Position Details

School of Metallurgy and Materials, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £34,980 to £44,263 with potential progression once in post to £46,974

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to May 2025

Closing date: 12th May 2024

UK travel may be required for this role

Background

This Research Fellow Position will be appointed to work on the “TReFCo” Project. A collaboration between the University of Birmingham Centre for Strategic Elements & Critical Materials and Swansea University. Details on the programme here.

When devices such as computers, smart phones and batteries are sent for recycling not all of the materials are captured for use in new devices. The metals are most likely to be recycled because they are easy to separate and their methods of recycling are well established. Specialist coatings often made with rare and expensive materials enable our modern electronics to work but often cause problems when it comes to end of life, resulting in metals being more contaminated and so these coatings are often burnt off, causing pollution and adding cost and complexity to the recycling process. It also means that the expensive and specialised coating has been lost and its value not captured.

TReFCo aims to develop a low-cost method for removing these coatings so that they can be reused to make new devices. It will mean that valuable raw materials are kept within the supply chain, supporting the UK economy. It will also mean that the materials that they were coated on are cleaner prior to their recycling process ensuring a purer recycled product at a lower cost.

The method employed by TReFCo will be to de-bind the adhesive that holds the coating in place without damaging the coating material or the substrate material. The post-holder will contribute to understanding how the TReFCo process changes materials that have been through the process.

TReFCo will also develop new adhesives that will 'unglue' when exposed to near infrared radiation, making it easier and cheaper to dismantle devices for repair or recycling. Post-holders may also work with the project team to understand these new adhesives and how they might be incorporated into Design for Recycling of future electronic devices.

The post will be based at the University of Birmingham although some occasional travel to the project partners and industrial collaborators may be necessary.

Role Summary

• Operate within area of specialism in the School of Chemistry.
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results from the TReFCo project.
• Examine how the TReFCo method could contribute to a circular economy of critical materials and technology metals.
• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing future collaborative bids based on the TReFCo technology, or spin-out projects.
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) in collaboration with Swansea University.
• Contribute to the public understanding of the Circular Economy and the role that the TReFCo process could contribute to that.
• Help generate impact and engagement around a circular economy of critical materials.

Main Duties

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

• Assess recovered recycled materials that have passed through the novel TReFCo process.
• Research the performance of these materials, relative to the original materials used to make the devices from which they have been recycled.
• Assess the way in which the TReFCo process could contribute to new products that have been designed with recycling in mind using novel smart adhesives developed by the project.
• Devise tests and experiments to assess the value of the recovered material.
• Analyse and interpret data.
• Apply knowledge of materials science in a way which develops new intellectual understanding about the TReFCo process.
• Disseminate research findings for publication and research seminars etc.
• Supervise students on research related work and provide guidance to PhD students where appropriate to the discipline.
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods.
• Collaborate with other researchers to develop strategies for incorporating the TReFCo process into a circular economy.
• Undertake management/administration arising from research.
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration.
• Contribute to enterprise, business development and/or public engagement activities of manifest benefit to the College and the University, often under supervision of a project leader.
• Collect research data; this may be through a variety of research methods, such as scientific experimentation, literature reviews, and research interviews.*
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters.*
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research.*
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.*
• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• First degree in area of specialism relevant to the TReFCo project and normally, a higher degree relevant to research area (e.g. A PhD in Chemistry/Materials Science/ Physics/Engineering or equivalent (or near to completion).
• A demonstrable ability to conduct research in line with the objectives of the project.
• Evidence of planning skills to contribute to the research project.
• A commitment to continuous professional development.
• High level analytical capability.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones. Experience of lab based chemical analytic techniques, strong background in materials characterisation and/or to contribute to life cycle analysis and techno-economic evaluation would be particularly desirable.
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the research programme and/or specific research project.
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Informal enquiries to Dr. Gavin Harper , email: g.d.j.harper@bham.ac.uk or Professor Paul Anderson, email: p.a.anderson@bham.ac.uk

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