Senior/Scientist (Clean Energy Research Centre) / School of Engineering (2-year contract)

[What the role is]

Lead Scientist (Clean Energy Research Centre) / School of Engineering (2-year contract)

[What you will be working on]

• Lead and execute R&D projects on Battery Management Systems (BMS) for lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and other next-generation batteries.

• Conduct system-level research on battery safety and external monitoring (excluding materials development), focusing on failure mechanisms, protection strategies, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurement and analysis.

• Design and optimise multi-source energy management systems integrating batteries, solar PV, fuel cells, and hybrid configurations.

• Develop and implement algorithms for battery diagnostics, including SOC, SOH, SOP estimation, predictive analytics, early-warning safety mechanisms, and hybrid energy optimisation.

• Advance research on future battery systems from an Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) perspective, such as:

  a) Cloud-connected and distributed BMS architectures with AI-assisted diagnostics.

  b) Real-time health monitoring and on-the-fly EIS.

  c) Digital twins for Energy Storage Systems (ESS).

  d) Fast-charging strategies from a control perspective.

  e) Integration of new battery types at the system level.

• Support the development of next-generation ESS and microgrid integration, emphasizing control, power electronics, and system-level optimisation.

• Prepare and manage project proposals, research grants, technical documentation, and reports.

• Collaborate with industry partners on R&D initiatives, prototype validation, and technology deployment.

[What we are looking for]

• Qualifications in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Automation, Computer Engineering, or a related field, with a focus on system-level or electronics (We are not looking for candidates with a background focused on materials or chemical science, such as battery materials or anode/cathode material development).
• Preferably 2-5 years of relevant R&D or industry experience.
• Strong expertise in battery systems, including BMS development and system-level safety analysis.
• Familiarity with Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) principles, instrumentation, and diagnostic techniques.
• Experience in multi-source energy management (batteries, solar PV, fuel cells, hybrid systems).
• Practical skills in hardware and software development, including MCU programming, embedded interfaces, PCB/system integration, and testing.
• Competence in algorithm development for battery modelling, estimation, diagnostics, and control.
• Experience in project proposal writing, planning, and R&D management.
• Industry collaboration or technology co-development experience is an advantage.
• Innovative, self-driven, and capable of working independently on complex R&D topics.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Effective communicator and collaborative team player in multidisciplinary environments.

Passionate about advancing clean energy technologies with practical, real-world impact.