Postdoctoral Research Associate in Development of Scintillator Materials

Ref Number

B

Professional Expertise

Research and Research Support

Department

UCL BEAMS (B04)

Location

London

Working Pattern

Full time

Salary

£43,981-£52,586

Contract Type

Fixed-term

Working Type

On site

Available for Secondment

No

Closing Date

08-Dec-2025

The Chemistry Department at University College London is the oldest in England, and today is one of the best in the UK, being ranked 3rd in the UK for its world-leading research in REF2021. We are located in Bloomsbury, at the heart of London, and offer an exciting and vibrant environment in which to study in one of the UK's top universities. The Department of Chemistry at UCL is committed to supporting excellence in both research and teaching. The department offers undergraduate BSc and MSci programmes in Chemistry and currently teaches ~750 undergraduates registered in Chemistry as well as students who select Chemistry on the Natural Sciences programme and first year Chemistry for life scientists. The department also offers a number of Postgraduate Taught Masters courses with about 80 students per year and has an overall PGR student school of about 200 students.

The Chemistry Department has over 60 members of academic staff carrying out world-leading research. We specialise in the areas of organic synthesis, chemical biology, computational chemistry, nanotechnology, inorganic and materials chemistry, physical chemistry and chemical physics. The department has an annual research income of around £15 million, derived from many sources including the Research Councils (EPSRC, BBSRC, MRC, and NERC), European Commission and a wide range of charities and industrial partners in the UK, Europe and the USA.

Details about our research can be found on the departmental website

Applications are invited for a PDRA position in the Department of Chemistry at University College London. The research focuses on the green synthesis and scale-up of X-ray Scintillator Materials (XSMs) for high-performance imaging applications, including aerospace component inspection and medical imaging. The successful applicant will optimise the synthesis and processing of mixed-metal oxide XSMs, controlling phase formation and particle agglomeration. A key aspect of the role is to understand how synthesis and heat-treatment conditions influence phase evolution, sintering behavior, and resulting particle properties. The project will integrate wet-chemical synthesis, continuous precipitation, scale-up methods, and materials characterisation using facilities at UCL and partner organizations.

The project is funded through a combination of Impact Acceleration and industrial funding, involving collaboration with industry partners including AWE. UCL's primary contribution will be to optimise synthesis routes for scale-up and to evaluate sintering and optical performance in partnership with industry, with the goal of improving processing efficiency and reducing costs. The role will involve materials optimisation, data analysis, and property evaluation. Experimental work will be carried out both independently and collaboratively within the research group and across partner organisations. The postholder will work as part of an active research group of PDRAs, PhD and master's students within the Department of Chemistry at UCL, as well as collaborate with the partners. The postholder will eventually play a leading role in the research team, including supervising and training existing group members.

The position is funded by for up to 12 months. The candidate will join the research team of Prof. Jawwad Darr in the Department of Chemistry at the Bloomsbury Campus of University College London. Information about Prof. Jawwad Darr's group is

The postholder will be required to develop and scale up the synthesis of X-ray Scintillator Materials. A key feature of the project will be to understand the connection between the synthesis and heat treatment methods/conditions in optimising phase, sintering and particle properties. Materials characteristics of powders will also be probed for their composition and particle properties. Experimental work will be carried out independently but also as part of a team of researchers based in the Department of Chemistry, and through collaborations with other research and industry collaborators. The postholders will be expected to supervise PhD and master's students, write drafts of reports and papers, and manage lab safety.

The successful candidate will have a PhD degree (or be about to be awarded a PhD) in a practical area of Chemistry, Materials Chemistry or disciplines related to inorganic synthetic chemistry. Experience wet chemical synthesis methods, materials characterization, a good publication track record, a demonstrated commitment to excellence, and excellent skills in the lab are required. It is also required to work in a multidisciplinary/collaborative team and have effective written and verbal communication skills in English. The candidate must be UK national due to the nature of the research.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days' annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• Relocation scheme for certain posts
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit to find out more.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

At UCL Chemistry we are dedicated to the Athena SWAN Charter for women in science, recognising the commitment to advancing women's careers in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM) employment in higher education and research.

The department was successfully awarded a Bronze Award in 2016 and Silver Award in 2020, in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality.