Research Associate: Metallurgy & Magnetic Nanomaterials

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Research Associate in Metallurgy and Materials Characterisation to join an ARIA-funded programme developing rare-earth-free permanent magnets through protein-programmed manufacturing. You will lead the Sheffield contribution, converting protein-templated magnetic nanomaterials into dense bulk composites and characterising their structure and performance.

Based in the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, you will leverage Sheffield's

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation, processing and consolidation of protein-templated mineral and nanoparticle materials into bulk anisotropic magnetic composites using low-temperature fixation and spark plasma sintering.
• Design and conduct diffraction-based characterisation (powder X-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement) to determine phase identity and microstructural order before and after processing.
• Carry out complementary microstructural characterisation using electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.
• Support magnetic characterisation of processed samples using SQUID and vibrating sample magnetometry, collaborating across the consortium.
• Evaluate candidate manufacturing routes for scale-up, reproducibility and manufacturability.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and contribute data to shared project data and decision-log systems.
• Collaborate with Imperial College London and Change Bio, participating in design-build-test-learn reviews and quarterly project meetings.
• Contribute to milestone reporting, Go/No-Go assessments and techno-economic evaluation of candidate materials routes.
• Present research findings at meetings and conferences and contribute to publications and IP.
• Contribute to the wider research culture of the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering.

Job description

The University of Sheffield is seeking a Research Associate in Metallurgy and Materials Characterisation to join an ARIA-funded programme developing rare-earth-free permanent magnets through protein-programmed manufacturing. You will lead the Sheffield contribution, converting protein-templated magnetic nanomaterials into dense bulk composites and characterising their structure and performance.

Based in the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, you will leverage Sheffield's