Join the team

Candidates interested in applying for prestigious EC-funded MSC postdoctoral fellowships to work with our group are welcome to contact Paul (p.w.davies at bham.ac.uk). The final funding application is due in September, so applications are currently being prepared. If interested then please send a CV, research summary (ca. 2 pages) and brief summary of the type of research that you would be interested in pursuing as soon as possible.
Candidates with any background across synthesis and catalysis, or other relevant areas will be considered. Areas of particular interest include organometallic chemistry and catalyst design, cycloadditions, sulfur chemistry, hydrogen-bonding systems, cross-coupling reactions, and polyaromatic systems for electronic applications .

The Davies group consists of individuals from around the world who work together in a supportive group environment in order to best realise each member’s individual potential. If you are interested in joining our team, please read the information below and then contact Paul at ‘p.w.davies at bham.ac.uk’ with the relevant information. Please include a full CV and details of research experience.

We are always interested to hear from people who have strong interests in synthesis and catalysis and enjoy tackling new challenges in organic and organometallic chemistry. We are also keen to explore more diverse areas of research where we can apply our expertise and interests in a different directions, so are happy to hear from people in this regard.

Details of vacancies and how to apply are given below.

Doctoral Researchers (PhD students)

We are happy to welcome new PGRs for projects across the areas of synthetic organic, homogeneous catalysis and/or organometallic chemistry.

Any available post-graduate scholarships are normally linked to a particular projects and will be funded at a level suitable for UK or EU candidates. Further information on how to apply to the graduate programme at Birmingham is given here. For those with their own source of funding or who are looking to apply for external funds to support their doctoral study, then please get in touch to discuss suitable projects. For successful applicants I am happy to help you prepare your application package to try and win external funding that winning would allow you to join my group.

For informal enquiries, please contact me by e-mail with your CV, including qualifications and grades, contact details for two referees, and a brief description of any previous research experience as well as your current areas of interest and motivation for undertaking a PhD.

MSc and PhD positions for overseas students:  Some scholarships are listed below, and others may be available from your home country. Contact me as soon as possible and identify which scholarship you wish to apply under.

Chevening Scholarships

British Council

Post-Doctoral Researchers

Available funded post-doc positions will be advertised when funds are secured. Details of how to apply will be included in the adverts on this web-site and on external recruitment sites. These application are made through the University’s HR website.

If you are interested in applying for your own fellowship to work within our group, for instance funded by your national funding body, you should contact Paul with details of both your research background and the fellowship you are intending to apply for, as well as details about application requirements and deadlines. Candidates from any part of the world who are suitably qualified will receive help to prepare a high quality funding application. 

In your email: Please only include a CV a brief research summary (~ 1-2 pages) and a cover letter (if not in the email main text). If further documents are needed then they will be requested. Please do not send copies of papers/qualifications.

Unsolicited applications for postdoctoral positions that do not contain the requested information can not be considered.

Some funding bodies are listed below, although many countries have their own fellowship schemes:

Undergraduate MSci Year 4 Projects 

Students on the Chemistry course at Birmingham who have a strong interest in homogeneous catalysis, synthetic organic, and/or organometallic chemistry are encouraged to apply to our group. The training and experience you will receive is ideal for students who wish to pursue a career in organic synthesis or other aspects of synthetic chemistry. Individual projects are available that are aligned to the on-going research in our group. 

Summer Students

Year 2 and 3 undergraduate students with a keen interest in organic chemistry and a desire to experience research are welcome to contact Paul in order to discuss a (8-12 week) placement in our labs over the summer. Funds to support living expenses are available from a variety of sources and support is provided to help craft the application.

Visiting Scientists, Academics and Industrialists

Other scientists interested in joining our group for a short stay (generally 2 to 6 months) either as training or to develop research collaborations and/or strengthen research interactions should contact Paul by e-mail with details.