Research Associate in Polymer Engineering

Job no: 0059042
Location: Parkville
Role type: Full time; Fixed-term for 12 months
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Department/School: School of Chemistry
Salary: Level A - $77,171 - $104,717 p.a. plus 17% super

The University of Melbourne would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Peoples, the Yorta Yorta Nation, the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet and learn was the place of age-old ceremonies, of celebration, initiation and renewal, and that the local Aboriginal Peoples have had and continue to have a unique role in the life of these lands.

About - School of Chemistry
www.chemistry.unimelb.edu.au

The School of Chemistry at The University of Melbourne is one of the largest and oldest in Australia with a distinguished history in teaching and research. The first lectures in chemistry in The University of Melbourne were given in 1856, only three years after the University was founded. Since then the School has grown and developed and there are presently over 2500 undergraduates enrolled in Chemistry subjects, with more than 150 BSc (Hons), MSc and PhD research students. Teaching and undertaking research in the School are 23 continuing research and teaching staff, and over 30 research only staff, supported by a team of technical and administrative personnel.

About the Role
The position is primarily located at the School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, but it is anticipated the successful applicant will spend time at the Monash node of the Centre, located at the New Horizons Building at Monash University, as well as at industry partner facilities in Dandenong.

The overarching goal of the work is to help the Centre translate new materials into forms useful to Australian industry. Specifically:

• Developing methods to homogeneously disperse dyes and chromophores into industrial plastics for passive solar applications.
• Developing methods to laminate and process plastics into optical quality thin films.
• Helping develop methods for optical characterisation of the resultant polymers.
• Helping develop scalable methods of production for Australian industry.

The position will focus specifically on dispersion of dyes and chromophores into PVB, EVA, PMMA and poly carbonate polymer matrices. Participation in other projects may be possible, depending on performance and progress.

The successful applicant is expected to liaise with industry and with staff and students making novel dyes for use in the polymers.

About You
To be successful in this role you will have an excellent ability to work co-operatively and positively in a multi-disciplinary research-based team environment and liaise with people from diverse backgrounds. You will be confident in your organisational skills to meet deadlines and bring projects to a timely completion as well as your ability to plan and organise projects. You will also be able to develop, administer and see through to completion appropriately designed research projects with limited supervision.

You will also have:

• Completion of an MSc/MEng (or a PhD) in the areas of polymer chemistry, polymer engineering, industrial polymer processing or related field
• Demonstrated industrial experience in the field of polymer processing or related fields
• A demonstrated aptitude for research and development in an industrial context
• Desirable research experience in working and processing polymers such as EVA, polycarbonates, lucite, PMMA, Plexiglas or PVB as well as experience in characterising and QC in the polymer industry

Please note: To be considered for this role you must have current valid work rights for Australia.

About the University
The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world. We are proud of our people, our commitment to research and teaching excellence, and our global engagement.

Benefits of Working with Us
In addition to having the opportunity to grow and be challenged, and to be part of a vibrant campus life, our people enjoy a range of rewarding benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements, generous personal, parental and cultural leave
• Competitive remuneration, 17% super, salary packaging and leave loading
• Free and subsidised health and wellbeing services, and access to fitness and cultural clubs
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services including Myki cards and Qantas Club
• Career development opportunities and 25% off graduate courses for staff and their immediate families

To find out more, visit https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits .

Be Yourself
We value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

Join Us!
If you feel this role is right for you, please apply with your CV and cover letter. Please outline your suitability for the position within the cover letter. Please note that you are not required to provide responses against the selection criteria in the Position Description.

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments with the recruitment process, please contact us at [email protected] .

Applications close: 6 APRIL 2023 11:55 PM AUS Eastern Daylight Time

Position Description