PDRA/RA in Particle Modelling

Salary:

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

Research Associate: £35,116 to £38,249 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: 08 May 2025

The Role

We are delighted to be seeking a high-calibre individual to join the School of Engineering, which boasts world-leading expertise, research and education in Engineering.

The Research Associate will work on the EPSRC funded project EP/Y024052/1: ‘NNZA: Particle packing simulator for advanced energy storage materials’.  Our previous EPSRC funded project led to a spin-out company, commercialising the first of its kind instrument for particle shape characterisation, utilising high-resolution 3D reconstruction of fine particles to provide precise insights into particle morphology.

Modelling software, developed by the project investigators, enables the prediction of the functional behaviour of particulate systems. This computational model relies on unique experimental measurements of particle size and shape, captured using the OCULAR particle imaging system. The combination of software and hardware offers innovative insights into the functional behaviour and manufacturability of particulate materials.

The projects is in collaboration with the Ocular Systems and a leading battery manufacturing company. The Associate will also lead and deliver across the full range of activities consistent with the conduct of exceptional world-class research, inter alia; driving and conducting research, project management, liaising with project partners and collaborators, dissemination and deriving impact from the research, including generation of scientific outputs and further funding proposals.

This position is full time on a fixed term basis for 6 months.

Further particulars and informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr Sadegh Nadimi (sadegh.nadimi-shahraki@ncl.ac.uk )

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, 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.

Key Accountabilities

• Characterising particles supplied by the project partners using Ocular Systems technology
• Developing a DEM model for predicting packing density
• Developing algorithms and methods for processing data and turning it into output, in pursuit of the project aims
• Project management and reporting tasks, including attending and chairing meetings, time and task management, internal and external reporting
• Wider dissemination of research results, including scientific papers, presentations and contributions to web and other electronic media
• Participating in opportunities for generating wider impact from the research including leadership in developing additional funding proposals and interactions with other projects and relevant initiatives

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Research active with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment
• The ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word
• Experience in particle size and shape characterisation
• Experience in Discrete Element Modelling

Desirable

• Track record of presentations at conferences and high-quality journal publications
• Previous experience in particle characterisation
• Previous experience in DEM

Attributes and Behaviour

• Ability to work on your own initiative and to set deadlines/objectives
• Ability to work with a diverse stakeholder group including industry, academia, and other partners
• Ability to communicate clearly and appropriately
• Potential for research leadership

Qualifications

• Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject
• PhD awarded (Associate level) or nearing completion (Assistant level) in relevant subject area

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 aDisability 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: 28105