Research Fellow: Lithium Battery Recycling Innovation

1000scholars; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Birmingham invites applications for a fixed-term Research Fellow within the Energy Materials Group (EMG) in the School of Metallurgy and Materials. The project, HERMES, develops safe shredding and material-recovery methods for lithium-metal batteries, building on Recyclus Group Ltd's and the University’s capabilities.

You will identify passivation, discharge, shredding, and separation methods, contribute to bid-writing, and support the industrial scale-up to create a UK LMB

Qualifications

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in a Science or Engineering discipline relevant to the project.
• Hold, or be close to completion of, a PhD in an area relevant to materials recycling, battery manufacture, minerals or process engineering, chemistry, or mechanical, electronic or chemical engineering.
• Demonstrated analytical capability and ability to communicate complex information clearly in an interdisciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Design and carry out experimental work to identify safe discharge and passivation methods for reactive lithium-metal battery chemistries.
• Investigate shredding parameters and processing atmospheres suitable for safely handling LMB cells.
• Develop and evaluate materials separation and recovery methods for shredded battery output streams, assessing recovery efficiency and purity.
• Generate data to inform industrial partner shredder redesign and process scale-up, working with their engineering team.
• Conduct safety and hazard assessments of materials and processes.
• Contribute technical input to life-cycle assessment of shredding/passivation routes.
• Prepare technical reports, publications, and conference outputs arising from the research.
• Support supervision of postdoctoral and technician staff and contribute to day-to-day laboratory coordination.

Skills

Analytical capability

Communication of complex information

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Coordination of own work

Resource assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science or Engineering

PhD near completion in materials recycling / battery manufacture / minerals or process engineering / chemistry / mechanical engineering

Job description

University of Birmingham invites applications for a fixed-term Research Fellow within the Energy Materials Group (EMG) in the School of Metallurgy and Materials. The project, HERMES, develops safe shredding and material-recovery methods for lithium-metal batteries, building on Recyclus Group Ltd's and the University’s capabilities.

You will identify passivation, discharge, shredding, and separation methods, contribute to bid-writing, and support the industrial scale-up to create a UK LMB