Cranfield University is looking for people to join its team to develop the Nano Membrane Toilet, a toilet designed to serve the 2.5 billion people globally who currently lack access to sanitation. The toilet must work without using any water, external power and without connection to sewerage. The first phase of development is now complete, and Cranfield University have just received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to continue the toilet’s development and prepare for field testing.

The Nano Membrane Toilet www.nanomembranetoilet.org/ is designed for single-household use (equivalent to 10 people accepting urine and faeces as a mixture). The toilet flush uses a unique rotating mechanism to transport the mixture into the toilet without demanding water whilst simultaneously blocking odour and the user’s view of the waste. Solids separation (faeces) is principally accomplished through sedimentation. Loosely bound water (mostly from urine) is separated using low glass transition temperature hollow-fibre membranes. The unique nanostructured membrane wall facilitates water transport in the vapour state rather than as a liquid state which yields high rejection of pathogens and some odorous volatile compounds. A novel nano-coated bead enables water vapour recovery through encouraging the formation of water droplets at the nanobead surface. Once the droplets form a critical size, the water drains into a collection vessel for reuse at the household level in washing or irrigation applications. Solids will be processed in a gasifier, generating enough energy to power the toilet. Users will rent the toilet for a small fee which also covers the servicing.

The team is multi-disciplinary, comprising engineers, scientists, designers and social scientists, all of whom are motivated to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems –providing a safe place to go to the toilet. What could you contribute?

We are looking for four talented postdoctoral researchers:


· Research Fellow in Design for Manufacture
jobs.cranfield.ac.uk/wd/plsql/wd_portal....p_web_page_id=198124

· Research Fellow in Membrane Technology and Process Engineering
jobs.cranfield.ac.uk/wd/plsql/wd_portal....p_web_page_id=198122

· Research Fellow in Energy Systems
jobs.cranfield.ac.uk/wd/plsql/wd_portal....p_web_page_id=198119

· Research Fellow in Mechanics and Mechanisms
jobs.cranfield.ac.uk/wd/plsql/wd_portal....p_web_page_id=198120


Salary £30,542 to 34,042 per annum

Closing date for receipt of applications: 28th October 2014
Expected interview date: 30th October – 5th November 2014