Research Associate - IGNITE

Dunhillmedical; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Research Associate to join the IGNITE Future Manufacturing Research Hub. You will work across the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering and the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering on residual elements in steel and their impact on properties.

You will manufacture steels, characterise microstructure, perform modelling and present findings to sponsors, aiming to publish in high-impact journals.

Qualifications

• Hold a PhD or be close to completion (or have equivalent experience) in materials science, engineering, tribology, applied maths or physical science or any other relevant discipline.
• Experience in steel processing (casting, thermomechanical processing etc).
• Advanced characterization of steels, for example TEM and EBSD.
• Mechanical property testing.
• Materials modelling, with experience coding in C beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Carry out research tasks focused on project delivery under the supervision of the academic lead.
• Inform and perform fundamental research on microstructure/process/property relationships in advanced steel alloys.
• Carry out quantitative characterisation of the resulting materials.
• Carry out modelling of the steel performance under application conditions, validating with laboratory testing.
• Plan work effectively, including resource availability, deadlines, milestones and reporting to line manager.
• Liaise and collaborate with IGNITE team and industrial sponsors.
• Generate regular project updates and deliver presentations at technical review meetings.
• Write journal and conference articles to disseminate findings.

Skills

Steel processing

Mechanical property testing

Scientific writing

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Problem solving

Education

PhD or near completion

Tools

TEM

EBSD

C programming

Job description

School/Department: Faculty of Engineering

Work Arrangement: Full Time (On site)

Contract Type: Fixed-term

Closing Date: 23/09/2026

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

Steelmaking has been prominent in the UK for generations. The IGNITE Future Manufacturing Research Hub is a £35M project funded by £11M of EPSRC funds as well as by Universities, Trade Bodies, RTOs and Businesses over 7 years and aims to support the industry as we develop new, more environmentally friendly options to ensure the future of manufacturing of steel in the UK, to deliver environmental and economic resilience for key areas of the UK manufacturing economy including defence, transport, construction and energy. The IGNITE project aims to deliver cutting edge science and the engineering research required to create carbon neutral, resource-efficient UK steel supply chains.

Spanning the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, and the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at the University, the Research Associate will be the main contributor to the research task “The effect of residuals on the performance of railway rail and high strength wire steels” (New Processes for New Products) of the IGNITE research portfolio. The well-publicised change from blast furnace to electric arc furnace for the manufacture of steel means an inevitable increase in residual elements (particularly Cu and Sn) in the steel product. This project will focus on residual elements in high carbon steels used for the manufacture of, e.g. railway rail steels and high strength wire. You will be responsible for manufacturing steels from melting through to thermomechanical processing. You will undertake extensive characterisation of the steel microstructure and mechanical properties and correlate these with the process route. You will conduct modelling investigation and validation of the performance (wear, resistance to fatigue cracking) under working conditions, such as rolling-sliding contact loading. This will lead to recommendations to improve the steel products. You will work closely with the industrial sponsors of this work. You will also need to write research papers, for publication in high impact research journals.

Main duties and responsibilities

Carry out research tasks focused on project delivery, under the supervision of the academic lead of Professor Mark Rainforth and Professor David Fletcher:

Inform and perform fundamental research on microstructure/process/property relationships in advanced steel alloys.

Carry out quantitative characterisation of the resulting materials.

Carry out modelling of the steel performance under application conditions (plastic damage, wear, fatigue), validating this with laboratory testing.

Plan work effectively, including availability of resources (equipment usage), liaison with technical staff, deadlines, project milestones and overall research aims, and report to line manager(s) on a regular basis.

Liaise, coordinate and collaborate with other members of the IGNITE team and industrial sponsors who are involved in the experimental investigations.

Generate regular project update reports and presentations and deliver them to the project sponsors at technical review meetings.

Write journal and conference articles to disseminate research findings in high quality Journals and at national/international conferences.

Prioritise activities in order to achieve objectives agreed with the supervisors and project sponsors.

Maintain up to date knowledge of relevant literature.

Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Stage(s) assessed at

Hold a PhD or be close to completion (or have equivalent experience) in materials science, engineering, tribology, applied maths or physical science or any other relevant discipline.

Application/interview

Experience in one or more of:

Steel processing (casting, thermomechanical processing etc).

Advanced characterization of steels, for example transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).

Mechanical property testing.

Materials modelling, with experience coding in C beneficial.

Application/interview

Ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team (including industry) and be proactive in the management of the project.

Application/interview

Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, report writing skills and experience of delivering presentations to both academic and industrial partners.

Application/interview

The ability to write technical reports and scientific papers with minimal supervisory help.

Application/interview

Ability to analyse and solve problems with an appreciation of longer-term implications.

Application/interview

Ability to work independently and on own initiative with effective time management skills.

Application/interview

Experience of developing and maintaining a network of contacts throughout own work area.

Application/interview

Detailed awareness and full commitment to the relevant Health and Safety regulations including experience carrying out and documenting risk assessments and COSHH assessments.

Application/interview

Experience of working with industry in the metal processing sector with willingness to attend or host meetings to develop working relationships.

Application/interview

Ability to contribute to research proposal development.

Application/interview

Further Information

Grade

7

Work arrangement

Full-time

Duration

Fixed term for 3 years

Line manager(s)

Professor David Fletcher, Professor of Railway Engineering, and Professor Mark Rainforth POSCO Chair in Iron and Steel Technology

For informal enquiries about this job contact Professor Mark Rainforth on [e-mail] or Professor David Fletcher on [e-mail].

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in mid-October. This will consist of an interview . We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage as soon as possible after the closing date . If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact [e-mail]

A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.

Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.

A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.

A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).

Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.

A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways.

A range of generous family-friendly policies

paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies

support for those going through the menopause

paid time off and support for fertility treatment

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

Closing Date :23/09/2026

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision ) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.

The University of Sheffield
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Sheffield
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