We are ambitious and have a bold vision of what we want to achieve - shaping ourselves into one of the best universities in the world, which we are achieving through the talents and endeavour of every employee.  

Our culture empowers people to achieve this aim and to collectively, and individually, make a real difference.  

The role

Applications are invited for a Research Fellow position to work in the Catalysis for Chemical Circularity Group in School of Engineering, University of Surrey. The main role of the post holder will be to carry out experimental based research on PET depolymerisation into monomer chemicals using mechanochemistry, developing research expertise and portfolios in this emerging field towards a circular plastic economy. This interdisciplinary project is in close collaboration with academics in University of Birmingham, Imperial College London and Queen's University of Belfast, and companies in the waste management and plastic production sectors. By participating in the stakeholder engagement, the post holder will gain great insight in the plastic chemical recycling field, and development their professional network and career growth. The main project objectives are:

O1. Design efficient nanoscale catalysts and robust mechanochemical process to recycle PET into monomer feedstocks.

O2. Benchmark different mechanochemical reaction systems for kinetics and parameter translation.

O3. Understand the depolymerisation mechanism using advanced characterisation for further catalyst discovery and process engineering.

About you

The successful candidate should hold or about to receive a PhD in Material Science, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline. S/he should have a strong background in experimental catalyst design, characterisation and testing. Prior knowledge of mechanochemistry, polymer chemistry and physics, plastic chemical recycling is especially welcomed.

Essential experiences, knowledge and skills include:

•    Practical experience with experimental design, catalytic reactions, material characterisation and chemical product analysis

•    Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature

•    Skilled in characterisation and analysis techniques such as XRD, FTIR, TGA, Raman spectroscopy, chromatography, NMR, and mass spectroscopy

•    Excellent verbal and written communication skills 

•    Willingness to travel both within the United Kingdom and abroad to conduct research and attend conferences

How to apply

To apply for this role, please upload a CV and cover letter with your application on the University of Surrey website. For informal enquiries please contact Dr. Hui Luo (hui_luo@surrey.ac.uk).

Closing Date: 09 Jul 2026

Area: Research & Teaching

Salary: £37,694 to £39,906 per annum
Fixed Term until 07/03/2027

We are ambitious and have a bold vision of what we want to achieve - shaping ourselves into one of the best universities in the world, which we are achieving through the talents and endeavour of every employee.  

Our culture empowers people to achieve this aim and to collectively, and individually, make a real difference.  

The role

Applications are invited for a Research Fellow position to work in the Catalysis for Chemical Circularity Group in the School of Engineering, University of Surrey. The main role of the post holder will be to carry out research to develop a geological inspired mechanochemical-UV process for efficient ROS production, using earth-abundant rock minerals. This interdisciplinary project is in close collaboration with academics in the University of Newcastle, University of Birmingham, and companies in the waste management and plastic production sectors. By participating in the stakeholder engagement, the post holder will gain great insight in the geo-mechanochemistry and plastic chemical recycling field. In addition, as part of a new EPSRC supporting career development initiative, the post holder will be provided with a separate amount of career development funding dedicated for their career development.

The main project objectives are:

O1. Mineral screening for ROS generation and inter-discipline knowledge transfer.

O2. Optimise control parameters with high-throughput mechanochemical platform, and investigate interaction between mechanochemistry and UV.

O3. Demonstrate the effectiveness of on-demand ROS generation for polyolefin waste upcycling.

About you

The successful candidate should hold or be about to receive a PhD in Material Science, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering, or a closely related discipline. You should have a strong background in experimental catalyst design, characterisation and testing. Prior knowledge of mechanochemistry, polymer chemistry and physics, plastic chemical recycling is especially welcomed.

Essential experiences, knowledge and skills include:

• Practical experience with experimental design, catalytic reactions, material characterisation and chemical product analysis
• Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature
• Skilled in characterisation and analysis techniques such as XRD, FTIR, TGA, Raman spectroscopy, chromatography, NMR, and mass spectroscopy
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Willingness to travel both within the United Kingdom and abroad to conduct research and attend conferences

How to apply

To apply for this role, please upload a CV and cover letter with your application via the University of Surrey website. For informal enquiries about the role, please contact Dr. Hui Luo (hui_luo@surrey.ac.uk).

Interviews are expected to take place on 24th July.

Closing Date: 09 Jul 2026

Area: Research & Teaching

Salary: £37,694 to £38,784 per annum
Fixed Term until 31/03/2028