Research Associate/Fellow in Engineered Silk Manufacturing and Optical Fibre Technologies

University of Bath

Bath, United Kingdom

GBP 39,560 to 57,666 per year

About the role

Join the HOLLOW SILK project, an ambitious research project funded by the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) through its Universal Fabricators programme. HOLLOW SILK aims to develop a novel manufacturing platform based on engineered silk, for the production of microstructured optical fibres. By combining expertise in biomaterials, fibre manufacturing, chemistry, photonics and engineering, the project will establish innovative routes to advanced materials and structures that are difficult, or even impossible, to achieve using conventional manufacturing technologies.

The two positions will play complementary roles within the team. We anticipate appointing at least one Research Associate, and are particularly keen for the other appointment to be made at Research Fellow level, with responsibility for providing technical leadership across the programme. The Technical Lead will help to drive rapid innovation in the programme, coordinate activities between the University of Bath and our international partners and contribute to the strategic direction and delivery of the project, as well as supporting funding bids.

The team and environment

Based within the Centre for Photonics at the University of Bath, you will work alongside Professor William Wadsworth, Dr Rox Middleton and Dr Soraya Caixeiro, and collaborate with leading international partners including Professor Fiorenzo Omenetto and Dr Giulia Guidetti (Silklab, Tufts University) and Dr David Breslauer (USA). The project will be based within the Centre for Photonics at the University of Bath, providing a highly collaborative environment.

The successful candidates will join a highly interdisciplinary and international team. Alongside the two University of Bath postdoctoral researchers, the project includes three further postdoctoral researchers based at Tufts University, a research technician at the University of Bath, and programme administrator, providing significant opportunities for collaboration, exchange of expertise and international engagement.

Researchers will also have access to relevant entrepreneurship and professional development opportunities.

In this role you will

• Develop novel silk-based materials and fabrication processes for advanced fibre technologies.
• Plan and deliver experimental research, including materials characterisation and data analysis.
• Contribute to the optimisation of material performance and manufacturing approaches.
• Publish high-quality research and present findings at conferences and project meetings.
• Work collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team spanning the UK and USA.

About you

We are looking for creative, ambitious researchers who are excited by tackling challenging problems, developing new technologies and working across disciplinary boundaries.

You should hold, or be close to completing, a PhD in Materials Science, Biomaterials, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics or a closely related discipline.

For applicants appointable at Grade 8, additional responsibilities will include providing technical leadership, coordinating research activities across partner institutions, supporting project delivery as well as supporting funding bids, and helping to shape the scientific direction of the programme.