Research Associate Experimental Assessment of Geological Electricity Storage: Testing the GeoBattery concept

Applications are invited for a Research Associate to join the Novel Reservoir Monitoring, Modelling and Simulation (NORMS ) Laboratory in the Department of Earth Science and Engineering . 

This is an exciting opportunity for a talented individual to work within a large multi-disciplinary research group, developing and applying advanced experimental techniques to problems of broad interest and significance in Earth Science.  The post is sponsored by TotalEnergies and the successful applicant will work closely with researchers based at the TotalEnergies laboratories.  There is a high probability that the project will be extended, subject to successful completion of the planned research.

You will use experimental methods to deliver the first ‘proof of concept’ of a novel approach to very large-scale storage of electrical energy in natural underground geological reservoirs. Efficient, cost-effective technology for large-scale electricity storage is essential to manage the intermittency of renewable supply.  Underground storage in geological reservoirs offers use of natural materials in-situ at very large-scale.  The project will test the concept of a ‘geobattery’ comprising two porous sandstone reservoirs that are naturally separated by a shale or mudstone layer that acts as a semi-permeable membrane.  You will use and extend existing experimental methods and apparatus developed in the NORMS Laboratory that provides a close analogue for the geobattery concept.

To be eligible for this position you must meet the following criteria:

• You should possess a PhD, or equivalent, in a subject area such as Physics, Chemistry, Engineering or Geoscience.
• You should have experience of experimental procedures involving electrical charge storage and transport through porous materials.
• You should have a theoretical understanding of aqueous geochemistry relevant to charge transport through porous materials.
• Experience of experiments using natural materials such as rocks and brines would be advantageous.

This is a fixed term post for up to 12 months in the first instance. 

Informal inquiries about the position can be made to Professor Matthew D. Jackson (+44 20775946538 / [email protected] ). 

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.

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/animal-research / 

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We therefore encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender identity, sex, or sexual orientation. We are an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Disability Confident Leader and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

 Closing date: Friday 23rd February 2024

To apply, visit www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs and search by the job reference ENG02945.