB.

The postholder will contribute to the development and optimisation of new physical separation routes to recover critical metals (such as lithium and cobalt) from lithium battery wastes as part of the R2LIB project. They will work as part of a multidisciplinary research team with the researchers at the University of Birmingham and with the other industrial and academic partners. They will be investigating the reclamation of the material components from lithium ion batteries, to work alongside the partners providing a materials stream, and to remanufacture lithium ion batteries from the reclaimed materials.

The postholder will work within the R2LIB project and contribute to writing future bids while operating within area of specialism and analyse and interpret research findings and results. They will contribute to generating funding and contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar.

Person Specification

• First degree in science or engineering discipline relevant to the project and PhD in area relevant to materials recycling or battery manufacture, mineral engineering or chemical engineering
• Highly desirable is a prior knowledge, experience and achievements in physical processing of wastes, and electrochemical testing protocols for batteries. However training will be given to the right candidate in these areas.
• Demonstrable high level analytical capability.
• Demonstrable ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Evidenced ability to work in an interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrable ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/ administration processes.
• Evidenced ability to contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project.
• Experience of co-ordinating own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.