Research Assistant in Driving Simulation and Vehicle Control

School/Department School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing
Based at Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Hours of work 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
Contract type Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period Until 30 February 2026
Salary Full time starting salary in the range £28,203 to £32,039 per annum
Apply by 28/01/2024

Role Description  

About the Role

We are looking for a highly motivated engineer to join the team to develop our driving simulators, control and instrumentation for autonomous and manned vehicle systems.

We work with an exciting and diverse range of clients from Automotive (JLR, Nissan), Motorsport (F1, F2, F4, WRC, WRX etc) and other engineering specialists across the world on bespoke solutions to unusual problems.

This role will combine simulator development with vehicle instrumentation and test, human factors research and technical support of MSc student teaching.     It builds tools and supports our academic community in the highly applied research we do.

You will help develop our existing driving simulator suite with new cueing and motion systems to develop from the highly effective pneumatic systems pioneered at Cranfield and link them with platform motion and other concepts for applications in Auotmotive and Motorsport.   These will largely be developed in house to deliver key functional performance, hence a need for “full stack” understanding from hardware to control to implementation.

You will join project teams to contribute to software and data analysis on a range of commercial and academic research areas.  Our recent work has ranged from road vehicle suspension to marine and aircraft ground handling.

About You

You will have a solid engineering background in mechanical, electrical or electronic engineering with abilities in software and system design. This will include a strong BEng or MSc degree with some experience of successfully completed projects that delivered a solution to a specific problem.

You will be happy working at the interface between hardware, realtime software and high level systems, basing your work on fundamental principles implemented in a clear and effective way.

For the individual, the day to day focus is technical delivery of robust, validated solutions but it is an excellent base for a PhD if you do not already have one or in developing your research career towards a full time academic position in a growing centre.   If your interests are more commercial we are keen to develop IP and work with existing Cranfield companies commercialising our work (AXSIM).

You will work closely with the academic staff and industrial partners developing and delivering projects.  You are expected to take responsibility for your work and help out across the team to get the best solution overall.  In return, you will have the opportunity for career development in this key position at the forefront of world leading automotive research, joining a supportive team and environment.

About Us

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here .

Our Values and Commitments

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here .

We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer and proud members of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families . Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here .

Working Arrangements

Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Kim Blackburn, Lecturer in Off Road and Motorsport Vehicle Engineering on (E): [email protected]

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: [email protected] . Please quote reference number 4720.