Level 1 DCU Career Framework
School of Chemical Sciences

Fixed Term Contract up to 2 years

As part of this role the researcher will be required to participate in the DCU Research Career Framework. This framework is designed to provide significant professional development opportunities to Researchers and offer the best opportunities in terms of a wider career path

Dublin City University www.dcu.ie is a research intensive, globally engaged, dynamic institution which has developed its own research specialists, established internationally recognised centres of excellence that have substantive collaborative links with leading universities and industrial partners. DCU is distinguished both by the quality and impact of its graduates and by its focus on the translation of knowledge into societal and economic benefit. Through its mission to transform lives and societies through education, research and innovation DCU acts as an agent of social, cultural and economic progress. DCU is Ireland’s fastest growing university and now hosts more than 17,000 students across its three academic campuses: DCU Glasnevin Campus, DCU St Patrick’s Campus and DCU All hallows campus. DCU has a strong track record in attracting both Irish and European Union research funding under Horizon 2020 (and all previous Framework Programmes), Marie Curie Actions and Erasmus. We offer a dynamic and internationally-focused environment in which to advance your academic career.

School of Chemical Sciences

The School of Chemical Sciences, is one of Ireland's most progressive and highest achieving Schools with outstanding facilities, housed within a modern and dynamic city campus. Our goal is to develop graduates with the ability to critically evaluate, and then to solve, chemical and pharmaceutical problems, preparing the highest quality graduates capable of meeting the challenges of the modern industry and research. The School is highly successful at attracting large scale research funding, with our researchers having significant roles within nationally significant university/industry collaborative initiatives and European funded Integrated Training Networks. The School is one of the leading academic schools within DCU and is ranked in the top 300 chemistry schools/departments in the world (QS Rankings), a reflection of the School’s ambitious research activities and its undergraduate/postgraduate degree programmes.

Project Profile - Material Chemistry

The project involves the synthesis and photochemistry of materials (including polymers) for antimicrobial applications, and will involve collaborating with microbiology colleagues.

We are now seeking an experienced and talented postdoctoral scientist with a background in materials chemistry and in photochemistry to join our team.

Duties & Responsibilities

Reporting to his/her Principal Investigator (PI) the Postdoctoral Researcher will:

• Conduct, with a very high degree of technical competence a specified programme of research and scholarship under the supervision and direction of the Principal Investigator
• Contribute towards the development of a commercial prototype within an IP restricted project
• Within the constraints of IP protection of the project, disseminate the outcomes of the research in which he/she is engaged including funder reporting, industrial demos and publishing in high quality peer reviewed journals of international standing.
• Assist the PI and research group in the design and development and implementation of the broader research programme.
• Provide assistance as required in the development of proposals for research funding.
• Take responsibility as requested for day-to-day advice and support of graduate research students associated with your research group.
• Mentor, assist and train as appropriate and as directed, the research graduate students and more junior postdoctoral fellows within the group.
• Contribute to reporting, site visit preparation and other administrative management work associated with your programme of research and the research group
• Contribute to teaching and outreach activities of the group.
• Liaise with stakeholders such as industry and collaborators.
• Engage in appropriate training and development opportunities as required by the Principal Investigator, the School or Research Centre, or the University
• Carry out administrative work associated with the programme of research as necessary

Candidate Requirements

Essential:

• A PhD, preferably in synthetic chemistry.
• capable of working independently with a high degree of technical competence
• a team player, he/she must demonstrate initiative, be hard working, versatile and productive.
• excellent written and oral proficiency in English
• excellent communication skills both written (for presentations) and verbal (for conference talks)
• ability to prioritise workload and work to exacting deadlines
• ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team and to take responsibility to contribute to the success of the team

Desirable:

• at least 1-2 years’ postdoctoral experience in inorganic/organic synthesis, as well as experience in spectroscopic measurements.
• experience in photochemistry

Mandatory Training

The post holder will be required to undertake the following mandatory training: GDPR, Orientation and Compliance.

Candidates will be assessed on the following competencies:

Discipline knowledge and Research skills – Demonstrates knowledge of their research discipline and the ability to conduct a specific programme of research within that discipline

Understanding the Research Environment – Demonstrates an awareness of the research environment (for example funding bodies and stake-holders) and the ability to contribute to grant applications and funding initiatives

Communicating Research – Demonstrates the ability to communicate their research with their peers and the wider research community (for example presenting at conferences and publishing research in relevant journals) and the potential to teach and tutor students

Managing & Leadership skills - Demonstrates the potential to manage a research project including the supervision of undergraduate students