Senior Research Associate - Engineering Design

Senior Research Associate – InnovateUK/ATI - Engineering Design with integrated smart component digital twin models

Wolfson School of Mechanical Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering

Full time, fixed term until 31 March 2026

Job Grade: Specialist and Supporting Academic Grade 7

We are seeking a highly experienced person to lead research and development into next generation model-based systems engineering methods for smart components for future commercial aircraft design and manufacture.

Smart components in this context are parametrically scalable components that adapt to changing requirements to reach optimum design solutions. A key goal is development of system architectures for an interactive collaborative design space environment to enable designers to perform tradespace analysis of different designs from different user perspectives.

Powerful state of the art MBSE tools are available to undertake co-simulation and integration with other models/simulations ranging from surrogate to high fidelity models/simulations. The research is an integral part of an exciting £20m InnovateUK Programme known as NextWing, co-funded by Airbus and a consortium of Industrial Collaborators. The research will be undertaken as part of a multidisciplinary team across several academic institutions and industry companies.

Additionally, the role will involve co-supervision of other researchers and doctoral students who’s research is aligned to NextWing. This will include management of major work packages and resources (e.g. budget, equipment). It will be necessary to communicate research outcomes to the industrial /academic partners and the InnovateUK project monitoring officer.

The research is likely to lead to important new intellectual property which needs to be carefully protected. Although, there will be excellent opportunities to generate high quality scientific reports and papers suitable for publication in International Journals.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a Nationally important project that will improve the way commercial aircraft are designed in the future.

Key Requirements

• Significant relevant experience within a high-quality research or development environment.
• Significant relevant experience of working in model based systems engineering

• Experience of taking a leading role in a research lab (either at university or in industry) for 3-4 years, with proven experience of management projects/major work packages and resources (e.g. budget, equipment, or other people).
• Evidence of advanced technical knowledge, including first authorship of peer-reviewed paper(s)/presentations at internal conferences
• Evidence of having communicated their research to external industrial partners/major funding bodies
• Representation of research centre’s activities and research outcomes at international conferences or events. 
• Evidence of managed other researchers

For more information refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Roy S. Kalawsky by email [email protected]  

Application closing date: 6 March 2024