Nanoparticle research technician

Nanomox is seeking an intern for a 3 month project with a BSc, MREs, MSc or PhD in chemistry. The Intern would be responsible for exploring the capabilities of a novel synthetic method, the Oxidative Ionothermal Synthesis (Mater. Adv., 2020,1, 3597-3604), as well as process scale-up, to produce advanced inorganic materials, such as zinc oxide, for a wide spread of applications.

The internship will be performed in a wet chemistry laboratory located within our spin-out at Imperial College London (South Kensington, London). The main objective is to transform metal waste into inorganic nanoparticulate materials (via metal oxides) using the Oxidative Ionothermal Synthesis (OIS) (https://doi.org/10.1039/D0MA00660B Mater. Adv., 2020,1, 3597-3604), Nanomox’s low-energy ionic liquid based environmentally friendly nanoparticle production process. The intern will optimize the conditions to maximize the yield of zinc conversion into zinc oxide nanoparticles (OIS enables unique control over particle size and morphology) and scale up the process to produce minimum 100 g samples. The materials will also be characterised using XRF, XRD, SEM, BET, UV-Vis and DLS. Samples prepared with the OIS method will be compared to commercial ZnO samples. Finally, the samples will be sent to partners for material validation for different applications including cosmetics, tyre manufacturing and energy storage devices. Skills: Inorganic material synthesis and characterisation.

The outcome of the project will be an optimized procedure for zinc oxide production using the OIS method. The first trials will be carried out at 10 g scale and will include material synthesis and characterisation [2 months] to identify key morphologies for further testing in commercial applications. Once the best conditions and particles are identified, the process will be scaled up to 100 g baches for the selected morphologies so that it can be sent to potential customers for material validation [1 month]. This project will be executed with the support of our academic partners (Imperial College London and the University of Sheffield) to guarantee that the milestones are reached within the timeframe.

About the candidate

The ideal candidate to work with Nanomox will have the following attributes and experience:

• A Bsc, MSc, MRes or PhD in chemistry.
• Experience working in a wet laboratory environment. Consideration will be made for candidates who have ample experience during their degree with directly applicable work. Additional experience in a wet laboratory environment, particularly in the areas highlighted above, would be strongly preferred.
• Experience with some essential characterisation equipment from the following list: XRF, XRD, SEM, BET, UV-Vis and DLS.
• Strong analytical and data management skills.
• A strong communicator both in writing and in speaking (English). You must be able to produce clear written reports, for both high level and technical specialist audiences.
• Able to work independently on a variety of projects and manage their  time effectively.
• A high level of self-motivation and the ability to effectively plan, organize work, and be detail oriented.
• Highly professional in all interactions—i.e., punctual, tactful, positive, flexible and cooperative.
• Enthusiastic for the vision, mission, and values of Nanomox.

Desired Intern Requirements

• Experience working with ionic liquids and/or solution-based synthesis of nano/macro particles.
• Experience with all of the following particle characterization via XRF, XRD, SEM, BET, UV-Vis and DLS
• Strong track record of producing and analysing data, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications (or an industrial corollary).

Place:

The workplace is located in South Kensington at the Chemical Engineering Lab located in Imperial College London (London SW7 2AZ). Sporadic travel to our offices. Located in The Royal Institution 21 Albemarle St, London W1S 4BS or academic and industrial partners, such as the University of Sheffield, Cambridge and the Royce institute might be required.

Remuneration: £30,273 - £44,541 per year depending on qualifications.

Duration: Starting date 01/10/2021 [3 months internship]. Depending on our funding landscape, this internship could lead directly to an employment contract.

To apply: please email your CV and cover letter before the 26^th of September 2021 to f.malaret@nanomox.net. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed the 27^th-28^th of September and the successful candidate will be notified the 29^th of September.

This internship is partially funded by the Royal Society of Chemistry.