The Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design is looking for talented and highly motivated individuals to join our world leading interdisciplinary team to drive a design revolution for functional materials at the atomic scale by fusing chemical knowledge with state-of-the-art computer science. We have a number of exciting PDRA and PhD opportunities for candidates with backgrounds in Chemistry, Computer Science, Physics, Engineering, or Materials Science.

The global importance of this vision exceeds computer-aided design for large-scale engineering structures, which has transformed modern society. The Centre will help to bridge the current design gap by fusing leading-edge synthesis concepts from the physical sciences with ideas from the forefront of computer science, alongside experts in robotics, engineering, management and social science. This discipline mix will transform our ability to design and synthesize new materials, which has far reaching implications for society. Instead of targeting specific materials or their applications, our goal is to change the way that we approach the design problem. This needs new tools, long-term thinking, and the right working environment.

Research Fellow in Robotics and Automation 

As Theme Lead for robotics and automation, you will pro-actively progress this research theme, using your own initiative and knowledge and through discussion with the centre leadership team and broad research community within the centre. This post will suit an ambitious scientist motivated to produce step-change advances in new materials by implementing new robotic and automation protocols. A specific early focus will be mobile ‘robot chemists’ for autonomous materials discovery. A video that gives an indication of our recent progress can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehjMBDFhZ5A&feature=youtu.be  

For more information and how to apply click here Closing date: 16 January 2019

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Design, Crystal Growth and Physical Characterisation of New Materials

A post-doctoral research associate (PDRA) position is available in the Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design to identify new materials with unusual electronic, magnetic and topological ground states, and carry out advanced physical measurements, including collaboration with external partners (e.g., Professor S.S.P. Parkin’s group at the Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics in Halle).

For more information and how to apply click here Closing date: 7 January 2019

Postdoctoral Research Associate: Design, Thin Film Growth And Physical Characterisation Of New Materials With Exotic Electronic And Topological Ground States 

A post-doctoral research associate position is available in the Leverhulme Research Centre for Functional Materials Design to design and grow thin films of new materials with unusual electronic, magnetic and topological ground states, and carry out advanced physical measurements on these new systems. The programme will exploit our experience in growing artificial heterostructures and superlattices in thin film form using RHEED-monitored pulsed laser deposition methods to access the targeted materials. The identification of the materials will involve engagement with the extensive computational team in the Centre, and with strong complementary film growth capability at our partner institutions. The project involves extensive collaboration with the Centre’s external partners (e.g., Professor S.S.P. Parkin’s group at the Max Planck Institute for Microstructure Physics in Halle) and use of international facilities. 

 For more information and how to apply click here Closing date: 7 January 2019

PhD Opportunities

The Centre offers a unique range of doctoral projects in a rich interdisciplinary training environment. https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/leverhulme-research-centre/research-opportunities-and-training/phd-opportunities/ 

• Optimal search strategies for automated, robotic material discovery

• Robotic formulation of solar fuel photocatalysts

• • Robot chemists for organic synthesis

• Mobile robot chemists for autonomous solar fuels research

• Mobile robot chemists for discovery crystalline materials
• Discovery of new intermetallics (Ref: LRC1901)
• Discovery of high-temperature superconductors using Deep Learning
• Deep Learning with main target to Discover High-Temperature Superconductors
• Discovery of solid electrolytes for new battery technology using Deep Learning
• Deep Learning with main target to Discover Solid Electrolytes for New Battery Technology
• Designing efficient search strategies for new materials discovery
• Designing efficient search strategies for new materials