Postdoctoral Research Associate in Onboard Carbon Capture and Storage

Postdoctoral Research Associate in onboard carbon capture and storage

Department of Engineering
Grade 7 — £39,560 to £46,970 per annum
Fixed Term — Full Time
Contract Duration: until 31 March 2028
Contracted Hours per Week: 35
Closing Date: 16-Nov-2026, 11:59:00 PM
Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement: Not Applicable.

Working at Durham University

A globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a warm and friendly place to work, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other.

As one of the UK’s leading universities, Durham is an incredible place to define your career. The University is located within a beautiful historic city, home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and surrounded by stunning countryside. Our talented scholars and researchers from around the world are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things in the world. Being a part of Durham is about more than just the success of the University, it’s also about contributing to the success of the city, county and community.

Our University Strategy is built on three pillars of research, education and wider student experience, but also on our keen sense of community and of inspiring others to achieve their potential.

Our Purpose and Values

We want our University to be a place where people can be free to be themselves, no matter what their identity or background. Together, we celebrate difference, value one another and are each responsible for creating an inclusive community that is respectful and fair for all.

Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on our Why Join Us? - Information Page.

The Role and Department

The Department of Engineering is highly ranked in the UK with an outstanding reputation for excellence in teaching, research and employability of our students. Ranked 21st in REF2021 in terms of grade point average, the Engineering Department has been ranked in 6th position by the Guardian University Guide 2026, 7th by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 and 24th globally in the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026.

Professor Tony Roskilly leads a large Energy Systems Group within the Department of Engineering, comprising academic, post-doctoral research, administrative and technical staff. The Group’s collaborative research activities are also supported by researchers from Anthropology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Biological Sciences and Durham University Business School. It has a successful track record of attracting funding, primarily from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Innovate UK, the EU and industry.

For more information, please visit our Department pages at Department of Engineering - Durham University.

The Role

The Department seeks to appoint a Grade 7 Post-Doctoral Research Associate in onboard carbon capture and storage to contribute to this active research environment. We welcome applications from candidates with experience and expertise in onboard carbon capture and storage, life cycle assessment, carbon accounting, and circular economy. This post offers an exciting opportunity to make an important contribution to the development of the Department’s research, while providing excellent opportunities to develop your career within an ambitious and progressive institution.

The position is funded within the UK Clean Maritime Research Hub with financial support from the Department for Transport and EPSRC) to support policy-driven research on life cycle greenhouse gas intensity of marine fuels. The successful candidate will be line-managed by Professor Tony Roskilly. The candidate and will work closely with the project team to deliver high-quality research outputs. The candidate will be responsible for completing assigned project tasks on time, within budget and in line with the project objectives.

Key responsibilities

• To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature relating to onboard carbon capture and storage, life cycle assessment, carbon accounting, and circular economy to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
• To prepare and deliver presentations on research activities, methods and findings to audiences which may include research sponsors, academic and non-academic audiences.
• To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder.
• To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
• To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder, including developing accounting frameworks that track carbon sources and sinks; defining accounting rules and developing modelling tool development; performing simulation and undertaking case studies.
• To work with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify knowledge and data gaps, develop robust and transparent accounting frameworks and methodologies, and advance the research portfolio in onboard carbon capture and storage.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to obtain technical evidence, improve understanding and form relationships for future research collaboration.
• To plan and manage own research activity, research resources in collaboration with others and contribute to the planning of research projects, and maintain clear records of data sources, assumptions, methods, models, and research outputs.
• To deliver training in research techniques/approaches to peers, visitors and students as appropriate.
• To be involved in student supervision, as appropriate, and assist with the assessment of the knowledge of students.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by participation in the undergraduate or postgraduate teaching programmes or by membership of departmental committees, etc. and by attending relevant training and development courses.
• Any other reasonable duties.

This post is fixed term, which will commence as soon as possible and terminate on the 31/03/2028.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University.

• You’ll receive 30 days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year. The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
• We offer a generous pension scheme, and as a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
• No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have ample parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. You can also take advantage of our cost-effective and environmentally friendly Tusker Car Benefit Scheme, allowing you to lease a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle with savings on tax and National Insurance.
• We have a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
• We provide wide-ranging health and wellbeing support including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• Our on-site nursery is rated Outstanding by Ofsted, and you can access holiday camps for children aged 5-16.
• Our family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
• We offer all staff the opportunity to take part in volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
• You can access exclusive discounts via our benefits portal including money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, eating out and days out at various attractions.
• Various salary sacrifice schemes are also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
• If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs, and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest-free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.

Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive.

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.

The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Contact Information

Professor Tony Roskilly
Anthony.p.roskilly@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk.

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

How to Apply

To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

Submitting your application

We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

What to Submit

All applicants are asked to submit:

• a CV and cover letter which details your experience, skills, and achievements in meeting (or the potential to meet) the criteria set out below.

Next Steps

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to the panel followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days.

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

Durham University is a UKVI sponsor. Applicants who require sponsorship to work in the UK should note that not all roles are eligible. Further information on visa requirements and eligibility can be found on the UKVI website.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

1. A PhD (or be close to submission) in Marine, Mechanical, Chemical, Systems or Environmental Engineering, or a related subject.

Experience

1. Experience in compiling, analysing and interpretating complex datasets, and conducting attributional and consequential life cycle assessment of marine energy systems.
2. Experience in carbon accounting and the traceability of fossil, biogenic and atmospheric carbon sources and sinks, assessing carbon capture, interim storage, offloading, transport, permanent storage and captured CO₂ utilisation pathways through synthetic and recycled-carbon fuels using life cycle approaches.
3. Demonstrable ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary research teams to deliver research objectives and outputs.
4. Demonstrable ability to write material of a quality commensurate with publication in highly-ranked journals.
5. Demonstrable ability to present research papers at conferences and communicate complex information to specialists and within the wider academic community.

Skills

1. Demonstrable ability to develop transparent and robust methodologies, models using professional software, and analytical frameworks to inform decision making.
2. Ability to work independently on own initiative and to strict deadlines.
3. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Desirable Criteria

Experience

• Experience in integrating circular economy concepts with life cycle assessment and implementing appropriate allocation approaches within relevant studies.
• Strong publication record in peer-reviewed journals, commensurate with stage of career.
• Experience of overseeing students with respect to the development of their practical/research skills e.g. acting as a demonstrator; supervising student projects/practicals.

Skills

• Demonstrable ability to plan and manage independent research.
• Demonstrable ability to develop research proposals and designs in collaboration with other academics.

Version 07-2026