King's College London

About us

Engineering:

Recently re-founded, the Department of Engineering is rapidly expanding into a world-class research and teaching department. Research currently focuses on robotics, telecommunications and biomedical engineering, but we are looking to establish new research themes.

We offer both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, with a distinctive approach, combining both traditional teaching methods with modern, project-based learning, catering for the needs of our students and the industries in which they will work.

As a new department we have invested in new laboratories and maker space at the centre of the Strand campus in the heart of central London.

For more information: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/engineering

The Faculty:

The Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (NMES) comprises Chemistry, Engineering, Informatics, Mathematics, and Physics – all departments highly rated in research activities and a wide-ranging portfolio of education programmes.

Celebrating diversity and supporting staff is important to us and we offer a range of provision including flexible working, caring support (including a Parenting and Carers Fund and the Carer’s Career Development Fund), training, and a variety of diversity and inclusion networks. Staff can apply for flexible working to help them balance the demands of their professional and personal commitments and we offer comprehensive leave policies for parental, adoption, surrogacy, dependant and shared leave.

The university is making investment in NMES and both student and staff numbers are growing. Our staff come from over 45 countries and 56% of our students are from outside the UK. Principally located on the Strand Campus in the heart of central London, further details available at www.kcl.ac.uk/nms.

About the role

This position is set within a growing research initiative supported by the prestigious UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, focusing on the development of sustainable and resilient aluminium-ion batteries. This research project will combine environmental, economic, and supply chain assessments for aluminium-ion and other next generation batteries. The project contains the following aspects:

• Sustainability & Cost Modelling: Conduct comprehensive prospective life cycle assessment and develop techno-economic models to identify environmental and economic hot spots, establishing how next-generation chemistries can become a market-ready contender to lithium-ion systems.
• Supply Chain & Material Flow Analysis: Map the critical materials supply chain for aluminium-based systems, conducting material flow analyses while evaluating the resilience of these chains against shifting geopolitics, trade agreements, and regional policies.
• Technology Expansion: Extend developed sustainability and economic frameworks to evaluate other emerging next-generation battery chemistries.

You will work at the interface of sustainability, economics, and materials science, utilising a unique co-development approach. By collaborating with an experimental team developing innovative cathode materials for aluminium-ion batteries, your research will inform materials choices and lab-scale design decisions.

You will be part of a dynamic, diverse, and growing research team with a strong focus on creating a positive and collegial group culture.  We maintain strong partnerships with researchers both in the UK and internationally, and we are looking for a candidate who is excited about working in a team and willing to travel for collaborative research visits.

We place a strong focus on career development, offering opportunities for conference participation and skills development. You will also have the opportunity to mentor PhD, MSc, and undergraduate students working in the group.

This is a full time position (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 18 months.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the   Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the   Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1.      PhD (awarded or near completion) in Environmental Engineering, Chemical/Process Engineering, Economics or other relevant degrees or equivalent research experience in an academic or commercial setting

2.      Comprehensive knowledge of life cycle assessment following the ISO 14040/44 framework

3.      Life cycle assessment software proficiency

4.      Capability in building cost models for techno-economic assessments  

5.      Theoretical understanding of electrochemical energy storage technologies and their life cycle  

6.      Ability to work independently and as part of a team, manage deadlines, and organise work effectively

7.      Proficiency in English with good communication skills (oral and written), including the ability to write research reports and academic papers  

Desirable criteria

1.      Experience in prospective life cycle assessment

2.      Material flow analysis: Experience tracing critical raw materials through supply chain frameworks 

Downloading a copy of our Job Description 

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6. 

Further Information

At King’s, we believe that the diversity of our community and a culture that is welcoming, open, inclusive and collaborative, are great strengths of the university. 

The Equality Act of 2010 protects the rights of our students and staff and provides a framework to fulfil our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and in addition, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. At times, this will include balancing rights and beliefs that can feel in tension.

We are committed to free speech and to academic freedom, believing that our foundational purpose as a university, is to create spaces where a wide range of ideas, including ideas that are controversial, can be discussed and debated, and where members of our community can express lawful views without fear of intimidation, harassment or discrimination.

When engaging in the robust exchange of ideas, we ask that our community is mindful of our Dignity at King’s guidance.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, and we recognise its growing role in professional work. Applicants may use AI tools to support preparation of their application, for example to research the role or structure written responses. However, applications must reflect the applicant’s own work and experience. AI tools should not be used during interviews or assessment activities unless this has been agreed in advance as a reasonable adjustment. Further guidance on the use of AI in recruitment can be found here.

We reserve the right to close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. While the closing date may change, all adverts will close at 23:59 to allow sufficient time for applications to be submitted on that day.

We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’ pages.

Interviews are due to be held in December.