Research Assistant / Associate in Architectural Prototyping

Company description:

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

Job description:

The Role

We are seeking a creative researcher to join the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE) with a profound interest in creative design and prototyping with new materials, technologies, and processes for the built environment. HBBE is an exciting collaboration between Newcastle University and Northumbria University with over 60 members, supported by substantial funding from Research England.

Our vision is to develop biotechnologies to create a new generation of Living Buildings which are responsible and responsive to their natural environment, grown using living engineered materials to reduce inefficient industrial construction processes, metabolise their own waste, reducing pollution and generating energy and high-value products, and modulate their microbiome to benefit human and ecological health and wellbeing.

We are looking for a creative, self-motivated, and adaptable researcher with expertise in digital and analogue design and fabrication, to help develop experimental prototypes for installation in our experimental building (The OME). You will be based in the HBBE workshop with access to a range of digital fabrication tools and material testing equipment including a robot arm, water jet cutter, 3D printers, 3D knitting machine, tensile/compression tester, climate chambers, and biological growing room.

Training will be provided for use of this equipment if necessary. Some knowledge or experience of applications of emerging biotechnologies would be welcome but is not essential. A strong design portfolio is essential with evidence of a range of digital and analogue design and making skills and a track record in research through design. You will be based in the HBBE Responsible Interactions theme and will collaborate with researchers from a wide range of disciplines from the Microbial Environments, Living Construction and Building Metabolism research themes.

In addition to the standard application documents (including CV and cover letter) candidates are asked to provide a portfolio of projects which demonstrate strong design and making skills.

The nature of this role will require you to work on the University campus most of the time.

The post is full-time (or part-time if a suitable job share can be arranged) and fixed-term from: available immediately - March 2024.

Informal queries to Dr Ben Bridgens, [email protected]  

For more information about the project see our website here .

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.