PhD in integrated design methods for sustainable solutions (for Makers and Do it Yourself)

24 May 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

Grenoble INP - Institute of Engineering

Department

Engineering

Research Field

Engineering » Mechanical engineering

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

France

Application Deadline

12 Jun 2024 - 20:00 (Africa/Abidjan)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Offer Starting Date

1 Oct 2024

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Reference Number

2024-PHDCONCEPTSOLUDURAB-GSCOP

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Research

Team: Systemic Design:

Human, Environment, Technology (CoSys) Laboratory website: https://g-scop.grenoble-inp.fr/fr/laboratoire G-SCOP is a multi-disciplinary laboratory designed to meet the scientific challenges posed by current and future changes in the industrial world. The laboratory's scope ranges from product design to the management of production systems, drawing on strong skills in optimization. G-SCOP is a benchmark laboratory in France in the field of production systems (the only CNRS UMR focused on production systems; entrusted by the ANR to steer thinking on the production systems of the future...) but also internationally, via its research networks (CIRP, Design society...) and its research projects linked to industry 5.0 and industrial renewal on a European scale. The G-SCOP laboratory's design teams are recognized for their expertise in collaborative design and product lifecycle engineering. Their aim is not only to design and develop solutions, but also to propose design and organization methods that enable us to understand and support the evolution of industry and emerging technologies, leading to new forms of consumption and production. The COSYS team will host the PhD student in collaboration with the PACTE laboratory. The team places the user and the environment at the heart of its research. Its work integrates the themes of the circular economy; the design of sustainable, personalized, useful and usable products and services; eco-design; and user-centered design.

The team aims to mobilize technologies and design organizations to serve people and the environment. Among the scientific challenges addressed by the team are :

- The place of human beings in relation to technology in their professional and social environment

- Innovation for people and the environment - Design management under constraints of scarce materials and environmental impact

- Eco-design and human factor methods, and supporting tools

- Understanding the levers for defining a sustainable circular economy

 

Offer description:

"The "maker" world is part of a long-term history that, since the industrial revolution, has seen a succession of different waves of discourse and practices, all of which have in common the valorization of DIY and do it yourself" (Berrebi-Hoffmann, Bureaun, and Lallement 2018). Makers often operate outside conventional industrial production frameworks, combining creativity and technology to meet local needs, while valuing collaboration, knowledge sharing, open-source/open-hardware and low-tech (Browder, Aldrich, and Bradley 2019; Dreessen, Schepers, and Leen 2016; Abbassi et al. 2022). However, to maximize their impact on sustainability, it is crucial that these initiatives systematically integrate certain principles, such as those of eco-design or ergonomics from the earliest stages of co-design (Rio and Tyl 2022; Unterfrauner et al. 2019; Caroly and Barcellini 2013). This thesis is part of the ANR Makers project, in which the G-SCOP and PACTE laboratories are partners. The aim of the Makers project is to understand the extent to which a paradigm shift in the management of technological innovation, driven by the Makers movement, enables us to move away from a traditional entrepreneurial model, by taking into account territorial issues, technological reappropriation, user needs (bottom-up approach) and the circular economy.

To this end, our project focuses on three interacting lines of research:

- Focus 1: Identify makers' initiatives that address sustainability issues and contribute to a regional dynamic,

- Axis 2: Understand the individual and collective activities of makers in designing innovative and sustainable products/services with territorial impact,

- Axis 3: support the development of makers' activities to underpin the integrated design process, leading to sustainable solutions in economic, social and environmental terms.

The PhD student will work mainly on axis 3. He/she will support design projects and the integration of various design principles, which will be translated into a guide co-constructed with the makers. He/she will participate in the analysis of project data in relation to the work of Axis 1 and 2 partners. This thesis is positioned at the intersection of eco-design, ergonomics and the collaborative design/manufacturing practices of makers. It aims to develop, propose and test a methodology for effectively integrating sustainability principles into product design by the maker community. This methodology will be based on an in-depth review of integrated design methods (Design for X - DfX) already developed (Dufrene, Zwolinski, and Brissaud 2013)but adapted to the flexible and innovative dynamics specific to makers.

Objectives :

• Develop an integrated Design method for Makers and Do it Yourself, to promote the creation of truly sustainable solutions.

• Experiment with this method through pilot projects with the Makers community, assessing its applicability, effectiveness and impact on the sustainability of the solutions developed.

• Identify challenges, opportunities and best practices to encourage the adoption of these sustainability principles within makers' communities, with a view to amplifying their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Methodology : The research will be based on a qualitative, participatory approach, combining case studies, co-design workshops and interviews with makers, ergonomists and eco-design experts. Particular attention will be paid to documenting and analyzing co-design processes, in order to identify key success factors and obstacles encountered. Beforehand, a literature review on eco-design, co-engineering and the community of makers in sustainable territorial dynamics will be necessary.

Requirements

Research Field

Engineering » Mechanical engineering

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

1. a skills repository co-constructed with the Makers in connection with the compliance of sustainable solutions.

2. a guide, co-created with the Makers, to project management that takes into account the principles of eco-design, ergonomics, safety, etc. in the search for sustainable solutions.

3. knowledge of how to manage makers' innovation projects with a territorial and sustainable vision

Fluency in both written and spoken English is required.

Specific Requirements

Candidate with an engineering degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or generalist, with a strong interest in sustainable development, open innovation, and collaboration with maker communities.

Previous experience of working with makers or on eco-design projects would be an asset.

Special features of the position Research can be carried out at several sites in Grenoble and St Martin-d'Hères. In view of existing partnerships, long-term international travel is expected. Position in a restricted area: NO

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Excellent

Languages

FRENCH

Level

Good

Research Field

Engineering » Mechanical engineering

Internal Application form(s) needed
PHD IN SUSTAINABLE CONCEPTION.pdf
English
(286.73 KB - PDF)
Download
Additional Information
Selection process

How to apply:

Send a complete file containing : CV, cover letter, summary of Master's research work, transcripts, any other document that may support motivation for the thesis, to :

Peggy Zwolinski, University Professor, G-SCOP, Grenoble INP, [email protected]

Sandrine Caroly, University Professor, PACTE, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, [email protected]

Helmi Ben Rejeb, Senior Lecturer, G-SCOP, Grenoble INP, [email protected]

 

Application deadline: June 12th (2024/06/12)

Website for additional job details

https://g-scop.grenoble-inp.fr/en

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

GSCOP

Country

France

City

GRENOBLE

Postal Code

38000

Street

46 avenue Félix Viallet

Geofield

Where to apply

E-mail

[email protected]

Contact

City

Grenoble

Website

http://www.grenoble-inp.fr

Street

46 avenue Félix Viallet

Postal Code

38000

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED