Research Fellow in Sustainable Depolymerisation - School of Chemistry - 106588 - Grade 7

University of Birmingham; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK university in Birmingham seeks a Research Fellow to advance research on circular 3D printing resins. This role offers an opportunity to collaborate on a cutting-edge project managing responsibilities in research, reporting, and team support. Applicants should possess a PhD or equivalent in a relevant field, with a strong background in polymer science. The position is full-time with a fixed-term contract until March 2029, providing an inclusive and supportive academic environment.

Benefits

Family-friendly employer

Flexible working options

On-campus childcare facilities

Qualifications

• Possess a first degree in area of specialism.
• Has obtained or is preparing to defend a higher degree (PhD).
• Excellent research profile in polymerisation and depolymerisation.
• Proven experience in thermomechanical characterisation of polymers.

Responsibilities

• Undertake research into the design of resins for circular 3D printing.
• Produce regular project reports and presentations.
• Supervise research students and maintain equipment.
• Participate in collaborative meetings with project partners.

Skills

Research experience in polymer science

Analytical capability

Ability to communicate complex information clearly

Team collaboration

Interdisciplinary research interest

Education

PhD or equivalent in relevant field

First degree in area of specialism

Tools

NMR

IR

Chromatography

DSC

TGA

Tensile testing

Job description

Position Details

School of Chemistry

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to March 2029

Closing date: 6th January 2026

UK and International travel may be required for this role

Interviews are likely to be held between 15th and 23rd January 2026

Background

To create and contribute to the creation of knowledge on the European Commission-funded research project entitled ‘Circular Light-Based 3D Printable Lipoate-based Polymers’.

We are looking for a Research Fellow to work on advancing the state-of-the-art in the design of fully circular 3D printing resins. In particular, this project will focus on enhancing the depolymerisation process, as well as advancing our resin design to enable more facile circularisation. The project will be hosted in the group of Prof. Andrew Dove in the School of Chemistry and is part of an ERC advanced grant project.

You will have appropriate research experience to undertake this project, alongside a proven ability to conduct and publish research in polymer science.

The Research Fellow is expected to contribute to a wide range of research activities, under the direction of the Principal Investigator (PI), Professor Andrew Dove, responding to academic needs and timelines as required.

The School of Chemistry at the University of Birmingham is a vibrant and thriving academic community, with over 100 academic and research staff, 20 professional services staff and over 600 students. We provide an inclusive and supportive environment where we strive to support every member of staff in realising their career potential. With a strong focus on our four Research Themes of Energy, Sustainability, Environment and Health, and a number of interdisciplinary Interest Groups serving as testbeds to explore new and emerging areas of interest, we are a dynamic place to work. We have ambitious plans to expand our research activity and are in an exciting period of growth: major investment from the University will deliver a state-of-the-art research building (opening in 2023/24), and new multi-million pound high-performance computing facilities, which will ensure UK-leading compute capability. These investments build on a major recent expansion of our academic staff and investment in our teaching and learning provision, with our Collaborative Teaching Laboratory, which opened September 2018, already revolutionising how we teach undergraduate practical chemistry.

The University is a family-friendly employer and the School of Chemistry welcomes flexible working to suit family or other commitments. The University has on-campus childcare facilities. The School of Chemistry holds an Athena SWAN Bronze Award in recognition of its work in promoting women’s careers in STEM subjects in higher education.

Role Summary

• To undertake research into the design of resins for circular 3D printing, including depolymerisation of printed materials under the supervision of Prof. Andrew Dove.
• To produce regular reports pertaining to the project as requested; attend regular project meetings; give regular presentations to the group; write papers for publication in peer reviewed scientific journals.
• To work as part of a team and play an active role in the Dove research group, participating in all group meetings and activities. You may help to supervise research students, be responsible for installation and maintenance of equipment and training of personnel on equipment.
• Participate in the collaborative meetings and work with the project collaborators.

Main Duties

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

• Perform research and collect data in the specified area to a high level of competency and quality
• Maintain a high level of knowledge of the immediate and surrounding literature
• Contribute to developing new ideas, directions, techniques and methods in order to advance the project and enhance its quality
• Analyse and interpret data generated from all aspects of the project
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Contribute to writing scientific papers and bids for research funding
• Disseminate research findings by presentation in a range of fora from group meetings to research seminars and conferences etc
• Provide guidance and supervision to support staff and students in the group
• Undertake management/administration arising from research including organising project review meetings and seminars
• 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
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines
• Promote equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• Possess a first degree in area of specialism
• Has obtained or is preparing to defend a higher degree (PhD) relevant to research area or equivalent qualifications
• Excellent research profile in the area of polymerisation and depolymerisation
• High level analytical capability and experience in use of characterisation of polymers by a range of techniques including NMR, IR, chromatography etc
• Proven experience in thermomechanical characterisation of polymers by methodologies such as (but not limited to) DSC, TGA, tensile testing etc
• Interest in interdisciplinary research and willingness to learn new techniques
• Ability to keep up to date with new developments in the fields relevant to the project
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team on research programmes.
• Adept at analysing and interpreting data
• Able to apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Excellent writing skills and record of success in published papers
• 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 Andrew Dove, email: [e-mail]

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyoneon our website.