Postdoctoral Research Associate in Computational and Theoretical Chemistry

Working at Durham College  

A globally excellent centre of instructing and analysis excellence, a heat and pleasant place to work, a novel and historic setting – Durham is a college like no different.

As one of many UK’s main universities, Durham is an unbelievable place to outline your profession. The College is positioned inside a ravishing historic metropolis, residence to a UNESCO World Heritage Web site, and surrounded by beautiful countryside. Our proficient students and researchers from world wide are tackling international points and making a distinction to individuals’s lives.  

We consider that inspiring our individuals to do excellent issues at Durham allows Durham individuals to do excellent issues on the earth. Being part of Durham is about extra than simply the success of the College, it’s additionally about contributing to the success of town, county and group.

Our College Technique is constructed on three pillars of analysis, training and wider pupil expertise, but in addition on our eager sense of group and of inspiring others to attain their potential. 

Our Objective and Values

We wish our College to be a spot the place individuals may be free to be themselves, it doesn’t matter what their identification or background. Collectively, we have a good time distinction, worth each other and are every answerable for creating an inclusive group that’s respectful and truthful for all.

Discover out extra about the advantages of working on the College and what it’s wish to reside and work within the Durham space on our Why Durham? data web page.   

The Position and Division

A World Prime 100 division, the Division of Chemistry at Durham is without doubt one of the best within the UK, with an excellent fame for excellence in analysis, instructing and employability of our college students. We’re an lively and vibrant division, with a robust cohort of early profession lecturers and future leaders. We maintain an Athena Swan Silver Award, recognising our dedication to gender equality.

The Position

Purposes are invited for a Postdoctoral Analysis Affiliate in Computational and Theoretical Chemistry with a selected emphasis on the statistical mechanics of liquid-solid interfaces. The profitable candidate will work within the group of Dr Stephen Cox and the broad goals of the mission are to elucidate the construction and dynamics of advanced liquid-solid interfaces at a theoretical degree. The primary standards for the position are a robust observe document in world-leading analysis commensurate with applicant’s expertise, together with a PhD in computational chemistry or associated topic. Expertise in molecular simulations (i.e., molecular dynamics and/or Monte Carlo strategies) or liquid state idea (e.g., classical density practical idea) is very fascinating. Potential subjects of analysis embody:

• Understanding the dynamics of cost/discharge processes in electrolyte and ionic liquid programs [see, e.g., Pireddu et al., doi: 10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-2ccrw].
• Understanding how the answer surroundings impacts crystal morphology, with an emphasis of polar crystal surfaces [see, e.g., Sayer & Cox, JCP 153, 164709 (2020)].
• Growing new theoretical approaches to effectively describe solvation forces [see, e.g., Bui & Cox, arXiv:2402.02873]

The profitable applicant will probably be anticipated to work each independently and a part of a workforce, and have wonderful communication organisational and problem-solving expertise.

Key tasks

• To know and convey materials of a specialist or extremely technical nature to the workforce or group of individuals via displays and discussions that results in the presentation of analysis papers in conferences and publications.
• To organize and ship displays on analysis outputs/actions to audiences which can embody: analysis sponsors, educational and non-academic audiences.
• To publish prime quality outputs, together with papers for submission to see reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops beneath the path of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To help with the event of analysis goals and proposals.
• To conduct particular person and collaborative analysis tasks beneath the path of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and different colleagues within the analysis group, as applicable, to determine areas for analysis, develop new analysis strategies and prolong the analysis portfolio.
• To take care of issues which will have an effect on the achievement of analysis goals and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and providing artistic or revolutionary options.
• To liaise with analysis colleagues and make inner and exterior contacts to develop data and understanding to kind relationships for future analysis collaboration.
• To plan and handle personal analysis exercise, analysis assets in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of analysis tasks.
• To ship coaching in analysis strategies/approaches to friends, guests and college students as applicable.
• To be concerned in pupil supervision, as applicable, and help with the evaluation of the data of scholars.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working surroundings which is inclusive and welcoming and the place everyone seems to be handled pretty with dignity and respect.
• To interact in wider citizenship to help the division and wider self-discipline.
• To interact in persevering with skilled improvement by participation within the undergraduate or postgraduate instructing programmes or by membership of departmental committees, and many others. and by attending related coaching and improvement programs.   

This publish is fastened time period, with as much as 24 months of funding out there that ends on 30/09/2026. The earliest doable begin date is 02/09/2024.

The post-holder is employed to work on analysis/a analysis mission which will probably be led by one other colleague. While because of this the post-holder won’t be finishing up unbiased analysis in his/her personal proper, the expectation is that they may contribute to the development of the mission, via the event of their very own analysis concepts/adaptation and improvement of analysis protocols.

Profitable candidates will, ideally, be in publish by 1st October 2024.

Working at Durham 

A aggressive wage is just one a part of the various improbable advantages you’ll obtain in the event you be part of the College: additionally, you will obtain entry to the next improbable advantages:

• 30 Days annual depart per 12 months along with 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per 12 months – a complete of 42 days per 12 months.
• The College closes between Christmas and New Yr.
• We provide a beneficiant pension scheme, As a brand new member of employees you can be mechanically enrolled  into the College Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• Irrespective of the way you journey to work, we’ve got you lined.  Now we have parking throughout campus, a cycle to work scheme which lets you purchase a motorcycle and low cost with native bus and practice corporations.
• There’s a real dedication to creating our colleagues professionally and personally.  There’s a complete vary of improvement programs, apprenticeships and entry to {qualifications} and routes to develop your profession within the College.  All employees have devoted annual time to focus on their private improvement alternatives.
• Numerous help for well being and wellbeing together with discounted membership for our cutting-edge sport and fitness center services and entry to a 24-7 Worker Help Programme.
• On website nursery is accessible and kids’s golf equipment in the summertime holidays.
• Household pleasant insurance policies, together with maternity and adoption depart, that are among the many most beneficiant within the increased training sector (and certain above and past many employers).
• The chance to participate in employees volunteering actions to make a distinction in the area people.
• Reductions can be found through our advantages portal together with; cash off at supermarkets, excessive road retailers, IT merchandise corresponding to Apple, the cinema and days out at numerous sights.
• A wage sacrifice scheme can be out there that can assist you make the most of tax financial savings on advantages.
• If you’re transferring to Durham, we may also help with removing prices and we’ve got a devoted workforce who may also help you with the practicalities corresponding to home searching and colleges.  In case you want a visa, we cowl most visa prices and provide an curiosity free mortgage scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Durham College is dedicated to equality, variety and inclusion

Equality, variety, and inclusion (EDI) are a key element of the College’s Technique and a central a part of all the pieces we do.  We additionally reside by our Objective and Values  and our Employees Code of Conduct.   At Durham we actively work in the direction of offering an surroundings the place our employees and college students can examine, work and reside in a group which is supportive and inclusive. It’s necessary to us that each one colleagues undertake actions which can be aligned to each our values and dedication to EDI. 

We welcome and encourage purposes from those that are presently under-represented in our work pressure, together with individuals with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic teams.

When you have taken a profession break or intervals of depart which will have impacted on the amount and recency of your analysis outputs and different actions, corresponding to maternity, adoption or parental depart, you might want to disclose this in your utility. The choice committee will take this into consideration when evaluating your utility.

The College has been awarded the Incapacity Assured Employer standing. If you’re a candidate with a incapacity, we’re dedicated to making sure truthful therapy all through the recruitment course of. We are going to make changes to help the interview course of wherever it’s affordable to take action and, the place profitable, affordable changes will probably be made to help individuals inside their position. 

Contact Info 

Division contact for academic-related enquiries 

Please contact Prof Jan Verlet [email protected] with any questions, nonetheless please notice that Dr Steve Cox would be the line supervisor for this position.

Contact data for technical difficulties when submitting your utility 

In case you encounter technical difficulties when utilizing the net utility kind, we favor you ship enquiries by e mail.  Please ship your title together with a transient description of the issue you’re experiencing to [email protected]  

Alternatively, you might name 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outdoors the UK. This quantity operates through the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time.  We are going to usually reply inside one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).  

College contact for common queries concerning the recruitment course of 

When you have any queries concerning the recruitment course of, please contact the recruitment workforce on [email protected]. 

Tips on how to Apply  

To progress to the evaluation stage, candidates should proof every of the important standards required for the position within the particular person specification under. Will probably be on the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether or not they may also contemplate any fascinating standards, however we’d urge candidates to supply proof for all standards.  

Whereas some standards will probably be thought-about on the shortlisting stage, different standards could also be thought-about later within the evaluation course of, corresponding to questions at interview.  

Submitting your utility 

We favor to obtain purposes on-line.   We are going to replace you about your utility at numerous factors all through the choice course of, through automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please test your spam/junk folder periodically to be sure you haven’t missed any of our updates.

What to Submit 

All candidates are requested to submit: 

• a CV and canopy letter which particulars your expertise, expertise, and achievements in assembly (or the potential to fulfill) the factors set out under.
• Names and phone particulars of two educational referees who may be contacted.

Subsequent Steps

The evaluation for the publish will usually embody a presentation to employees and college students within the Division adopted by an interview, and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will happen round April/Could 2024.

Please notice that in submitting your utility Durham College will probably be processing your information. We might ask you to contemplate the related College Privateness Assertion https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which gives data on the collation, storing and use of information.   

When appointing to this position the College should be sure that it meets any relevant immigration necessities, together with wage thresholds that are relevant to some visas.

Individual Specification

Important Standards:

{Qualifications}

1. An excellent first diploma in chemistry or associated self-discipline

2. A PhD (or be near submission) in chemistry or a associated topic.

Expertise

3. Expertise in conducting prime quality educational analysis. 

4. Demonstrable capacity to write down materials of a high quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.

5. Demonstrable capacity to current analysis papers at nationwide/worldwide conferences and talk advanced data to specialists and throughout the wider educational group.

6. Expertise in computational and theoretical chemistry.

7. Robust publication document in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of profession.

8.  A observe document of presenting analysis at conferences, symposia, or conferences, commensurate with stage of profession. 

9. Demonstrable capacity to develop analysis proposals and designs in collaboration with different lecturers.

Abilities

10. Demonstrable capacity to work cooperatively as a part of a workforce, together with collaborating in analysis conferences.

11. Skill to work independently on personal initiative and to strict deadlines.

12. Glorious interpersonal and communication expertise.

13. Demonstrable capacity to plan and handle unbiased analysis. 

Fascinating Standards 

Expertise

14. Expertise of overseeing college students with respect to the event of their sensible/analysis expertise e.g. performing as a demonstrator; supervising pupil tasks/practicals. 

15. Expertise in molecular simulations (molecular dynamics and/or Monte Carlo strategies) or liquid state idea (e.g., classical density practical idea).