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This is a re-advertisement. Previous candidates for this role need not apply.
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Location
University of Warwick Campus, Coventry
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Department
WMG
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Position Type
Fixed Term
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Duration
Fixed-term contract for 2 years
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Salary
£35,608 - £46,049 per annum
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About the Role
Informal Queries
For informal queries, please contact Professor Ton Peijs (Professor of Polymer Processes) at
[email protected]
WMG’s Centre for Polymers and Composites (CPC) (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wmg/research/research-areas/centre-for-polymers-and-composites) are looking for a talented and motivated Research Fellow to contribute to pioneering research in Sustainable Engineering Plastics. The successful candidate will join the newly established EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics—a £13M collaboration between the University of Warwick, the University of Manchester, and University College London.
This ambitious programme addresses the sustainability challenges of engineering plastics in the transport, electronics, and construction sectors. It investigates a wide range of solutions, including novel materials, digital technologies, reuse and repair strategies, recycling and upcycling methods, and integrated sustainability assessments. The Hub offers a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment, where post-doctoral researchers and PhD students work closely with industry partners across sectors and institutions to develop practical solutions that support the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of engineering plastics.
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About You
We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the newly funded EPSRC Manufacturing Research Hub in Sustainable Engineering Plastics (SEP) at the University of Warwick. Working within an interdisciplinary team, you will contribute to a major multi-year national research programme, delivered in partnership with the University of Manchester, UCL and more than 60 industrial partners. The Hub aims to transform the production, reuse and recycling of durable plastics, accelerating the transition to a circular economy for engineering plastics.
Your research will focus on developing innovative technologies for the efficient disassembly of multi-material products to enable repair, remanufacturing, reuse and high-value recycling. This will involve designing and characterising reversible joining technologies, including dynamic polymer networks, reversible adhesives and functional interlayers, alongside investigating selective trigger mechanisms - such as thermal, light, magnetic or chemical stimuli - that enable controlled debonding while maintaining structural integrity throughout service life.
The project spans both fundamental materials science and applied engineering, encompassing interface design, manufacturing compatibility, product integration and the development of scalable solutions for applications in the automotive, construction and electronics sectors. There will also be opportunities to integrate sensing technologies, digital tools and sustainability assessment methods to support intelligent disassembly and circular product design.
The successful candidate will undertake both independent and collaborative research, while contributing to the wider objectives of the SEP Hub in advancing the reuse and recycling of engineering plastics. You will play an active role in project management and reporting, publish in leading international journals, develop future research funding opportunities, and engage closely with academic and industrial partners. Working alongside researchers at the Universities of Warwick, Manchester and UCL, you will help advance cutting-edge polymer science and engineering while strengthening Warwick's national and international reputation in sustainable materials research.
For details on the experience and skills required, please refer to the
PhD Status
If you are near submission of your PhD, or have not yet had it conferred, any offers of employment will be made at Research Assistant level, at the highest spinal point of pay grade 5 (£34,610 per annum).
Upon receipt of evidence confirming the successful award of your PhD, you will be promoted to Research Fellow, at the lowest spinal point of grade 6 (£35,608 per annum).
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About the Department
This role is based at WMG’s Materials Engineering Centre at the University of Warwick, home to the Centre for Polymers and Composites (CPC). This centre drives innovation in sustainable plastics, composites, hybrid materials, and scalable technologies, supporting projects from TRL 1 through to TRL 6.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic team dedicated to advancing the science and engineering of sustainable polymers. Your passion, expertise, and innovation will play a crucial role in shaping a future of more circular materials and responsible manufacturing.
The Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) is the largest department at the University of Warwick, with over 800 staff and nearly 3,000 students across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in management, technology, and applied engineering.
We are globally recognised for our world-class research, innovative industry partnerships, and teaching excellence, and we are proud holders of the Athena SWAN Silver Award and the Institutional Silver Award.
Find out more about the High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre.
Find out more about the Energy Innovation Centre.
Find out more about our range of undergraduate and apprenticeship degrees here.
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About the University
We are a world-leading research-intensive university founded in 1965. We are ranked 74th in the world and 9th in the UK.* Additionally, 92% of our research is rated world-leading or internationally excellent.**
Find out more about us at warwick.ac.uk/about/.
- World University Ranking 2026, Complete University Guide 2026
** Research Excellence Framework 2021
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How to Apply
Closing Deadline: Sunday 30th August 2026 at 11:55pm (UK Time)*
To apply, please click APPLY below and submit an application form by the closing deadline. You will be asked to include two attachments:
CV
Cover Letter
These should:
Outline employment and education history (including your most recent employment).
Demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria in the /*generated inline style */
Right to Work in the UK
If you do not yet have the right to work in the UK and/or are seeking sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa, please follow this link which contains further information about obtaining the right to work in the UK.
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