College of Engineering, Mathematics & Physical Sciences
This new full-time post is available from 1 April 2021 on a fixed term basis for three years.
Interviews will be held on Tuesday 9th March.
The post
The College wishes to recruit a Research Fellow to support the work of Dr Xiaoyu Yan on the ESIF project “Off-Grid Rural EV Charger with Biohest” and the UKRI Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Centre in Technology Metals (TechMetCE). The ESIF project will research, develop and demonstrate technologies that will enable biomethane sourced from farm slurry and other organic waste materials, such as cut grass, to be efficiently stored and used to deliver rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging in rural locations (without access to the power grid) and EV charging in combination with bioheat for space/water heating and cooking in off-gas-grid domestic dwellings. Led by the University of Exeter, TechMetCE will explore how to create a circular economy for the technology metals such as cobalt, rare earths and lithium. The Centre aims to develop a new cycle, right from the first stages of extraction, to enable secure and environmentally-acceptable circulation of these crucial materials within the UK economy.
The successful applicant will oversee environmental sustainability assessment cross the thematic areas of TechMetCE and the development of a life cycle assessment (LCA) based model to estimate the potential reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by deploying EV charger technologies with biomethane for bioheat across Cornwall. They will be working in growing and interdisciplinary Exeter Energy, Environment and Economy (4E) research group. They will also be expected to attend project meetings, national and international conferences, and to contribute to dissemination and training activities.
About you
The successful applicant will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and will be a nationally recognised authority in LCA research methods and software tools and databases and possess in-depth understanding of energy and materials systems and technologies to enable the development of new knowledge and understanding within the field. In addition, the successful applicant will provide academic leadership to research teams, lead and develop internal and external networks and develop links with external contacts in order to foster collaboration and generate income. Applicants will be able to effectively work with academic and business partners to collect and synthesize data for LCA based environmental assessment.
The EV Charger with Bioheat Project is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), part of the England 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) Growth Programme, and Cornwall Council.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment above.
The University of Exeter is a Russell Group university in the top 200 of universities worldwide. We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, and have achieved a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2017. We have over 22,000 students and 4600 staff from 180 different countries and have been rated the WhatUni2017 International Student Choice. Our research focuses on some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today, with 98% of our research rated as being of international quality in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework. We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students.
What we can offer you
For further information please contact Dr Xiaoyu Yan, e-mail Xiaoyu.Yan@exeter.ac.uk or telephone 01326 259485.