The University of Oxford intends to appoint a senior academic who is a leading and internationally recognised scholar to provide intellectual leadership in sustainable photochemistry and/or electrochemistry in the use of solar energy to make chemicals.  This new senior role, a full-time research leadership post, is supported by university strategic investment to grow research in sustainable chemistry. We seek to expand our capacity in photochemistry and/or electrochemistry, and accelerate multi-disciplinary research across multiple departments and university institutes. We recognise that discovering how to use solar energy to make chemicals represents a long-term and major global challenge. Our approach is to invest in the fundamental science, discovery and understanding of the physical chemical processes underpinning chemical transformations using either renewably powered electrochemistry or directly by photochemical pathways.  This post forms part of a larger strategic research investment to establish a Net Zero and Sustainable Chemicals and Materials Institute at the University of Oxford.

 

We seek a senior academic with significant expertise and experience in physical chemistry whose research is focussed on how to deliver solar to products, either directly by photochemical processes, or indirectly by integrating renewable electricity with electrochemical transformations.  We encourage applications from across the diverse fields of photochemistry, electrochemistry, electron transfer, catalysis, spectroscopy, kinetics, and dynamics. We seek a candidate with internationally excellent research track record in the field and with strong research leadership experience. The post-holder will help to develop and grow our community of researchers working across sustainable chemistry and will establish interdisciplinary collaborations and connections to university strategic investments in renewable energy and net zero institutes. The successful candidate will need to present an exciting future vision for the research field and demonstrate a strong commitment to senior research leadership and institution building in partnership with colleagues.

 

The post will be based in the Chemistry Research Laboratory in the University Science Area. You will be part of a lively and intellectually stimulating research community. You will also have access to the excellent research facilities which Oxford offers.

 

The University of Oxford is a member of the Athena SWAN Charter to promote women in Science, Engineering, Technology and Medicine. The University holds an Athena SWAN silver award at institutional level, and the Department of Chemistry also holds an Athena SWAN silver award. Applications are particularly welcome from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Oxford.

 

The closing date for applications is 12:00 UK time on Monday 4 December 2023. Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via the link below. Interviews are expected to be held in Spring 2024.

 

Queries about the post should be addressed to Grant Ritchie  (grant.ritchie@chem.ox.ac.uk) or Charlotte Williams (charlotte.williams@chem.ox.ac.uk ). All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence; they will not form part of the selection decision.