Research Associate in Ionic Liquids and Circular Textiles

The Department of Chemical Engineering is seeking a Research Associate to join a project funded by the UKRI “Research for a plastics circular economy” call (EP/Y003888/1 ) to carry out research programmes in the development of novel technologies for textile recycling, including the use of ionic liquids for circular dyeing. We are tackling two of the largest current environmental problems – plastic waste and water pollution caused by the textile industry.

Textiles for clothing are a major user of plastics, in which the plastic component is frequently combined with natural fibres such as cotton and wool. 62 million tonnes of plastic are used annually in the textile industry, comprising a major, but hidden, contributor to the plastic waste issue. In the UK alone, >1 M tonnes of textile waste are generated annually.

You will focus on assessing the feasibility and advantages of recycling both dyes and fibres separated from multi-material textile waste. The approach will involve separation of cotton from PET, the recovery of fibres from polycotton blends and the removal and re-use of dyes in a circular textile dyeing process. Ionic liquids will be explored as novel solvents in each case, with the end goal an integrated process to recycle as much textile material as possible. The project will be performed in collaboration with industrial partners, most notably DyeRecycle (www.dyerecycle.co).

You will execute world-leading, academic research with a high degree of independence and enjoy interdisciplinary collaboration with other researchers and industrial partners. You will undertake project management, supervise small multi-disciplinary teams and is expected to submit high-quality publications to refereed journals.

You will carry out experiments geared toward the use of ionic liquid for the separation of polycotton blends to recover fibres and integrate dye extraction and circular dyeing approaches. This will include developing experimental apparatus for textile separation, dye extraction and fibre recovery. You will collect data on fibre properties and fibre analysis. You will evaluate decolourization efficiency and dyeing efficiency of waste and re-dyed textile materials.

You will plan the research in collaboration with Prof Jason Hallett, identifying suitable techniques. You will collaborate with academic and industrial research partners, including the University of Huddersfield and the start-up company DyeRecycle.

You will draft scientific publications for submission to refereed journals and IP disclosures and patents. You will also present your work orally and in writing to collaborations, industrial partners, potential investors and at conferences.

• A PhD degree (or equivalent) in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry or a related discipline


• Experience in the use of ionic liquids


• Experience in plastic or textile recycling and material analysis


• Ability to deliver technical reports/presentations to a range of audiences

*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant within the salary range £40,694 – £43,888 per annum.

You can start immediately and the contract will run for 32 months in the first instance, with the possibility of extension subject to research funding. The post is based in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London (South Kensington Campus).

Informal enquiries about the post can be made to Professor Jason Hallett ([email protected] )

To apply, please select the Apply Now button at the top of this page.  Candidates will need to complete an online application. 

Further information about the post is available in the job description.

Should you have any queries about the application process please contact [email protected] .

Closing date: Midnight on Monday 11th March 2024

For technical issues when applying online please email [email protected]

The College is currently trialling a Work Location Framework until early 2023.  Hybrid working may be considered for this role and the role holder may be expected to work 60% or more of their time onsite, with 40% the minimum time spent onsite.  The opportunity for hybrid working will be discussed at interview.

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA),which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level.

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