Job description

Job summary

We are seeking a Research Associate to join the Mechanics of Infrastructure Materials group in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, to work on improving our understanding of hydrogen-assisted failures using experimental methods. As part of an EPRI funded project, you will have access to innovative equipment for characterising the susceptibility of metals to hydrogen embrittlement, from both mechanical and electrochemical perspectives. You will work under the supervision of Dr Emilio Martínez-Pañeda.

Hydrogen embrittlement is arguably the biggest threat to the deployment of a hydrogen energy infrastructure and the cause of numerous structural integrity problems in the transport, defence, marine and construction sectors. When exposed to hydrogen, metallic materials exhibit a significant drop in ductility and fracture toughness (of up to 90%). There is a need to improve our understanding of the underlying physics governing hydrogen embrittlement so as to guide design and operation and develop novel scientific solutions to this pressing problem.

Duties and responsibilities

You will be responsible for conducting a wide variety of experimental tasks, including (but not limited to) mechanical testing, microscopy (SEM), hydrogen permeation (both gaseous and electrochemical), electrochemical charging, and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). You will also take part in collaborative work, join in the activities of the research group, submit publications to reputed journals and liaise with academic collaborators and sponsors.

Essential requirements

• PhD (or near completion of) in materials science, engineering, physics, chemistry, or other closely-related fields, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience


• Experience in materials engineering


• Ability to conduct experimental testing


• Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature


• Willingness to work as part of a team and to be open-minded and cooperative

Further information

This is a full time, fixed term post for 12 months. The starting date is relatively flexible, with a preference for the period July-September 2023.

For informal enquiries about the post please contact Dr Emilio Martínez-Pañeda e.martinez-paneda@imperial.ac.uk

For queries regarding the recruitment process please contact Briony Webb on b.webb@imperial.ac.uk

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 - £41,388 per annum.

Full details of the post are contained within the job description. Please make sure to upload a CV and a cover letter with your application.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds and disabilities. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments to participate in the interview process and to perform crucial job functions, as well as other support including staff networks. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Benefits

As Imperial College staff, in addition to a competitive salary and package of attractive terms and conditions of service, we offer many more benefits to enjoy. This includes career development tailored to your ambitions, an attractive pension scheme, and generous family leave packages. We have a flexible, supportive work environment and encourage you to achieve and maintain a healthy work-life balance!

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes which are ultimately aimed towards finding new treatments and making scientific and medical advances, and where there are no satisfactory or reasonably practical alternatives to their use. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. Find out more about animal research at Imperial.

Documents

• Job Description Research Associate ENG02598.pdf