- Organisation: Cranfield University
- Faculty or Department: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
- Based at: Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
- Hours of work: 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
- Contract type: Fixed term contract
- Fixed Term Period: For 24 months or until project end date, whichever is sooner
- Salary: Research Assistant (if close to completing PhD): Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £34,450 per annum; Research Fellow (if PhD obtained): Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £37,337 per annum
- Posted Date: 14/02/2025
- Apply by: 16/03/2025
- Documents: 5017 – JD & Person Spec.pdf (PDF, 326.82kb)
Role Description
The Cranfield Water Science Institute welcomes applications from passionate, skilled and motivated engineering, chemistry or environmental science graduates with a PhD in the field of water or wastewater treatment processes to join our drinking water team and contribute to investigating treatment strategies for PFAS removal from water.
About the Role
We are looking for a self-driven Research Fellow/Research Assistant to join our dynamic team to address the challenge of removing PFAS compounds, also known as forever chemicals, from drinking water. The successful candidate will investigate advanced and innovative treatment strategies to remove PFAS such as advanced oxidation processes, adsorption and ion exchange. The project will also explore the regeneration and reuse of PFAS-saturated adsorbents such as activated carbon and ion exchange resins through thermal and chemical regeneration processes. This research is part of the recently-awarded OFWAT project, PFAS – A whole system approach to an impossible problem.
You will play a pivotal role in a high-profile project of national relevance aimed at advancing our understanding of PFAS chemistry and treatability. You will use our National Research Facility for Water and Wastewater Treatment to deliver this innovative research. The outcomes of the project will inform national strategies for managing PFAS in drinking water and mitigate water quality risks. This is an exceptional opportunity for a professional passionate about water processes, environmental engineering and science to deliver impactful research for the water sector.
About You
You will have a PhD (or close to completion) in a relevant engineering or science discipline such as, but not limited to, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, chemistry or environmental science. The successful candidate will investigate advanced and innovative treatment strategies to remove PFAS such as advanced oxidation processes, adsorption and ion exchange. The project will also explore the regeneration and reuse of PFAS-saturated adsorbents such as activated carbon through thermal and chemical regeneration processes.
The ideal candidate will have expertise in:
- Experimental research related to water treatment processes, ideally, advanced oxidation processes, adsorption or ion exchange
- working with PFAS or other micropollutants
- advanced analytical techniques such as LC-MS
- statistical data analysis
- designing new experimental bench-scale set ups
- working with pilot plants
You will have project management skills and demonstrable experience of timely research delivery, with excellent demonstrable communication skills. You will be able to demonstrate a track record of high-quality scientific publications. You should also have knowledge and experience of advanced oxidation processes such as UV-based processes, electrochemical processes or wet oxidation processes, adsorption processes with activated carbon, and/or ion exchange. Equivalent industry experience would be considered.
About Us
As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in water technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.
The Water Science Institute undertakes globally leading research and post-graduate teaching in water and wastewater process science, engineering and management. We drive sustainable solutions to combat the multiple challenges being faced by our water resources, assets and services. We have a track record of delivering collaborative cutting-edge discovery science on the transformation, removal and recovery processes in water and wastewater treatment systems. Our academic and research staff, including scientists, engineers, technologists and policy specialists have engaged in delivering postgraduate teaching, research, consultancy and training in an international arena for over 40 years.
Our Values and Commitments
Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.
We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.
Working Arrangements
Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.
How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Irene Carra, Senior Lecturer in Chemical Processes, on (E): irene.carra@cranfield.ac.uk
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: peoplerecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5017.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 16 March 2025
Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
