Call for Applications: Research Fellow (Specific Purpose Contract – Full Time)
Post Specification
This role is supported by fixed-term project funding, which ends on 30 June 2026. As a result, the contract will end on this date irrespective of the successful candidate’s start date.
| Post Title: | Research Fellow |
| Post Status: | Specific Purpose Contract – Full-time |
| Research Group / Department / School: | Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER) Centre-CRANN / School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin |
| Location: | Trinity Technology Enterprise Centre, Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland |
| Reports to: | Dr Sibu Padmanabhan (Principal Investigator) |
| Salary: | Appointment will be made on the IUA Postdoctoral Researcher Scale (Level 1, point 1) in line with Government Pay Policy [€46,305 per annum], appointment will be made no higher than point 2 [€46,905] |
| Hours of Work: | 37.5 hours per week |
| Closing Date: | 12 Noon (GMT), [15 April 2026] |
Please note that Garda vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for a post.
Post Summary
The Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER) Centre, CRANN is looking for a talented postdoctoral researcher to work on a high impact EIC Pathfinder Open project for developing a range of biopolymer composites and bio-based coatings for various applications.
In this post-doctoral research training role, you will conduct a specified programme of research and research training under the guidance of the Principal Investigator. The primary purpose of the role is to deliver research results and objectives, develop new or advanced research skills and competencies, and to engage in the supervision and mentorship of research assistants and trainees, in conjunction with an academic supervisor.
The postdoc will be part of the project to develop polyhydroxyalkanoates and chitosan-based coatings for packaging and biomedical applications . The applicant is hence required to have experience in biopolymer/polymer processing, characterization, analysis of results and its presentation in the form of reports and talks. The highly collaborative nature of the project requires the applicant to have experience working in team environment, good interpersonal skills and ready to travel within Europe as part of the work.
Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post
The successful candidate will carry out the following duties specific to this project:
- Literature review to establish the state-of-the-art of the relevant bio-nanocomposites, coatings and applications.
- Design and develop processes for the fabrication of biopolymer composites and coatings.
- Fabrication of bio-nanocomposite films/membranes via various coating methods (dip-coating, spin coating, blade coating, slot-die coating).
- Characterization of the materials to establish their properties (using SEM, AFM, NMR, TG-DTA, FTIR, XRD and other relevant techniques).
- Characterization of the materials developed to establish their mechanical (Young’s modulus, Tensile Modulus, Tensile Strength etc.) properties and degradation properties.
- Selection of best performing materials and material optimisation
- Prepare catalogue of developed coated materials benchmarked against known standards. Development of datasheets based on listed requirements.
- Deliver periodic progress reports on experimental work.
- To support the Principal Investigator and research group in the design and development of a research programme.
- To engage in the dissemination of the results of the research, as directed by and with the support of and under the supervision of the Principal Investigator.
- To engage in the wider research, communication and dissemination activities of the Research Group, School or College.
- To interact closely with postgraduate research students who are studying for a Masters or a PhD and have an agreed role in supporting these students in their day to day research in conjunction with the supervisor or supervision team.
- To conduct administrative and management work associated with the research project.
- To carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
Funding Information
This research is funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) Pathfinder Open fund at Trinity College Dublin.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Research fellow must have a PhD qualification
Knowledge & Experience (Essential & Desirable)
Essential:
– PhD-level experience in collecting and analysing qualitative data.
– Experience in report writing and writing for academic journals with evidence of journal
publication (first or middle or last author)
– Understanding of research project management and project management techniques.
Desirable:
– Experience in polymer and biopolymer processing.
Skills & Competencies
– Excellent computer skills in all Microsoft Office programmes and data analysis software
(origin, excel, COMSOL etc.)
– High proficiency in academic writing for manuscript preparation.
– Highly- and self-motivated with the ability to work both as part of a team and under the
lead of the Primary Investigator.
– Able to take the initiative when working alone/independent.
– Excellent organisational skills and ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines.
– Excellent communication and presentation skills.
– Ability to prepare reports on request.
– Able to establish appropriate documentation and record keeping.
– Ability to learn new things including data curation, data management and dissemination
practices.
Application Procedure
Applicants should submit a full Curriculum Vitae to include the names and contact details of 2 referees (including email addresses), to:-
Name: Dr Sibu Padmanabhan
Email Address: chullans@tcd.ie
Further Information for Applicants
| URL Link to Area | www.tcd.ie |
| URL Link to Human Resources | https://www.tcd.ie/hr/ |
GARDA CLEARANCE:
Police vetting will be sought in respect of individuals who come under consideration for a post.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will be required to complete and return a Garda vetting form should they come under consideration for appointment. In some cases they may be requested to complete the form on the day of interview. This form will be forwarded to An Garda Síochána (Irish Police) for security checks on all Irish addresses at which they have resided. An Garda Síochána will make enquiries with the Police Service of Northern Ireland with respect to addresses in Northern Ireland. If an applicant is not successful in obtaining the post for whatever reason, this information will be destroyed. If an applicant, therefore, subsequently comes under consideration for another position, they will be required to supply this information again.
While applicants must complete information in relation to all addresses at which they have resided, the vetting is only done on addresses on the island of Ireland.
If an applicant has resided / studied in countries outside of Ireland for a period of 6 months or more, it is mandatory for them to furnish a Police Criminal Records Check/ Police Certificate from those countries stating that they have no convictions recorded against them while residing there. Applicants will need to provide a separate Police Criminal Records Check/ Police Certificate for each country in which they have resided. The Police Criminal Records Check/ Police Certificate must be dated after the date the applicant left the relevant country. Applicants should provide documentation in the English and/or Irish language. Translations must be provided by a registered translation company/institute in the Republic of Ireland; all costs will be borne by the applicant. Only original version documents will be accepted.
Applicants should be aware that any information obtained in the Garda Vetting process can be made available to the employing area.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to seek security clearances in a timely fashion as they can take some time. No applicant will be appointed without this information being provided and being in order.
The following websites may be of assistance in this regard:
www.disclosurescotland.co.uk
www.psni.police.uk
This website provides information on obtaining a national police clearance certificate for Australia
www.afp.gov.au
This website provides information on obtaining police clearance in New Zealand.
www.courts.govt.nz
For other countries not listed above applicants may find it helpful to contact the relevant embassies who could provide information on seeking Police Clearance. Original Police Clearance documentation should be forwarded to Human Resources where it will be copied and the original returned to the applicant by post. Any cost incurred in this process will be borne by the Applicant.
Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin
Trinity is Ireland’s leading university and is ranked 108th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2020). Founded in 1592, the University is steeped in history with a reputation for excellence in education, research and innovation.
Located on an iconic campus in the heart of Dublin’s city centre, Trinity has 18,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students across our three faculties – Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Engineering, Mathematics and Science; and Health Sciences.
Trinity is ranked as the 17th most international university in the world (Times Higher Education Rankings 2020) and has students and staff from over 120 countries.
The pursuit of excellence through research and scholarship is at the heart of a Trinity education, and our researchers have an outstanding publication record and strong record of grant success. Trinity has developed 19 broad-based multidisciplinary research themes that cut across disciplines and facilitate world-leading research and collaboration within the University and with colleagues around the world. Trinity is also home to 5 leading flagship research institutes:
- Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI)
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (TCIN)
- Trinity Translational Medical Institute (TTMI)
- Trinity Long Room Hub Arts and Humanities Research Institute (TLRH)
- Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN)
Trinity is the top-ranked European university for producing entrepreneurs for the past five successive years and Europe’s only representative in the world’s top-50 universities
(Pitchbook Universities Report).
Trinity is home to the famous Old Library and to the historic Book of Kells as well as other internationally significant holdings in manuscripts, maps and early printed material. The Trinity Library is a legal deposit library, granting the University the right to claim a copy of every book published in Ireland and the UK. At present, the Library’s holdings span approximately 6.5 million printed items, 400,000 e-books and 150,000 e-journals.
With over 120,000 alumni, Trinity’s tradition of independent intellectual inquiry has produced some of the world’s finest, most original minds including the writers Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett (Nobel laureates), the mathematician William Rowan Hamilton and the physicist Ernest Walton (Nobel laureate), the political thinker Edmund Burke, and the former President of Ireland Mary Robinson. This tradition finds expression today in a campus culture of scholarship, innovation, creativity, entrepreneurship and dedication to societal reform.
Rankings
Trinity is the top ranked university in Ireland and ranked 108th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2020). Trinity ranks in the top 50 in the world on 6 subjects and in the top 100 in 20 subjects (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019). Full details are available at: www.tcd.ie/research/about/rankings.
The Selection Process in Trinity
The Selection Committee (Interview Panel) may include members of the Academic and Administrative community together with External Assessor(s) who are expert in the area. Applications will be acknowledged by email. If you do not receive confirmation of receipt within 1 day of submitting your application online, please contact the named Recruitment Partner on the job specification immediately and prior to the closing date/time.
Given the degree of co-ordination and planning to have a Selection Committee available on the specified date, the University regrets that it may not be in a position to offer alternate selection dates. Where candidates are unavailable, reserves may be drawn from a shortlist. Outcomes of interviews are notified in writing to candidates and are issued no later than 5 working days following the selection day.
In some instances the Selection Committee may avail of telephone or video conferencing. The University’s selection methods may consist of any or all of the following: Interviews, Presentations, Psychometric Testing, References and Situational Exercises.
It is the policy of the University to conduct pre-employment medical screening/full pre-employment medicals. Information supplied by candidates in their application (Cover Letter and CV) will be used to shortlist for interview.
Applications from non-EEA citizens are welcomed. However, eligibility is determined by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and further information on the Highly Skills Eligible Occupations List is set out in Schedule 3 of the Regulations https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Highly-Skilled-Eligible-Occupations-List/ and the Ineligible Categories of Employment are set out in Schedule 4 of the Regulations https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Workplace-and-Skills/Employment-Permits/Employment-Permit-Eligibility/Ineligible-Categories-of-Employment/ . Non-EEA candidates should note that the onus is on them to secure a visa to travel to Ireland prior to interview. Non-EEA candidates should also be aware that even if successful at interview, an appointment to the post is contingent on the securing of an employment permit.
Equal Opportunities Policy
Trinity is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to employment policies, procedures and practices which do not discriminate on grounds such as gender, civil status, family status, age, disability, race, religious belief, sexual orientation or membership of the travelling community. On that basis we encourage and welcome talented people from all backgrounds to join our staff community. Trinity’s Diversity Statement can be viewed in full at https://www.tcd.ie/diversity-inclusion/diversity-statement.
Pension Entitlements
This is a pensionable position and the provisions of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 will apply in relation to retirement age for pension purposes. Details of the relevant Pension Scheme will be provided to the successful applicant.
Applicants should note that they will be required to complete a Pre-Employment Declaration to confirm whether or not they have previously availed of an Irish Public Service Scheme of incentivised early retirement or enhanced redundancy payment. Applicants will also be required to declare any entitlements to a Public Service pension benefit (in payment or preserved) from any other Irish Public Service employment.
Applicants formerly employed by the Irish Public Service that may previously have availed of an Irish Public Service Scheme of Incentivised early retirement or enhanced redundancy payment should ensure that they are not precluded from re-engagement in the Irish Public Service under the terms of such Schemes. Such queries should be directed to an applicant’s former Irish Public Service Employer in the first instance.
Application Procedure
Applicants should submit a full Curriculum Vitae to include the names and contact details of 2 referees (including email addresses), to:-
Name
Email Address
