Research Assistant / Associate in Sustainable Sludge Valorisation Technology for Closed-Loop

Salary:

Research Assistant: £32,546 to £34,132  per annum

Research  Associate £35,116 to £45,413 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: 10 April 2025

The Role

We are looking for a Research Assistant/Associate to develop a robust, carbon-neutral & cost-effective process to treat sludge and to recover valuable materials and clean water from it. It is a prosperity partnership, collaborative research project with a manufacturing and process development company located in Carlisle. This EPSRC funded project will be jointly conducted by the Chemical and Civil Engineering disciplines within the School of Engineering at Newcastle University.

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

This is a fixed term role for 22 months.

For informal enquiries, please contact Adam Harvey ADAM.HARVEY@NEWCASTLE.AC.UK

Key Accountabilities

• Design and optimise hydrothermal carbonisation technology for sludge treatment
• Develop and optimise models to simulate dynamic process operation and predict the variation in the system when changing input conditions
• Design and carry out experiments on hydrothermal carbonisation to validate the developed models
• Carry out techno-environ-economic assessments
• Work closely and courteously with the industrial partner
• Present research findings at project meetings, national and international conferences
• Support the project’s adminstrative and management duties such as organising meetings, workshop planning etc.
• Aid in the supervision of PhD and MEng research students where applicable
• Write peer reviewed publications and reports
• Analyse and interpret data to obtain new insights
• Assist with the day-to-day running of the lab

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Experience in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modelling of multiphase, heat transfer, reacting flows using ANSYS-FLUENT and/or OpenFOAM
• Experience in computer programming e.g. MATLAB/Python, Aspen-Plus
• Experience in optimisation, including operating conditions and reactor geometry
• Ability to write peer reviewed journals
• Ability to drive research agenda independently
• A high level of technical competency
• Very good laboratory skills

Desirable

• Evidence of originality, innovation, creativity and research track record including publications in high impact factor journals
• Advanced knowledge in computational fluid dynamics modelling,
• Experience in high-performance computing
• Expertise in computer programming (e.g., coding in an open-source code or writing user defined functions in commercial codes)
• Advanced knowledge in thermodynamics of reacting systems
• Evidence of working with industry
• Evidence of presenting research at national and international conferences.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Ability to work in a team
• A good level of personal organisation
• The ability to take the initiative in pursuit of agreed objectives
• Willingness to work flexibly (when appropriate) by mutual agreement
• Willingness to supervise Undergraduate, Master and PhD students
• Clear commitment to a career in research
• Willingness to travel and visit project partners
• Willingness to learn new skills where required

Desirable

• Willingness to work under pressure to achieve agreed deadlines when necessary
• Experience in disseminating research via networking events (like conferences and meetings) and social media

Qualifications

• At least 2:2 Honour degree or equivalent (for example a Master’s degree) in chemical engineering, or related subject
• PhD (or near to completion) in chemical engineering, environmental engineering or related subject

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 silver  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: 27930