17 Postdoctoral Fellowship at University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England

Are you an ambitious researcher interested in gaining deeper insight into the physical process governing premixed flame instability? Do you have an established background in experimental laser measurement and combustion science? Do you want to further your career in one of the UKs leading research-intensive Universities?

You will work on a multidisciplinary project funded by the EPSRC programme with Dr Junfeng Yang to investigate the instability of premixed flames under laminar and turbulent conditions. You will develop a state-of-the-art laser diagnostics capturing the instantaneous flame propagation, and surrounding flow fields in the experimental tests performed at the Bradley combustion laboratory at the University of Leeds.

Are you an ambitious and enthusiastic researcher with an interest in human behaviour and advanced data analytics or modelling? Do you have a passion for tackling complex problems such as traffic safety and efficiency, from their theoretical inception to their real-world application? Would you like to collaborate with a team of researchers who are at the forefront of research in traffic psychology, and who have in recent years pushed the envelope towards understanding and modelling how human road users interact with each other, with automated vehicles, and with the infrastructure?

Road transport is central to society all over the world yet remains severely negatively affected by problems such as crashes and congestion. These problems not only affect travellers, but also generate social and economic losses to society, thus requiring measures in the form of traffic policies, infrastructure investments and novel technological solutions. In order to properly design and evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions, a better understanding of road user behaviour is required, building on real-world data and solid theoretical foundations.

This Research Fellow position is a collaboration between the School of Civil Engineering and the University of Leeds Virtuocity centre for city simulation. Drawing on the broad cross-disciplinary makeup of our existing research, you will be able to shape the research topic according to your interests. You might for example choose to focus on analysing and learning from large datasets, or on computational modelling of human behaviour.

Do you have a strong technical background in Surfactants and Corrosion Science and Engineering? Are you interested in working with industry to develop methodologies to better characterise/understand surfactant corrosion inhibition behaviour and mechanisms?

This project focuses on the development and implementation of novel technologies to improve the understanding of surfactant partitioning and inhibition mechanism in CO2-containing aqueous media. The study builds on successful work at the University of Leeds where we have developed methods to understand role and performance of corrosion inhibitors in suppressing both general and localised corrosion of carbon steel across a variety of demanding corrosive environments.

The aim of the study is to utilise existing methods developed over the course of previous PhD projects to provide a deeper insight into behaviour of inhibitors in multi-phase systems. Specific attention is directed towards the partitioning of inhibitors between phases, and preferential adsorption of surfactants to steel/corrosion product/mineral-electrolyte interfaces.

The project will involve the use of corrosion test cells with electrochemical measurement as well as the use of analytical techniques such as Liquid Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS).

Are you an early career researcher looking for your first challenge? Do you have a background in Cement and Concrete Research? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities?

The overarching aim of this research project is understanding the formation and solid solutions of novel monophase and polyphase cement clinkers. The outcomes intend to enable industrial manufacturing of fast-reacting clinker from side streams such as steel slags.

The role involves high-temperature synthesis of monophase and polyphase clinkers with different heating and cooling regimes, followed by phase assemblage and microstructure characterisation to deliver the optimal clinker composition required for the best hydration characteristics. Furthermore, you will develop thermodynamic descriptions of calcium ferrites and ferritic clinkers, also incorporating minor elements.

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have a background in Tribology, Surfaces, Interfaces or Coatings, in particular tribology in electric vehicle transmission systems? Are you interested in developing new skills and working with a large consortium of industrial partners?

We are looking for an enthusiastic researcher with expertise in coating tribology in electric vehicles in the Institute of Functional Surfaces (iFS) to work on the work package related to the Excellence in Conceptual Evolution of Electric Drives (ExCEED) project.

You will lead the experimental investigation of the coating tribology work on the transmission system. You will investigate the compatibility of lubricants and coatings at the lab scale and support the manufacturing of the full-scale component tests with other colleagues and the other project partners. You will also be investigating the failure mechanisms by the advanced surface analyses techniques. You will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with other researchers to develop new learning materials and to disseminate the project findings via publications, presentations and other recognised forms. You will also attend and contribute to organizing regular meetings and the local data management plan.

This project focuses on the development and implementation of novel technologies to improve the understanding of corrosion processes in CO2-containing aqueous media, as well as associated methods of corrosion control via the use of surfactant-based chemistries. The study builds on successful work at the University of Leeds where we have developed methods to understand role and performance of corrosion inhibitors in suppressing both general and localised corrosion of carbon steel across a variety of demanding corrosive environments.

The aim of the study is to advance existing methods developed over the course of previous PhD projects to provide a deeper insight into processes influencing the performance of inhibitors in mitigating general and localised corrosion. Specific attention is directed towards the presence of corrosion products/mineral scale deposits and the role they pay in initiating/accelerating localised attack in the presence and absence of inhibitors.

The overarching aim of this research project is understanding the hydration of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) based cements. The ideal candidate will be experienced in cement hydration, inorganic materials characterisation, and writing of scientific/technical publications and reports.

The role involves studying the hydration kinetics of monophase and polyphase CSA-based cements produced from industrial residues and in the presence of mineral and chemical additives. You will study the microstructure and pore solution of hydrated cement materials over a period as well as conduct leaching experiments (in accordance with standards) to determine the mobilisation of minor elements from a solid product; this will demonstrate the safety of cement products produced from wastes, resolving any questions of potential ecotoxicity, and also enable safe disposal of hazardous wastes using novel cements.

Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have an established background in Experimental UHV Scanning Probe Microscopy? Do you want to further your career in one of the UKs leading research-intensive Universities?

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral Research Associate/Fellow to work on the development of protocols and strategies for the ultra-high resolution imaging and force mapping of single atoms and molecules using scanning probe microscopes.

The project will extend previously published work [Sweetman et al. Nature Communications 7, 10621 (2016)] to a more sophisticated methodology involving the complex 3D mapping of tips functionalised with complex organic molecules, and their interactions with novel self-assembled molecular monolayers.

Are you an early career researcher looking for your first challenge? Do you have a background in Cement Research? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities?

Magnesium is the 7th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and the 3rd most abundant element in solution in seawater. Therefore, MgO-based cements are a realistic low-carbon alternative to Portland cement, especially considering the development in technologies to extract MgO from silicates and/or brine, as well as processes to carbonate and/or chlorinate magnesium compounds or ions.

The post-holder will work to develop novel sustainable processes and binders as well as re-establish and advance currently unappreciated binders of the past, for the technical as well as economic improvement of MgO-based cements and associated supply chains.

The University of Leeds is undertaking world leading applied health and social care research: we address questions that matter to and benefit people using or delivering care and services. We are a centre of excellence for social care research, hosting an interdisciplinary partnership between care organisations, the university and local authority: Nurturing Innovation in Care Home Excellence in Leeds (NCHE-Leeds).

We have an exciting opportunity for an ambitious Research Fellow to join our team, working on a study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research. The study will address a national and urgent priority for social care, focusing on potential solutions to address the workforce crisis. The study will develop understanding around how to increase the number and diversity of the male care worker workforce. This topic was raised by the sector, and a wide range of stakeholders were involved in developing the study, including the public, frontline social care staff, care organisation managers, and policy makers. Increasing the number and diversity of male care workers is crucial for ensuring the workforce a) meets the increasing and varied care demands of the population, b) better reflects the mix of adults who require support and care, and c) comprises a mix of talent, skill and experience. The study will utilise mixed methods (evidence review, quantitative and qualitative). 

Do you hold a PhD in the area of recycling mineral industrial waste (i.e., fly ash, steel slag) for use in cementitious materials? Are you looking to kick start your research career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities?

The shift in steel production in the UK towards the low-carbon Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) processes is accompanied with an increase in the EAF slag generated for which currently only limited use exists as low-value recycling in backfilling and road embankments.

The selected candidate will lead experimental work between the University of Leeds and industrial partners, aiming to characterise the EAF slag generated at UK steel factories, activating it for use as a binder in non-load bearing construction products, and finally optimizing the mix design to fit the industry specifications of the desired products. The project is in collaboration with a major UK steel producer and a major EU construction material producer.

Do you have a background in gas or multiphase flows for energy applications, or corrosion and colloid science? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities?

We require a future research leader to join us on two related projects, focused on improving our understanding of pipeline flows and corrosion science for net zero energy applications. Firstly, you will be working with Roemex Ltd to establish how polymeric corrosion inhibitors impact the release of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) in hydrothermal wells. You will also be investigating how we can develop new lead abatement solutions using novel agitated plug flow reactors.

Do you have a background crossing the disciplines of mechanical engineering and plant science? Do you have strong design skills for creating surfaces and structures that can be applied to studying plant growth?

This is a short-term position to evaluate potential designs to study the interaction of plant and mycorrhizal fungi. The symbiotic relationship between these is responsible for an asymmetric transfer of minerals from the soil to the plant and transfer of energy from the plant to the fungi. This is important in many crops including cultivated species. Here we wish to use your skills in designing and creating microfluidic devices to allow a detailed understanding of this interaction to be elucidated.

Are you a researcher in early language or cognitive development with expertise in collecting and analysing data? Are you interested in innovative models of family support aiming to reduce inequalities? Would you like to contribute to an exciting, interdisciplinary research project focused on improving outcomes for children and families in Leeds?

The My First 1000 Days project aims to improve the development and life chances of children born into some of the most disadvantaged communities in Leeds. Funded by a substantial donation from an individual donor, it harnesses interdisciplinary expertise from research groups across the University and from a range of regional and international partners. It will determine the feasibility of implementing the Centering-Based Group Care model with new parents/primary caregivers and their 0–2-year-olds in Leeds. Outcomes will influence and inform national policy and practice on how supporting early parenting can strengthen language and cognitive development, healthy behaviours, and the flourishing of disabled children.

Are you an ambitious postdoctoral researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you want to further your career in one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities? Do you have an established background in one or more of the following areas: bioaccessibility and bioavailability of nutrients; nutrient transport mechanisms; regulation of nutritional status?

We are looking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Human Mineral Metabolism to work on a project exploring the mechanisms controlling the digestion of foods and the absorption and metabolism of nutrients. The Research Fellow will use in vitro digestion models and human dietary studies to assess the impact of food structure and food processing on mineral bioaccessibility and bioavailability. In addition, they will use biochemical techniques to investigate the mechanisms involved in intestinal mineral absorption.

Are you an ambitious post-doctoral researcher with an interest in appetite and energy balance? Do you want to be part of a large inter-disciplinary research project examining how changes in appetite, energy intake and energy expenditure oppose weight loss? Do you have a background in human nutrition or physiology, exercise science or physical activity, psychology, or another health-related discipline?

This is an exciting opportunity for two ambitious and motivated individuals to work on a four-year research project, funded by a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (PI; Dr Mark Hopkins), examining how changes in human appetite, energy intake and energy expenditure oppose dietary-induced weight loss. The project will integrate measures of whole-body and tissue-organ composition and energy expenditure with physiological and psychological measures of appetite, and free-living energy balance tracking technology will be used to measure energy intake and expenditure outside of the laboratory. We are looking for individuals with experience of conducting health-related research in humans. The successful candidates will be responsible for the management of day-to-day research activities, including participant recruitment, data collection, quantitative data analysis, manuscript writing, and outcome dissemination.

This project aims to establish the first high-sensitivity terahertz-frequency (THz) laser spectroscopy and photolysis systems, underpinning future studies of gas-phase reaction processes within the Earth’s upper atmosphere. The THz band of the electromagnetic spectrum lies between the infrared and microwave regions. It offers the potential to perform speciated measurements of the pathways for volatile organic compound reactions in the atmosphere, which cannot be achieved using conventional infrared sensing schemes. Until recently, however, THz systems have been too large and complex for use outside specialised laboratories, and their sensitivity and frequency-precision have been too poor for use in reaction studies.

In this project, you will use THz quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs) developed at the University of Leeds, to realise the first THz gas spectroscopy with the sensitivity and speed required for analysing atmospheric reaction chemistry. THz QCLs are compact, yet high-powered sources of coherent THz radiation, providing thousands of times higher THz intensity than any other solid-state device. You will design and construct a multi-pass THz laser spectroscopy system, incorporating a THz QCL source, a bespoke gas cell and optics, and UV photolysis source. You will undertake measurements of stable and reactive atmospheric species and use these to determine branching ratios for volatile-organic compound chemistry.