Research Associate/Fellow (Fixed term)

University of Nottingham; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Nottingham is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow to work on aluminium batteries as part of the Faraday Institution Ultrastore programme.

You should have (or be close to completing) a PhD in chemistry or a related field, with a track record in ionic liquid-based electrolytes and battery interphases. The project focuses on developing electrolytes and methods to enable reversible aluminium plating.

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry or related discipline required or nearly completed.
• Strong background in ionic liquid electrolytes and battery interphases.
• Experience with aluminium battery systems is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop electrolytes and additives to drive reversible aluminium plating.
• Modify aluminium surfaces and perform electrochemical analyses of materials.

Skills

Postdoc experience

Electrochemistry

Aluminium batteries

Education

PhD in Chemistry or related

Tools

Ionic liquids

Electrolyte preparation

Job description

Salary

£32,080 to £47,389 per annum, depending on skills and experience (minimum £35608 with relevant PhD). Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance.

Area

Chemistry

Location

Jubilee Campus

Closing Date

Wednesday 21 October 2026

Reference

SCI2309126

We are seeking to recruit a highly motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral research fellow to work on aluminium batteries as part of the Faraday Institution Ultrastore programme. Candidates must have (or almost completed) a PhD in chemistry or a related discipline. A track record in the development of ionic liquid-based electrolytes and studying interphases in batteries is preferred. The candidate will work within the Nottingham Applied Materials and Interfaces Group at the University of Nottingham, reporting to Profs. Darren Walsh and Graham Newton. The aqueous aluminium battery is very promising for our future energy-storage requirements, as it could potentially store large amounts of electrical energy inexpensively. However, the performance of the battery is limited by the irreversibility of aluminium plating in aqueous electrolytes. The project will focus on the development of electrolytes and additives that drive reversible aluminium plating, and will involve the development of methods for modifying aluminium surfaces and electrochemical analysis of the modified materials.

The Faraday Institution is the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage science and technology, supporting research, training, and analysis. We bring together scientists and industry partners on research projects to reduce battery cost, weight, and volume; to improve performance and reliability; and to develop whole-life strategies from mining to recycling to second use. https://faraday.ac.uk/

This is a full-time, fixed-term post and is available for a period of twelve months.

The School of Chemistry at the University of Nottingham values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity. The School holds a Silver Athena SWAN Award in recognition of our commitment to advancing women's careers in science. You can read more about what this means at http://www.athenaswan.org.uk/ and on our website http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/chemistry/about/athena-swan.aspx

The University of Nottingham is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.