Location
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK

Hours
Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to October 2028

Salary
Starting salary normally in the range £30,062 to £31,900, with potential progression once in post to £35,883 (Grade 5)

About the Role
The University of Birmingham is a partner in HERMES (Hazardous Energy Recycling: Methods for Emerging Specialist Chemistries), an Innovate UK funded project led by Recyclus Group Ltd, focused on developing a safe shredding and materials-recovery process for lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). LMBs are widely used across offshore energy, defence, healthcare, and Internet-of-Things applications but currently have no viable commercial recycling route in the UK due to their chemical reactivity and associated fire, explosion, and emission risks.

As a Senior Research Technician within the Energy Materials Group in the School of Metallurgy and Materials, you will support day-to-day operations of the HERMES project. Your role will involve technical laboratory work including safe handling, discharge, disassembly, and passivation of reactive battery chemistries, mechanical processing, materials separation and purification, characterisation of shredded output streams, and data collection and management.

You will provide technical expertise and support to battery recycling and energy materials laboratories, working collaboratively with academics, technical staff, students, external companies, and contractors. You will keep up to date with developments in the research areas and advise on procedures, diagnose and resolve problems, and suggest improvements. Flexibility to work outside normal hours and across different areas of the department or wider university may be required.

Main duties include safe handling and processing of lithium-metal and lithium-ion cells, operation of shredding and sorting equipment under controlled atmospheres, mechanical separation techniques, preparation and characterisation of recovered materials using SEM, XRD, XRF, ICP-OES, data management, support for gas and emissions monitoring, and assisting in managing shared laboratories and experiments.

You will also ensure compliance with relevant legislation and health and safety policies, promote safe working practices, maintain equipment and consumables, support training and mentoring of junior staff, and contribute to sustainability initiatives within the department.

Experience
- Practical experience with mechanical materials processing (e.g. shredding, milling, comminution) or materials separation techniques is desirable.
- Experience with analytical characterisation techniques such as SEM, XRD, XRF, ICP-OES is desirable.
- Demonstrable knowledge and experience of laboratory health and safety, including working with fume cupboards, inert gas supplies, and pressurised gas bottles and regulators.
- Extensive relevant workplace experience or equivalent professional qualification or degree in an appropriate subject.
- Experience of safe chemical handling and storage.
- Familiarity with a wide range of laboratory equipment and scientific methods.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to promote health and safety compliance.

About You
- Positive service attitude and courteous in dealing with others.
- Ability to organise and manage own workload with flexibility.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Knowledge of current legislation and health and safety policies relevant to the role.
- Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace.
- Willingness to support training and mentoring of junior or new staff.
- A full UK driving licence and forklift licence are beneficial but not essential.

Qualifications
- Degree or equivalent professional qualification in a relevant subject.
- GCSE level 2 (A*- C/4-9) or equivalent in mathematics and English.
- Relevant technical and scientific knowledge and skills applicable to the role.