Senior Research Assistant in Built Environment

18 Jan 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

Research Field

Biological sciences

Researcher Profile

Recognised Researcher (R2)
First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

United Kingdom

Application Deadline

14 Feb 2024 - 00:00 (UTC)

Type of Contract

Other

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

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

No

Offer Description

ABOUT THE ROLE

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you will support in the development of a new lab and pilot projects for the Living Construction group at Northumbria University. This will include helping to set up a new ‘wet fab’ facility and developing pilot projects in a number of areas including, the advanced fabrication of microbial cellulose based composites through our Engineered Living Fabricator (ELF) system, working on new methods for the casting and fabrication of biological cemented materials and investigating the ‘agential’ nature of mycelium and mushrooms as a method of fabrication. The posts will initially last for 2 years with the possibility to extend if grants are successful. 

The initial contract will start from 1st  April 2023.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The successful candidates will be joining the Living Construction theme with two key responsibilities:

To help set up a new Wet Fabrication facility capable of doing basic microbiology combined with electronics and new types of biological fabrication at multiple scales.

Develop pilot projects in preparation for further funding in several areas of biological fabrication – esp. using microbes, for biomineralization, the synthesis and modification of cellulose and functional and morphological control of mycelium and mushrooms. 

Build large scale prototypes using the materials and techniques developed in these pilot projects. 

ABOUT THE TEAM

Living Construction is a Research Group withing the Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE www.bbe.ac.uk ). The Hubs mission is to create Built Environments which are Life Sustaining and Sustained by Life. focuses on the production of functional materials and Engineered Living Materials through biological fabrication processes. The group integrates expertise in bio sciences, engineering and design and integrates hardware, software and wetware.

ABOUT YOU

Applicants should hold or be near completion of a PhD in Bio Design for biological materials and fabrication. We are especially seeking candidates with experience in mycelium/ mushroom production, microbial cellulose and or microbial biomineralization (through Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation - MICP). Experience developing electronic hardware and digital fabrication methods is also essential. You should be an exceptional collaborator and able to work independently and as part of a team,  possess multitasking abilities and be a clear communicator to those outside your field. Excellent communication (written and oral) and organisation skills are essential, and evidence in initiating and delivery scientific publication is required.

Further information is available in the person specification .  

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Prof Martyn Dade-Robertson ([email protected]  ).

To apply for this vacancy please click 'Apply Now'.  Your application should include a covering letter and a CV.  

ABOUT US

At Northumbria, we embrace tomorrow. We pursue new thinking, forge new partnerships, create, and exchange new knowledge, and find new solutions. Our inspirational academics, partners and students work together to tackle tomorrow’s challenges head on. We are ready for the future whatever it may hold.

Awarded the title of University of the Year  in the 2022 Times Higher Education Awards, Northumbria University is a research-intensive modern university with a global reputation for academic excellence.

Northumbria recorded the biggest rise of any UK university for research power in the Research Excellence Framework for the second time in 2021 and is now ranked top 25 for this measure.

One of the largest universities in the UK with over 37,000 students from 137 countries, filled with world-leading research, award-winning partnerships, and students at the heart of an outstanding experience, Northumbria is a new kind of excellent university. Discover more about us .

Northumbria University is a great place to work.  We empower our exceptional people to achieve shared ambitions and promote a positive work life balance. We offer a wide range of benefits including excellent pension schemes, flexible working, a generous holiday entitlement, continued commitment to your learning and development and more .

Our Northumbria Values are guiding principles that define who we are, what we do and what is important to us. Our Values are: Academic Excellence; Innovation; Inclusivity; Collaboration; and Ambition.

Our Behaviours describe how we do things and how we work together at Northumbria, reflecting our culture and our decision-making. Our Behaviours are: We listen and learn, we support one another to success, we respect everyone and their contributions, we trust in ourselves and each other and we are bold.

Our Behaviours were co-created by colleagues from a range of roles across the University, who worked collaboratively to consider what it feels like to work for Northumbria, and where we need to continue to transform together to achieve what’s important to us.

Please visit Our Values and Behaviours  page to find out more.

We are an on-campus organisation where colleagues work regular patterns of hours and on campus, with some flexibility on the timing of their hours and the location of their work in discussion with their manager.  Our campus locations include City Campus Newcastle and Coach Lane Campus Newcastle.

Northumbria University is committed to creating an inclusive culture where we take pride in, and value, the diversity of our staff.  We encourage and welcome applications from all members of the community. The University holds a bronze Athena Swan award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality, we are a Disability Confident Leader, a member of the Race Equality Charter and are participating in the Stonewall Diversity Champion Programme.

The University has implemented a range of flexible working arrangements, and we are happy to explore candidate requirements as part of the recruitment process. 

We are committed to keeping your data safe so it's important for you to know how we use any personal data you give us. For more detailed information, access our Privacy Policy .

Requirements
Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

Country

United Kingdom

City

Newcastle Upon Tyne

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/unijobs/listing/363481/senior-research-ass…

Contact

City

Newcastle Upon Tyne

STATUS: EXPIRED