RA in Battery Materials Modelling

Newcastle University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious UK institution is looking for a Research Associate to work on the modelling of battery materials. This role involves conducting computational simulations, collaborating with leading researchers, and training students. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in materials science, experience in energy materials, and strong Python programming skills. The position offers a salary of £35,608 - £46,049 per annum, with excellent benefits and a closing date for applications on 01 December 2025.

Benefits

Generous holiday package

Great pension schemes

Health and wellbeing initiatives

Qualifications

• Experience in simulation of solid-state and/or energy materials.
• Experience in molecular dynamics and electronic structure simulations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, carry out and analyse computational simulations.
• Liaise with the principal investigator and other team members.
• Disseminate research results through appropriate media.

Skills

Simulation of solid-state and/or energy materials

Molecular dynamics

Python programming

Written and oral communication skills

Problem-solving capacity

Education

Undergraduate degree in relevant science

Ph.D. in computational chemistry or materials science

Job description

Salary: Research Associate £35,608 - £46,049 per annum

Closing Date: 01 December 2025

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.

The Role

We are looking to appoint a Research Associate in the modelling of battery materials in the Ion Transport and Interfaces Group of Dr. James A. Dawson at Newcastle University. The position is initially for 2 years with the possibility of extension subject to future funding. Depending on the successful candidate's interests and expertise, this position will be focused on either (or a combination of) the atomistic modelling of liquid and solid electrolytes, cathode materials or electrolyte‑electrode interfaces. The candidate will be expected to use a combination of density functional theory, ab initio and classical molecular dynamics, machine learning approaches, including machine learning forcefields, and other complementary methods. The project is part of a UKRI Frontier Research Grant ("AMPed") and will be carried out in collaboration with world‑leading experimental partners in the UK, including the Faraday Institution, Europe and North America. Our ambition is to develop and apply state‑of‑the‑art computational techniques to provide a fundamental understanding of structure, dynamics and interfaces in battery materials for next‑generation energy storage devices.

For informal enquiries, please see the Dawson Group website.

Applications should be made through the Newcastle University jobs portal: jobs.ncl.ac.uk, where you are invited to provide evidence of how you meet the essential criteria required for the role outlined in "The Person" by uploading a letter of application along with your Curriculum Vitae (CV).

Key Accountabilities

• Design, carry out and analyse computational simulations


• Liaise with the principal investigator and other team members to plan, organise and carry out the work programme


• Disseminate research results through appropriate media, including authoring or co‑authoring papers for publication in high‑quality academic journals


• Contribute to existing and new interdisciplinary collaborations


• Train and assist undergraduate and postgraduate students in theoretical techniques and computational methods


• Represent the research group and disseminate information about its work at national and international events


• Contribute to learning and development through the provision of documentation, training and advice


• Undertake relevant training and development activities to develop an awareness of own professional development needs


• Maintain and develop knowledge to keep abreast of the latest and most relevant technologies


• Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience in the simulation of solid‑state and/or energy materials


• Experience in molecular dynamics and electronic structure simulations


• Experience in Python programming


• Excellent written and oral communication skills


• High level of problem‑solving capacity

Attributes and Behaviour

• Comfortable working both individually and with good team working skills


• Capacity for original thought


• Enthusiasm and a strong work ethic


• Ability to interact with researchers with different backgrounds


• Ability to communicate scientific results to a broad or non‑specialist audience


• Ability and willingness to work in interdisciplinary environments


• Well‑developed interpersonal communication skills that enable you to engage external and internal stakeholders and work effectively in a multidisciplinary team

Qualifications

• An undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant science subject, such as chemistry, physics or materials science


• A Ph.D. in the field of computational chemistry or materials science or a related discipline

Equality and Diversity

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 a proud equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality, a Race Equality Charter Bronze award, and are a Disability Confident employer. We are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.