Postdoctoral Research Associate in Electrochemical Engineering

About the opportunity

The School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney, established in 1946, offered the first university-level chemical engineering program in Australia. The School is committed to teaching excellence and our graduates are highly regarded and sought after by employers in Australia and overseas. The School is research-intensive and considered a world leader in many cutting edge areas of chemical and biomolecular engineering.

This is an exciting opportunity from the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Electrochemical Engineering to work in the Electrochemical Engineering Lab led by Dr Fengwang Li.

This position offers an opportunity to contribute to an applied research program focused on electrochemical technologies for sustainable chemical production and energy conversion. You will combine hands-on experimentation with device and process engineering to develop, evaluate and improve electrochemical reactors and their supporting systems.

We are particularly interested in candidates with practical experience in electrolysers or fuel cells who can translate engineering concepts into working experimental systems. The role will involve device design and assembly, electrochemical performance and durability testing, process development, and contributions to scale-up and system integration.

You will work collaboratively with researchers, students and technical specialists, contributing both to fundamental understanding and to the development of reliable, scalable electrochemical technologies.

Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Design, assemble and improve electrochemical cells and reactor prototypes, including the selection and integration of electrodes, membranes, flow-field components and sealing systems.
• Develop, commission and operate experimental test systems, integrating electrochemical devices with fluid-handling equipment, instrumentation and data acquisition.
• Plan and conduct electrochemical experiments to evaluate performance, efficiency and durability, identify limitations and failure mechanisms, and implement evidence-based improvements.
• Apply chemical process engineering principles to develop process configurations, perform material and energy balances, prepare process flow diagrams and piping and instrumentation diagrams, and select appropriate equipment.
• Contribute to device scale-up and system integration, addressing practical challenges in flow distribution, heat and mass transfer, sealing, reproducibility and stable operation.
• Translate device concepts into CAD models and engineering drawings, and coordinate component fabrication, procurement and assembly as required.
• Analyse and interpret experimental data, maintain reproducible research records and engineering documentation, and prepare technical reports and research publications in accordance with confidentiality and intellectual property requirements.
• Collaborate effectively with colleagues and research partners, support student training and mentoring, and contribute to risk assessments, operating procedures and safe laboratory practices.

About you

The University values courage and creativity; openness and engagement; inclusion and diversity; and respect and integrity. As such, we see the importance of recruiting talent aligned to these values and are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Electrochemical Engineering who has:

• A PhD degree (or near completion) in Chemical Engineering, Electrochemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemistry or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with electrolysers or fuel cells, including device assembly, operation, performance testing and troubleshooting.
• Demonstrated ability to design electrochemical devices or associated experimental hardware, including the use of CAD software to produce models and engineering drawings, with consideration of materials compatibility, fabrication, sealing and assembly.
• Demonstrated capability in chemical process design for experimental or prototype systems, including material and energy balances, process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation diagrams, and equipment selection.
• A strong understanding of electrochemical performance and relevant transport processes, together with practical experience in electrochemical characterisation, performance evaluation and durability testing.
• The ability to plan and deliver experimental research independently, resolve practical engineering problems, critically analyse data and maintain accurate technical records.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with research achievements appropriate to career stage and opportunity, demonstrated through publications, validated prototypes, patents or substantive technical reports.
• The ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team, together with a commitment to safe working practices, research integrity and the responsible handling of confidential information and intellectual property.

The following experience would be highly regarded:

• Scaling electrochemical devices from laboratory cells to larger-area devices, multi-cell stacks or integrated prototype systems.
• Electrode fabrication, membrane electrode assembly preparation, or integration of gas diffusion electrodes into working devices.
• Computational fluid dynamics or multiphysics modelling to support device design and interpretation of experimental results, using COMSOL, ANSYS Fluent or equivalent tools.
• Process simulation or techno-economic assessment using Aspen Plus, Aspen HYSYS or equivalent approaches.
• Automated experimental testing, instrument control or data acquisition using tools such as LabVIEW, Python or MATLAB.

Pre-employment checks and declarations

Your employment is conditional upon the successful completion of all pre-employment or background checks required for the role in terms satisfactory to the University. Also, to meet the University's obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Eliminate Gender-Based Violence you will be asked to declare if you have been investigated for, or found to engaged in, sexual harm or gender-based violence in the course of previous employment or in a legal process. Similarly, your ongoing employment is conditional upon the satisfactory maintenance of all relevant clearances and background check requirements. If you do not meet these conditions, the University may take any necessary step, including the termination of your employment.

EEO statement

At the University of Sydney, our shared values are trust, accountability and excellence and we strive to be a place where everyone can thrive. We are committed to creating a University community that thrives through diversity and reflects the wider community that we serve. We deliver on this through our commitment to diversity and inclusion, evidenced by our people and culture programs, as well as key strategies to increase participation and support the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, women, people living with a disability, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds.

We are proud to be recognised as an Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Platinum Employer. Find out more about our work on diversity and inclusion.

How to apply

Applications (including a cover letter, CV, and any additional supporting documentation) can be submitted via the Apply button at the top of the page.

For employees of the University or contingent workers, please login into your Workday account and navigate to the Career icon on your Dashboard. Click on USYD Find Jobs and apply.

For a confidential discussion about the role, or if you require reasonable adjustment or support filling out this application, please contact Rebecca Astar or Cherie Goodwin, Recruitment Consultants at recruitment.sea@sydney.edu.au

Click to view the Position Description for this role.