Research Fellow (2 posts) in Predictive Maintenance of Aircraft Systems

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: 33 months
Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £35,559 to £39,434 per annum
Apply by: 13/12/2022

Role Description

Cranfield University School of Aerospace Transport and Manufacturing and the IVHM Centre welcomes applications from engineers - scientists with expertise in computer programming and/or advanced modelling and simulation tools and knowledge of aircraft systems.

About the Role

The purpose of these two posts is to support and deliver to an industry funded project led by a major aircraft design company. You will be responsible for undertaking high quality research associated with the Cranfield University project work package in AI-Enhanced Digital Twins and High Level Reasoner Decision Support System for aircraft systems. You will integrate heterogeneous data streams (from multiple sources, such as sensory, physics model, etc.), flag impending failures, pinpoint and trace back the origin of system faults, and facilitate sensor optimization in order to achieve a robust and dependable condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and prognostics and health management (PHM) regime for the aircraft systems over the entire period of their life-cycle. You will also be responsible for managing the research tasks, organising project meetings, writing project deliverables and coordinating research activities and will need excellent interpersonal skills.

About You

You will be educated to doctoral level in an aerospace / mechanical / electrical / software engineering subject and have experience of analysis and modelling of mechanical and electrical aircraft systems.

With excellent communication skills, you will have expertise in MatLab or Python software and/or advanced modelling and simulation tools and knowledge of simulation of aircraft landing systems would be an advantage. You will be confident in communicating with external partners professionally and skilled in project management and report writing. 

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 .

The Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) Centre is a joint effort by Industry and Academia to develop state of the art diagnostic and prognostic capabilities that change the way services are provided today. The IVHM Centre was launched by Cranfield University, Britain’s premier postgraduate, research intensive university together with Boeing, Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, Meggitt and Thales in 2008. It is located at Cranfield University’s Cranfield site. The Centre is now globally recognized, having defined the subject area and further developing new areas of expansion. The development of the Centre, along with other areas in the University, significantly contributed to the recent DARTeC (Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre) proposal success. Through DARTeC, the IVHM Centre is leading the MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) developments and activities with expertise and capabilities in UAV-Robotics Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) inspections, sensor monitoring, and advanced digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins (DT), tools that could be used to synchronize, monitor, and improve all processes related to Aircraft MRO. 

For further information please visit: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/centres/integrated-vehicle-health-management

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.

How to apply                                    

For an informal discussion, please contact Prof Nico Avdelidis, Head of IVHM Centre on [email protected]

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: [email protected] . Please quote reference number 4326.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 13 December 2022