Post-Doctoral Researcher – SHIPFUEL-IE

Applications are invited for the post of Post-Doctoral Researcher to join the MaREI Centre in University College Cork (UCC), based at Environmental Research Institute, Ellen Hutchins Building, Lee Road, Cork. The Post-Doctoral Researcher will work on research projects focusing on decarbonisation of shipping including for production of renewable hydrocarbon fuel, ships suitable for use of such fuels and infrastructure required at ports to produce and deliver renewable fuels to ships.

Project Title: SHIPFUEL-IE 
 
Post Duration: 36 Months
 
Salary: €42,031 – €48,427 p.a. (IUA PD1 Salary Scale)
 
For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/.  
 
Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Prof Jerry D Murphy, Director of the MaREI Centre, Tel: + 353 (0) 86 0554493; Email: ei.ccu@yhprum.yrrej.
 
Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/). Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to ei.ccu@tnemtiurcer, quoting the job title and project name.

ShipFuel-IE

Developing pathways for a sustainable shipping and maritime fuel value chain in Ireland (SHIPFUEL-IE) is funded by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) under the National Energy Research Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme.
 
The ShipFuel-IE project will assess a range of potential energy carriers (hydrogen, ammonia, methane, methanol, renewable diesels) produced either from biomass or renewable electricity as fuels for the shipping sector coupled with the infrastructural requirements of Irish ports needed to deliver such low-carbon fuels and vessel technologies (internal combustion engine or fuel cell). ShipFuel-IE will include for stakeholder engagement from across the Irish maritime sector. This will be achieved through three technical work packages, assessing the socio-techno-economic and environmental impact of: 1. Fuel production routes; 2. Refuelling infrastructure required at Irish ports; 3. Vessel technology including the option of retrofitting existing vessels. A fouth work task will utilise multi-criteria decision analysis to highlight promising pathways for the development of a low-carbon shipping sector in Ireland.

CEEES Research Group

MaREI’s Circular Economy Energy and Environmental Systems (CEEES) Research Group focus on renewable advanced fuel production in circular economy systems consists of about 20 researchers. The breadth of the work includes for analysis of systems from ocean (offshore wind and seaweed) to conversion (hydrogen, electro-fuels, gaseous and liquid biofuels) to end use (industry, transport fuel).
Detailed laboratory work includes for production of biohydrogen and biomethane from 2nd generation biofuel substrates such as wastes, agricultural residues and lignocellulosic energy crops, and 3rd generation biofuel substrates such as macro-algae (seaweed) and micro-algae. Research covers biological and thermochemical bioenergy pathways. The group investigates a range of digestion applications at lab scale including for innovative technologies such as Power to Gas, demand driven biogas and novel biogas upgrading technologies. Fundamental and applied aspects of biomass gasification, pyrolysis, torrefaction, combustion and methanation are also investigated. Work includes for desktop analyses such as chemical kinetic modelling, process simulation, geographic specific bioresources, Life Cycle Analysis, sustainability analyses and techno-economic studies. The research facilitates the development of roadmaps, which describe how Ireland can initiate a green gas industry, which would contribute to mandatory renewable energy targets for renewable heat and transport fuel.
 
The CEEES research group is led by Dr Archishman Bose (Eli Lilly Lecturer at Process and Chemical Engineering), Dr Richard O’Shea (Lecturer in Decarbonisation of Industry), Dr David Wall (Lecturer in Transportation) and Prof Jerry D Murphy (Director of the SFI MaREI Centre and Chair of Civil Engineering).

MaREI

The successful post-doc will be based in the MaREI Centre for energy, climate and marine headquartered in the Environmental Research Institute in University College Cork.  MaREI is a key research centre within UCC’s Environmental Research Institute (ERI), which is an internationally recognised Institute for environmental research dedicated to the understanding and protection of our natural environment and to developing innovative technologies, tools and services to facilitate a transformation to a zero carbon and resource efficient society. The MaREI Centre is a Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes from across Ireland, has 50 industrial partners and has accumulated research funding of over €60m. It combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the climate, energy and marine spaces.  MaREI is also funded by SEAI, EI, EPA, ERDF, EU, HEA, Marine Institute, DCCAE and IRC, as well as through contributions from our industry partners. Researchers in the MaREI Centre have over 30 years of experience in conducting fundamental and applied research supported by competitively won national and international funding, and commercial contracts with government agencies and industry. MaREI’s strengths lie in the multi-disciplinary nature of its research teams, allowing it to combine insights across areas such as MRE Technologies, Materials & Structures, Observations & Operations, Coastal & Marine Systems, Bioenergy, Energy Policy & Modelling and Renewable Energy Management.

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 26th May 2023.
 
No late applications will be accepted.

Meet the Team

All MaREI Team Members
Prof. Jerry Murphy
MaREI Director