19484BR
Cardiff School of Chemistry
Research
Advert
Research Associate in Computational Chemistry
Cardiff School of Chemistry
Cardiff University
We seek to recruit an enthusiastic, highly motivated scientist with proven intellectual and technical abilities to work on a new international research programme. The 4 year project, funded by the European Commission is part of The Flexible Ammonia Synthesis Technology for Energy Storage (FASTER) project, which is led by University of Twente, Netherlands, and involves various other academic and industrial partners in Netherlands, Germany, Germany, Italy, as well as Cardiff University (UK).
The project will focus on computational modelling ath the atomic level of mechanistic chemical processes in the hydrogenation of nitrogen to form ammonia, the predictions from which will then dictate the direction of the experimental investigations undertaken at Cardiff and by other partners.
Applicants must hold a postgraduate degree at PhD level (or nearing completion / submission) in catalysis, computational chemistry, or relevant industrial experience.
Dr Alberto Roldan Martinez https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/102465-roldan-martinez-alberto and www.roldan-group.com
For informal enquiries about the role and the Cardiff School of Chemistry, please contact Dr Alberto Roldan: e-mail roldanmartinez@cardiff.ac.uk
For further details about working at Cardiff University, please contact: Ms Caroline Pasmore email: ChemyHR@cardiff.ac.uk
This position is full time (35 hours per week) and is available from 1st February 2025 for 4 years.
To work for an employer that values and promotes equality of opportunity, please visit www.cardiff.ac.uk/jobs and search for vacancy number: 19484BR.
Salary: £40,247 - £45,163 per annum (Grade 6). It is not anticipated that an appointment be made above
£40,247 per annum (Grade 6.32).
Important note: It is the University’s policy to use the person specification as a key tool for short-listing. Candidates should evidence that they meet ALL of the essential criteria as well as, where relevant, the desirable. As part of the application process you will be asked to provide this evidence via a supporting statement. Please ensure that the evidence you are providing corresponds with the numbered criteria outlined below. Your application will be considered based on the information you provide under each element.
When attaching the supporting statement to your application profile, please ensure that you name it with the vacancy reference number, e.g. Supporting Statement for 19484BR.
Date advert posted: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Closing date: Wednesday, 8 January 2025
Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds who have the ambition to create a University which seeks to fulfil our social, cultural and economic obligation to Cardiff, Wales, and the world. In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements.
Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at: Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University
Job Description
Main Duties and Responsibilities
Research
- To conduct research within Computational Chemistry and contribute to the overall research performance of the School and University by the production of measurable outputs including bidding for funding, publishing in national academic journals and conferences, and the recruitment and supervision of postgraduate research students.
- To develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research including research funding proposals.
- To attend and or present at conferences/seminars at a local and national level as required.
- To undertake administrative tasks associated with the research project, including the planning and organisation of the project and the implementation of procedures required to ensure accurate and timely reporting.
- To prepare research ethics and research governance applications as appropriate.
- To review and synthesise existing research literature within the field.
- To participate in School research activities.
- To build and create networks both internally and externally to the university, to influence decisions, explore future research requirements, and share research ideas for the benefit of research projects.
Other
- To engage effectively with industrial, commercial and public sector organisations, professional institutions, other academic institutions etc., regionally and nationally to raise awareness of the School’s profile, to cultivate strategically valuable alliances, and to pursue opportunities for collaboration across a range of activities. These activities are expected to contribute to the School and the enhancement of its regional and national profile.
- To undergo personal and professional development that is appropriate to and which will enhance performance.
- To participate in School administration and activities to promote the School and its work to the wider University and the outside world.
- Any other duties not included above, but consistent with the role.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Qualifications And Education
- Postgraduate degree at PhD level (or nearing completion / submission) in a related subject area or relevant industrial experience.
Knowledge, Skills And Experience
- An established expertise and proven portfolio of research and/or relevant industrial experience within the following research fields:
i. Computational Chemistry
ii. Heterogeneous Catalysis
iii. Artificial Intelligence
iv. Global Optimisation Methods
- Knowledge of current status of research in specialist field.
- Proven ability to publish in international journals and present at national/international conferences.
- Proven ability to be successful in competitive research funding or knowledge and understanding of competitive research funding to be able to develop applications to funding bodies.
Communication and Team Working
- Proven ability in effective and persuasive communication.
- Ability to supervise the work of others to focus team efforts and motivate individuals.
Other
- Proven ability to demonstrate creativity, innovation and team-working within work.
- Proven ability to work without close supervision.
Desirable Criteria
- Relevant professional qualification(s)- if applicable please specify.
- Evidence of collaborations with industry.
- Proven ability to adapt to the changing requirements of the Higher Education community.
- Evidence of ability to participate in and develop both internal and external networks and utilise them to enhance the research activities of the School.
Additional Information
Additional Information
The increased penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE) in the future will require backup technologies due to intermittency, and long-term energy storage in the form of a chemical vector (such as green ammonia) is increasingly favoured. FASTER will develop and demonstrate the techno-economic feasibility and reliability of a non-noble catalyst based on metal nitrides/ hydrides/amides active at low temperature (< 250 C) and pressure (<50 bar) in combination with a new reactor concept using structured catalysts and temperature swing absorption unit for synthesis and separation at TRL4.
The use of highly thermally conductive reactor and absorption scaffolds will increase heat transfer, allowing fast transitions during operation at fluctuating loads (0-100 %). FASTER is a consortium of 5 companies and 3 research universities.
The consortium aims to develop (1) novel catalysts highly active at low temperature and pressure for ammonia synthesis, (2) improved heat and mass transport reactor concepts using structured reactors and absorbers, (3) develop and validate a demonstration installation for the FASTER technology, and (4) generating accurate and reliable techno-economic models to identify suitable locations to deploy the concept across Europe and beyond.
The innovation tasks will be supported by a dissemination, communication and exploitation strategy focusing on an effective market roll-out by the industrial project partners in the European Union.
For this purpose, FASTER gathers a selected group of private and public organizations as Advisory Board Members (ENEL, STEDIN, UPL Mumbay, Fertiberia, Abengoa, TNO, Ammonia Energy Association, Smart Port Systems, and Port of Huelva) to ensure fast-tracking of technology take-up. Ultimately, FASTER will deliver an affordable and clean alternative for hydrogen storage and transport using ammonia as vector in the EU context.
Salary Range Min.
40,247
Salary Range Max.
45,163
Job Category
Academic - Research
Grade
Grade 6
