Research Associate – Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Development

About the role

The Energy Research Institute @ NTU is seeking a motivated Research Associate to join its Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technologies programme. You will work on a flagship project developing next‑generation Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) stack components, focusing on bipolar plates and flow‑field architectures for grid‑scale energy storage.

Key responsibilities

• Support experimental development and testing of VRFB stack components, including bipolar plates and flow‑field structures.
• Prepare and process material samples such as graphite‑based composites and metallic substrates with protective CrN/TiN coatings via physical vapour deposition.
• Conduct electrochemical characterisation (potentiodynamic polarisation, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) and corrosion testing in vanadium‑containing electrolytes.
• Perform mechanical testing (tensile strength, elongation) and thermal‑cycling experiments to assess durability.
• Assist in fabrication and assembly of single‑cell and multi‑cell VRFB test fixtures for laboratory performance evaluation.
• Operate, maintain, and calibrate laboratory equipment including potentiostats, impedance analysers, flow test rigs, and environmental chambers.
• Collect, organise, and analyse experimental data; prepare technical reports and presentations.

Required profile

• Strong hands‑on laboratory skills.
• Interest in electrochemical energy technologies and flow‑battery systems.
• Ability to work closely with senior researchers and industry partners.

Required skills

• Material processing of graphite composites and PVD‑coated metallic substrates.
• Electrochemical testing techniques: potentiodynamic polarisation, chronoamperometry, EIS, corrosion testing.
• Mechanical testing (tensile strength, elongation) and thermal‑cycling experiments.
• Operation of potentiostats, impedance analysers, flow test rigs, and environmental chambers.
• Data analysis, technical reporting, and presentation preparation.