Research Assistant/ Associate in Porous Metal Manufacturing

Salary:

Research Assistant: £33,951 to £35,608 per annum

Research Associate: £36,636 to £38,784 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 16/07/2026

The Role

Green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis is a key technology for decarbonising energy storage, chemicals and steel production. However, the design of porous metal materials at the heart of these devices remains largely unexplored, and new manufacturing approaches are needed to unlock their full potential.

We are seeking an ambitious Postdoctoral Research Associate/Research Assistant to join the Electrochemical Engineering Science Group and work within Dr Daniel Niblett's team on the five-year UKRI EPSRC ION-H2 Fellowship. The programme combines computational modelling, machine learning, advanced manufacturing and electrolyser testing to develop next-generation green hydrogen technologies.

You will develop innovative manufacturing routes for structured and stochastic porous metal electrodes and transport layers using approaches such as additive manufacturing, powder metallurgy, casting, particle sintering and precision machining. These materials will then be characterised and tested in electrolysers using imaging and electrochemical techniques, with opportunities to work with collaborators specialising in advanced X-ray computed tomography.

This role offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research while developing independent research ideas within a supportive and growing team. The successful candidate will be encouraged to shape aspects of the programme, contribute to future research proposals, and develop their own research direction. The position provides an excellent platform for developing an independent academic or industrial career.

The ION-H2 programme forms part of the Niblett Group (www.danielniblett.com) and includes direct collaboration and shared resources with the Electrochemical Engineering Science Group led by Professor Mohamed Mamlouk. The group contributes to several major international projects, including:

• EPSRC Ocean Refuel - Floating offshore wind coupled to hydrogen production and novel membraneless electrolyser development, 2kW stack testing and modelling: https://www.oceanrefuel.ac.uk
• EPSRC HyPT - AEM electrolyser catalyst modelling, operando x-ray imaging and membrane development: https://hyptcenter.asu.edu
• ASTERISK - next-generation AEM membrane development: https://asteriskproject.eu

The position offers flexible working arrangements and opportunities for international collaboration with leading groups in porous material manufacturing, imaging, machine learning and electrochemical engineering. Current collaborators include UNSW Sydney (Australia), Shenzhen University (China), Eindhoven University of Technology and University of Groningen (The Netherlands), SINTEF (Norway) and Nel Hydrogen (USA) providing opportunities for research visits and international networking.

The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative environment with access to expertise spanning electrochemistry, computational modelling, advanced manufacturing and imaging. There will be opportunities to publish high-impact research, build international collaborations and contribute to future funding applications.

We recognise that excellent researchers come from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If this opportunity excites you, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every requirement listed below.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr Daniel Niblett (daniel.niblett@newcastle.ac.uk).

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles.pdf.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Find out more about the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/

Find out more about our Research Institutes: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/engineering/research/advanced-materials-electrochemical-engineering/

Contact for the post is daniel.niblett@newcastle.ac.uk

Duration of post is 24 months.

Key Accountabilities

• Develop and apply advanced manufacturing methods for porous metal structures, including additive manufacturing, particle sintering, casting and machining
• Design and fabricate porous electrodes and flow fields for water electrolysers using CAD and manufacturing tools
• Characterise porous materials and establish structure-property relationships using appropriate imaging and analysis techniques
• Conduct optical imaging and fluid flow investigations to understand the performance of manufactured structures and designed electrolysers
• Become trained in electrochemical techniques and apply these to evaluate fabricated materials in electrolyser cells

Research Assistant

• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate

Research Associate

• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

Research Assistant

• Experience with additive manufacturing or 3D printing technologies (e.g. DLP, FDM etc.) for components, flow cells or porous materials
• Experience or knowledge of metallurgy manufacturing processes such as machining, wax casting, laser melting, sintering or related fabrication techniques
• Experience with operating fluid flow cells, microfluidics, electrochemical devices or similar
• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems

In addition for Research Associate

• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

Research Assistant

• Honours degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or a related discipline

In addition for Research Associate

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, or a related discipline

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29554