Postdoctoral Research Associate/Fellow

Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy

This new full time post is available from 1 May 2024 on a 1 year fixed term basis.

The post

The University of Exeter wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate/Fellow to conduct a joint research programme at the forefront of high entropy ceramics R & D, under supervision of Prof. Shaowei Zhang (Exeter). This EPSRC funded post is available from 1 May 2024 for 1 year.

The successful applicant will conduct first principles calculations (DFT) to support the advancement of a comprehensive scientific understanding of high entropy ceramics, encompassing high entropy carbides, borides, and similar compounds. This will involve delving into their compositional space and investigating properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, among others. Additionally, they will be tasked with innovating a novel flux and field co-assisted method for synthesising these materials in powder form, thereby confirming the hypotheses generated from DFT calculations.

About you

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in materials, physics, chemistry, or a related field of study. For Fellow level the successful applicant will likely to be a nationally recognised authority in materials modelling/simulation. Applicants will possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required, and make presentations at conferences and other events. Applicants will have substantial experience in materials calculations/simulations, coupled with a strong background in materials processing.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career

• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024).  We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today.  More than 99 percent

 of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 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. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community. 

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Further information

For further information please contact Prof. Shaowei Zhang, e-mail [email protected] or telephone (01392) 725276.