Requisition ID: 26037
Location:
Newcastle, GB
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Working Pattern: Part Time
Posted Date: 30 Aug 2023
Salary: £31,396 to £32,982 per annum, pro rata
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 13 September 2023
The Role
The successful candidates will be working in a collaborative team developing advanced marine vehicles. One focuses on computational and experimental marine hydrodynamics for propulsion systems, and one focuses on autonomous technology integration for future marine vehicles.
The University of Newcastle upon Tyne was founded in 1871 for the teaching of physical sciences and engineering. Teaching and research are delivered in 24 academic schools and 40 research institutes and research centres, spread across three Faculties: the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; the Faculty of Medical Sciences; and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering. The School of Engineering was formed in 2017 bringing together long-established engineering research and teaching groups in chemical, civil, electrical & electronic, geomatics, marine and mechanical. In REF 2021, 46% of the research outcomes in Engineering research have been ranked with 4* as world leading-research with 69% increase in research power from 2014. Marine, Offshore and Subsea Technology (MOST) group is an international recognised discipline in Newcastle with a successful track record delivering research projects powered by world leading research facilities, including the Emerson Cavitation Tunnel, the Princess Royal research vessel, the fully turbulent flow channel, the towing tank and the combined wind, wave and current tank.
We are recruiting two part-time research assistants to join our research team. Talented, skilled and self-motivated individuals are sought to carry out high-quality research in computational and experimental marine hydrodynamics for novel marine vehicles. The post holder will focus on the research about fluid dynamics around novel propulsor for high efficiency and low noise operation. You are expected to perform advanced computational fluid dynamics analysis using StarCCM+/OpenFoam, conduct the experimental test using our cavitation tunnel, the combined tank and the research vessel, and develop a novel maritime system for clean maritime and autonomous.
Suitable candidates will have a prior background in naval architecture, ocean engineering and mechanical engineering. You should be already familiar with the majority of simulation and experimental techniques (e.g. StarCCM+, OpenFoam, Matlab, LabView, Rhino, PIV, openwater, cavitation, noise tests.). Prior research experience in propeller design and optimisation and AUV development is highly desirable. It is also fundamental that you have to be proficient in CAD modelling.
You will be a highly enthusiastic, self-motivated and diligent individual with an inquiring mind and a particular interest in marine hydrodynamics to drive forward our understanding and capabilities in this area. You will be eager to learn and enhance your own competencies. You need clearly demonstrate your potential in scientific research by an excellent track record of research outputs and have an ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal skills, planning and time management skills, and problem-solving skills are also essential. You must be capable of maintaining current knowledge of the literature and generating new research ideas.
We are committed to building and maintaining a fair and inclusive working environment and we would be happy to discuss arrangements for flexible and/or blended working.
If you would like further details on this project, please contact Dr Weichao Shi (Weichao.shi@newcastle.ac.uk).
As part of our commitment to career development for research staff, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.
For more information about the School of Engineering and our research, please click here.
To apply, please complete an online application and upload a CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter is a supporting statement and you should outline how you meet the essential criteria of the role and evidence this with examples.
Key Accountabilities
- Work on the different tasks in the research project to generate deliverables in a timely manner and meet the project objectives
- Provide active intellectual contributions to the research project by ways of e.g. literature research, planning for implementation, generating new ideas, conducting lab experiments, writing up reports and publications, and presenting results on different occasions
- Undertake research on developing leading research in marine hydrodynamics and autonomous systems for innovative marine vehicles
- Prepare clear, well-written reports and draft scientific papers to meet the requirements of high-impact journals on time according to the project timeline and set out by the Principal Investigator
- To collaborate and engage with other researchers and project partners
- Contribute to the maintenance and professional and safe operation of the laboratories and all associated instrumentation
- Contribute to financial matters related to project implementation and lab development (e.g. purchasing consumables and equipment, and booking for travel)
- May be involved in teaching and the supervision of research students and projects
- Ensure compliance with health and safety in all aspects of work
The Person
Knowledge, Skills, and Experience
- Sufficient knowledge and research experience in marine hydrodynamics (e.g. computational marine hydrodynamics, experimental marine hydrodynamics)
- Proven experience in writing fluently and coherently in the preparation of high-quality research publications
- Skilled in prototyping and experimental investigations for marine vehicles
- Skilled in using mainstream CFD (e.g. Star-CCM+, OpenFoam)
- Research experience in propeller design and optimisation
Desirable
- Experience in developing research proposals and securing funding for research
- Experience in teaching and/or supervising students
Attributes and Behaviour
- A developing research profile with an excellent track record of research publications and other outputs considering your career stage.
- Enthusiastic, hardworking and goal-setter
- Willing to learn and expand your research area and carry out challenging research studies
- Capacity for original thought and initiating new research ideas
- Ability to interact with people from different disciplines and in different functions
- Ability to work independently, as well as to collaborate effectively with other researchers and project partners
- An ability to communicate effectively via oral and written media (e.g. technical reports, papers and presentations)
- Ability to manage research data and maintain records in a professional matter for research projects
- Ability to plan and implement research projects effectively and deliver outputs to meet tight deadlines
- Maintaining a high level of professional conduct and ethics in research
- Committed to embedding the values of equality and diversity in all aspects of your work
Desirable
- Ability to contribute to the development of funding proposals to generate external funding to support research (Desirable)
- Ability to communicate with a wider audience in writing and oral forms (e.g. writing generalised articles for the public, and speaking in outreach events) (Desirable)
Qualifications
- MSc or equivalent qualification awarded in relevant disciplines (e.g. naval architecture, marine technology, mechanical engineering)
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 26037