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Knowledge Transfer Partnership: Postdoctoral Research Associate (R&D Innovation Scientist) in Advanc

Employer
University of Leeds
Location
Leeds, United Kingdom
Salary
£30,000 to £35,000 p.a.
Closing date
Jun 6, 2022
Please note, to apply for this role you must have a PhD, or be close to completing a PhD in a physical science or engineering subject

Having completed your PhD in physical science or engineering, would you like to develop further by leading a project at the industry/academia interface?

Do you have a background in advanced X-ray characterisation of materials and their surfaces?

This position will enable you to be at the forefront of innovative product development in a prominent and sector leading company, addressing the challenges that arise from uncontrolled surface deposit formation in engines.

The University of Leeds has an exciting opportunity for you to 'fast-track' a career in industry by leading a high-profile, strategically important project from start to completion. Through a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) you will work with a multinational industry-leading company, Infineum International Ltd.

and a team of expert academics at the School of Chemical and Process Engineering. You will apply advanced X-ray characterisation techniques (e.g. X-ray absorption and photoelectron spectroscopies, synchrotron X-ray imaging) to determine the fundamental molecular processes governing the formation of unwanted surface deposits that increase engine wear, friction and lubricant degradation. Working in the industrial R&D teams you will use this knowledge to develop new products to combat these challenges.

You will be based at Infineum's R&D laboratory in Milton Hill, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and embedded within an R&D team of technologists who will assist in the development of key project outputs. You will also have access to University of Leeds facilities and will work closely with the academic team at Leeds to develop methodologies and embed key findings into the company. In addition, you will spend some of your time at our collaborative partners Diamond Light Source , the UK's national synchrotron facility.

The initial challenge in this KTP will be to address recently discovered hard mineral deposits that are formed in hybrid internal combustion engines, which lead to excessive wear and more frequent lubricant changes. Your X-ray analytical work will enable: the determination of the structural and chemical nature of deposits; development of structure-performance relationships; creation of novel chemical additives to meet unmet market needs; and introduce novel methodologies into new product development that will accelerate new product development. These outputs will provide Infineum with a significant technical and commercial advantage over its competitors and demonstrate a clear technical excellence to its customer base. Your work will also establish a new methodology for fundamental research on complex real-world surface and interface processes. Through publications you will push the frontiers of applied surface and interface science and open up new opportunities for similar research in other industry sectors and across academic discipline boundaries.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Academic Supervisors

Dr Elizabeth A. Willneff, Senior Research Fellow & Versatile X-ray Spectroscopy Facility Manager
Email: E.A.Willneff@leeds.ac.uk

Professor Sven L. M. Schroeder, Bragg Centenary Chair in Engineering Applications of Synchrotron Radiation
Email: S.L.M.Schroeder@leeds.ac.uk

Company Supervisor

Dr Nathan Hollingsworth, Senior Technologist (Infineum)
Email: Nathan.Hollingsworth@infineum.com

KTP Office

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