Research Assistant – ADAPT

The Research Assistant will primarily work on the ADAPT project in the assessment of biogas production in food processing residues. Tasks include – but are not limited to; operation and monitoring of 500mL batch laboratory scale anaerobic digesters (AMPTS-II system), operation and monitoring of 5L laboratory scale continuously stirred tank reactors, and operation and monitoring of a laboratory scale up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket.

 

The successful Research Assistant-Technical 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 Research Ireland (RI) funded research centre headquartered in the ERI and includes 13 other Universities and Third Level Institutes 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 by 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.

MaREI’s Circular Economy Energy and Environmental Systems (CEEES) Research Group focus on renewable advanced fuel production in circular economy systems consists of approximately 20 researchers. The breadth of the work includes for analysis of systems including 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 generated by feedstocks such as agricultural residues, lignocellulosic crops, macro-algae (seaweed) and micro-algae. Research covers biological and thermochemical bioenergy pathways. The group investigates a range of innovative technologies at laboratory scale including for Power to Gas, demand driven biogas and novel biogas upgrading technologies. Fundamental and applied aspects of biomass gasification, pyrolysis, and methanation are also investigated. Work includes for desktop analyses such as chemical kinetic modelling, process simulation, geographic specific bioresources, lifecycle analysis, sustainability analyses and techno-economic studies. The research facilitates the development of roadmaps, which describe how Ireland can initiate a green gas industry and contribute to mandatory renewable energy targets for renewable heat and transport fuels.

 

The CEEES Research Group is led by Dr Archishman Bose (Eli Lilly Lecturer at Process and Chemical Engineering), Dr Richard O’Shea (Lecturer in Sustainability in Enterprise), Dr David Wall (Senior Lecturer in Transportation) and Prof Jerry D Murphy (Director of the SFI MaREI Centre and Chair of Civil Engineering).