Postdoctoral Research Associate in Polymeric Materials Modelling

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Polymeric Materials Modelling

University of Manchester

Manchester, United Kingdom

GBP 37,694 - 46,049 per year

A senior postdoctoral position is available for an ambitious individual to carry out the molecular modelling of cellulose oligomers investigating the self-assembly of the polymer in the plant cell wall. The senior postdoctoral assistant will also assist another postdoctoral researcher in the day-to-day supervisorial activities for Eichhorn’s wider group of diverse PhD and MSc students, including project supervision, health and safety, and assistance with the drafting of manuscripts.

The successful applicant will undertake a fundamental study of the assembly of cellulose, using a unique approach of cellulose oligomers that have surfactant-like properties. There have many recent attempts to synthesize cellulose analogues in the laboratory, through self-assembly methods using enzymatic produced oligomeric forms. This work will pave the way for the practical assembly of cellulose oligomeric forms by screening large arrays of structures with different moieties and charges. To effectively do this, the postdoctoral researcher will combine machine learning, molecular dynamics simulations and high performance computing (Isambard AI).

You will be responsible for:

• The conducting of high-quality and publishable research in the area of the molecular modelling of cellulose and related materials e.g. other plant cell wall polymers. This will involve the implementation, execution and analysis of advanced molecular simulations, the use of machine learning techniques and deployment on state-of-the-art high performance computing platforms. Through interaction with the PI and other members of the team, contributing proactively to the development, progression and execution of the project
• Analysing and interpreting data and make a significant input to the scientific direction of the project
• Preparation and presentation of regular reports on research progress

About You

We encourage applications from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. You should demonstrate:

Essential Criteria:

• Ph.D. in computational chemistry, computational materials science or a relevant discipline
• Proven research skills
• Scientific scripting/programming
• Experience in molecular dynamics simulations of polymers

Desirable Criteria:

• Molecular modelling and simulation experience during PhD
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Experience of manipulating and visualizing large datasets