Research Assistant / Associate in Reaction Engineering

Salary:

Reserach Assistant: £32,296 - £33,232 per annum

Research Associate £34,866 - £45,163 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 09 December 2024

The Role

We are seeking to hire a Research Assistant/Associate to join the Process Intensification Group within the School of Engineering. The project will involve the development of a new plasma-based technology.

The project is funded by Northern Accelerator. We are looking for candidates who can work well with other members of the team at Newcastle, as well as our industrial collaborators, Halton Foods Limited. The project will be mainly laboratory-based at Newcastle University.

The aim of the project is to evaluate, refine and move towards commercialisation a novel plasma technology.  We are ideally looking for someone with prior research experience in plasma reactor engineering along with excellent written and verbal communication skills with a willingness to present your research findings.

We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.

The position is fixed term for a period of 4 months with a view for the successful appointee to commence employment as soon as possible. The position if offered on a full-time basis (37 hours per week).

To apply, please complete an online application and upload a CV and cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement, and you should outline how you meet the essential criteria of the role and evidence this with examples.

For informal queries regarding the project or the role, please contact Prof Adam Harvey (adam.harvey@ncl.ac.uk).

Click here to see more about working in the School of Engineering.

Key Accountabilities

• Complete the defined tasks in the research project in a timely manner and meet the project objectives.
• Provide active intellectual contributions to the research project by ways of e.g. literature research, planning for implementation, generating new ideas, conducting lab experiments, writing up reports and publications, and presenting results on different occasions.
• Prepare clear, well-written reports and draft scientific papers to meet the requirements of high-impact journals on time according to the project timeline and set out by the Principal Investigator.
• Collaborate and engage with other researchers and project partners.
• Contribute to the maintenance of professional and safe operation of the laboratories and all associated instrumentation.
• Contribute to financial matters related to project implementation and lab development (e.g. purchasing chemicals, lab consumables and equipment, and booking for travel).
• Ensure compliance with health and safety in all aspects of work.

The Person (Essential)

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Sufficient knowledge and research experience in reaction engineering and associated analysis.
• Proven experience in writing and preparing high-quality research publications.
• Planning and organisation of research.

Desirable

• Experience in developing research proposals and securing funding for research.
• Experience in teaching and/or supervising students.

Attributes and Behaviour

• A developing research profile with an excellent track record of research publications and other outputs considering your career stage.
• Enthusiastic, hardworking and goal-setter.
• Willing to learn and expand your research area and carry out challenging research studies.
• Capacity for original thought and initiating new research ideas.
• Ability to interact with people from different disciplines and in different functions.
• Ability to work independently, as well as to collaborate effectively with other researchers and project partners.
• An ability to communicate effectively via oral and written media (e.g. technical reports, papers and presentations).
• Ability to manage research data and maintain records in a professional matter for research projects.
• Ability to plan and implement research projects effectively and deliver outputs to meet tight deadlines.
• Maintaining a high level of professional conduct and ethics in research.
• Committed to embedding the values of equality and diversity in all aspects of your work.

Desirable

• Ability to contribute to the development of funding proposals to generate external funding to support research.
• Ability to communicate with a wider audience in writing and oral forms (e.g. writing generalised articles for the public, and speaking in outreach events).

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent doctoral qualification awarded (or nearing completion) in relevant disciplines (e.g. polymers, materials, engineering, chemistry, and physics).

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 27775