Research Fellow in Li-ion Batteries

Location: Parkville
Role type: Full time; Fixed-term for 12 months
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Department/School: Department of Chemical Engineering
Salary: UOM 8 – $110,709 - $119,829 p.a. plus 17% super

The University of Melbourne would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Traditional Owners of the lands upon which our campuses are situated, the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Peoples, the Yorta Yorta Nation, the Dja Dja Wurrung People. We acknowledge that the land on which we meet and learn was the place of age-old ceremonies, of celebration, initiation and renewal, and that the local Aboriginal Peoples have had and continue to have a unique role in the life of these lands.

About - Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
https://eng.unimelb.edu.au/

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT) has been the leading Australian provider of engineering and IT education and research for over 150 years. We are a multidisciplinary School organised into three key areas; Computing and Information Systems (CIS), Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (CBE) and Electrical, Mechanical and Infrastructure Engineering (EMI). FEIT continues to attract top staff and students with a global reputation and has a commitment to knowledge for the betterment of society.

FEIT has never been better positioned as a global leader, anchored in the dynamic Asia Pacific region, creating and curating knowledge to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. Through our students and our relationships with communities, we can not only respond to society’s needs but anticipate and create engineering and IT solutions for the future.

About the Role

In this position you will play a pivotal key role in our collaborative research project between industry partners and CSIRO, QUT and The University of Melbourne. The Super Anode Project is based within the Cooperative Research Center for Future Battery Industries. Our research aims to develop improved methods for the spheronisation and coating of natural graphite and the preparation of graphite:silicon anodes, as well as investigate avenues for up-scaling of these processes.

The candidate should be familiar with Li-ion cell chemistry and have experience in spheronisation of graphite and/or thermal processing of carbon-based materials. This candidate will be a key member of a cross functional team. This role includes spheronisation of graphite, carbon coatings, thermal treatment on a large scale of carbon-based materials and data analysis.

In this role you and will produce quarterly progress reports, interact with our research collaborators and industry partners, and where appropriate, publish your outcomes in peer reviewed journals. You will be specifically involved in the day-to-day operation of a research lab, including maintaining stocks of routine supplies, chemical safety documentation and inductions and co-supervising undergraduate and PhD research students. When required you may also undertake teaching and research supervision directly related to your area of research.

You will be an active member of CBE collaborating with other researchers across the project. Your strong interpersonal skills will be imperative in assisting you to form productive working relationships with key stakeholders internally and with our Industry partners.

Responsibilities include:

• Liaising with key stakeholders in the graphite anode and Li-ion battery industry
• Undertaking experiments for the testing of silicon/graphite anodes and full-cells, at scale.
• Working with the anode fabrication and testing team.
• Active participation in outreach activities relating to the research, including promotion of the research through media channels and advocacy groups.

About You

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate an ability to work co-operatively in a multi-disciplinary team environment and liaise with associates from diverse backgrounds. You will have outstanding communication skills, both oral and written. You will show commitment to the highest levels of health and safety as well as a desire to work on industry related research.

You will also have:

• PhD in chemical engineering, chemistry, physics, nanotechnology or materials science
• Experience in working with silicon and graphite and the fabrication and characterisation of composite anodes for lithium-ion batteries
• Experience in Li-ion full coin cell and pouch cell fabrication, including anode and cathode electrode coating and cell assembly and familiarity with quality control methods used to evaluate the repeatability of assembly processes
• Experience in combining information from many different analytical tools in pursuit of the solution to important problems in anode processing.
• Demonstrated project management and report writing skills

Please note: To be considered for this role you must have current valid work rights for Australia.

About the University

The University of Melbourne is consistently ranked amongst the leading universities in the world. We are proud of our people, our commitment to research and teaching excellence, and our global engagement.

Benefits of Working with Us

In addition to having the opportunity to grow and be challenged, and to be part of a vibrant campus life, our people enjoy a range of rewarding benefits:

• Flexible working arrangements, generous personal, parental and cultural leave
• Competitive remuneration, 17% super, salary packaging and leave loading
• Free and subsidised health and wellbeing services, and access to fitness and cultural clubs
• Discounts on a wide range of products and services including Myki cards and Qantas Club
• Career development opportunities and 25% off graduate courses for staff and their immediate families

To find out more, visit https://about.unimelb.edu.au/careers/staff-benefits.

Be Yourself

We value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity.  First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.

Join Us!

If you feel this role is right for you, please apply with your CV and cover letter outlining your interest and experience.  Please note that you are not required to provide responses against the selection criteria in the Position Description.

We are dedicated to ensuring barrier free and inclusive practices to recruit the most talented candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments with the recruitment process, please contact us at hr-talent@unimelb.edu.au.

Applications close: Wednesday 16 February 2023 11:55 PM AUS Eastern Daylight Time

Position description:  0058444_Research Fellow in Li-ion Batteries_PD.pdf