The Condensed Matter Physics group, at the University of Manchester is seeking a Research Associate in Computational Materials Science / Computational Physics, funded by the European Research Council.

The computational project focuses on the study of the dielectric properties of confined and interfacial water using state-of-the-art computational approaches. Such properties are fundamental in influencing water structuring, dynamics and all water-mediated interactions with a major impact in many disciplines, from physics, surface and materials science to chemistry and biology. Yet, they have remained unknown so far for great difficulties in measuring and predicting them. Recent experiments carried out by the group have found that few layers of water confined between van der Waals crystals have anomalous dielectric behaviour (Fumagalli et al. Science 360, 1339-1342, 2018).

The project aims at understanding the origin of such dielectric behaviour and in answering fundamental questions about how water polarizes near surfaces. This is an ambitious research project with a strong interdisciplinary and ground-breaking nature in a vibrant research group in collaboration with the group of Prof. Angelos Michaelides at UCL in London (http://www.chem.ucl.ac.uk/ice).

You are required to have a PhD or equivalent in physics, chemistry, materials science or a closely related discipline, and be focused on developing and applying theoretical models of dielectric polarization of water under confinement in close relation with the experiments of the group. You will have experience with ab initio methods such as density functional theory molecular dynamics calculations. Experience with problems applied to 2D materials or water research will be considered an asset.

For more information and to apply please see: 

https://www.jobs.manchester.ac.uk/displayjob.aspx?jobid=17488

Enquiries about vacancy shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Dr Laura Fumagalli

Email: [email protected]