Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Defence Data Research Centre

Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy

INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

This full-time, fixed-term post is available immediately for 6 months in the Defence Data Research Centre at the University of Exeter. The post is available as a full or part-time position and the Fellow will be based in Exeter with the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus and some from home. The post will also be a part of the Initiative in the Digital Economy at Exeter (INDEX), University of Exeter Business School.

Summary of the roles  

The Defence Data Research Centre, funded by Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), is led by the University of Exeter and supported by the Universities of Liverpool (Dept of Communication & Media) and Surrey (Centre for Cyber Security), the Digital Catapult and the Defence AI Centre. The transdisciplinary nature of the DDRC gives it the unique ability to investigate and develop the use of data, data science and AI in the context of UK defence.

You will be joining a passionate and experienced team of experts looking to create meaningful and impactful research. Our projects, as well as our team, are systems change makers and international thematic leaders. Here at the Defence Data Research Centre, you will be working to answer current and interesting ‘State of the Art’ and ‘State of the Practice’ research investigation questions. You will be at the forefront of data and AI research.

Some areas of the DDRC’s current focus are synthetic data, data wrangling, logistics, AI in health care, attitudes to data, object recognition and tracking. Our research concentrates on both the technical data challenge, and then how it fits practically and socially within the defence environment. Beyond this, the results are expected to be applicable elsewhere in the wider UK economy.

During this position, you will have the opportunity to focus across a range of DDRC research challenges.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD or equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study such as data science, artificial intelligence and digital transformation and possess sufficient specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop research programmes and methodologies. The successful applicant will also be able to work collaboratively, supervise the work of others and act as team leader as required.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role by clicking on the attachment.

DDRC have the following security clearance requirements:

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Certain nationalities are excluded from eligibility:

• Belarus
• China (including Tibet, Hong Kong and Macau)
• Iran
• North Korea
• Russia
• British nationals with any dual nationality with the above

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career

• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon

The University of Exeter

We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024).  We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.

Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today.  More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).

We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment

We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.

Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community. 

With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.

We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.

Further information

For further information please contact Prof Zena Wood, e-mail [email protected]