Research Technician
| Posting date: | 16 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £30,805 to £36,130 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 14 July 2025 |
| Location: | B47ET |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | Aston University |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 0270-25 |
Summary
Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence (AIME) has been awarded £6.1m in funding from the UK Government Department of Science, Industry and Technology (DSIT), with a further £7.1m in potential co-funding from partners including Science Card and Bruntwood SciTech. The funding has been made through the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme, which was set up to provide funding to take truly novel ideas from concept to transformative technology. The award will fund the MEMetic project, which will develop nature-inspired (biomimetic) polymer membranes for water filtration. MEMetic involves Professor Alan Goddard, Professor Roslyn Bill and Dr Alice Rothnie, from the School of Biosciences and Dr Matthew Derry and Prof. Paul Topham, from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies.
Separating molecules from water is a fundamental challenge across sectors, from wastewater treatment to blood dialysis. Current filtration technologies rely on sequential separation steps based on the properties of the molecules, sometimes up to a dozen. However, biology has evolved a solution to this, developing proteins that sit within membranes to selectively transport a specific molecule across it. MEMetic embeds these specific biological transporters in sustainably produced plastic membranes to create bioinspired membranes capable of selectively removing a specific molecule, such as antibiotics, heavy metals and nutrients, from water in a single step. Additionally, MEMetic's membranes can concentrate the molecules of interest, making it perfect for recovering valuable resources from water, like phosphate and lithium. The technology could also, for example, be used in low-energy desalination or to remove toxic contaminants.
We are now seeking a dedicated Research Technician with expertise in polymer materials and chemicals characterisation who is committed to enabling and contributing to translating fundamental science into real-world impact. You will join a dynamic team of researchers across the biology/chemistry/materials interface and have opportunities to develop your skills in directions that are beneficial to you and the project.
For informal enquiries about this position, you can contact Dr Matt Derry (m.derry@aston.ac.uk)
The salary being offered for this role is below the minimum threshold for required to sponsor new applicants to the Skilled Worker route. However, Aston University may be able to sponsor the successful candidate if they:
• Are under 26 years old
• Hold a PhD that is relevant to the role
• Currently hold a Student or Graduate visa, issued within the last 2 years
• Are already in the UK with a Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa issued before April 4th 2024
Please contact hr_immigration@aston.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your eligibility for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
Separating molecules from water is a fundamental challenge across sectors, from wastewater treatment to blood dialysis. Current filtration technologies rely on sequential separation steps based on the properties of the molecules, sometimes up to a dozen. However, biology has evolved a solution to this, developing proteins that sit within membranes to selectively transport a specific molecule across it. MEMetic embeds these specific biological transporters in sustainably produced plastic membranes to create bioinspired membranes capable of selectively removing a specific molecule, such as antibiotics, heavy metals and nutrients, from water in a single step. Additionally, MEMetic's membranes can concentrate the molecules of interest, making it perfect for recovering valuable resources from water, like phosphate and lithium. The technology could also, for example, be used in low-energy desalination or to remove toxic contaminants.
We are now seeking a dedicated Research Technician with expertise in polymer materials and chemicals characterisation who is committed to enabling and contributing to translating fundamental science into real-world impact. You will join a dynamic team of researchers across the biology/chemistry/materials interface and have opportunities to develop your skills in directions that are beneficial to you and the project.
For informal enquiries about this position, you can contact Dr Matt Derry (m.derry@aston.ac.uk)
The salary being offered for this role is below the minimum threshold for required to sponsor new applicants to the Skilled Worker route. However, Aston University may be able to sponsor the successful candidate if they:
• Are under 26 years old
• Hold a PhD that is relevant to the role
• Currently hold a Student or Graduate visa, issued within the last 2 years
• Are already in the UK with a Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa issued before April 4th 2024
Please contact hr_immigration@aston.ac.uk if you would like to discuss your eligibility for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
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