Research Associate

at  Heriot Watt University

Directorate : School of Engineering & Physical Sciences
Salary : Grade 7 (£36,023-£45,585)
Contract Type: Full Time (1FTE), Fixed Term (1 Month)
Rewards and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday) for all full time staff. Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The Research Associate will join the Biomedical Engineering team at Heriot-Watt University. The selected candidate will join a multidisciplinary project seeking to understand the fracture behaviour of bone and how it is influenced by structural and compositional changes due to aging or disease. To do so, the selected candidate will support an upcoming experimental session at the Diamond Light Source (Oxfordshire, UK) where synchrotron radiation micro-computed tomography and in situ three-point bending fracture testing will be combined to evaluate 3D crack propagation in bone.
The successful candidate will make use of our excellent facilities including dedicated biomedical tissue laboratories, and cutting-edge equipment including a broad suite of tissue processing equipment, mechanical testing equipment, and imaging equipment. This post would suit someone who enjoys working in a collaborative high paced environment, with a passion for developing engineer solutions for pressing global challenges. The applicant will be expected to work directly with Dr Marta Peña Fernández.

ABOUT OUR TEAM

The School of Engineering & Physical Sciences (EPS) was created in August 2002. We are a community of over 340 staff and around 3,000 students across our three campuses in Scotland, Dubai and Malaysia. The School is recognised as an international leader in education, research and the application of knowledge to benefit society globally, committed to excellence with a purpose. We are striving to establish ourselves as partners of choice for world leading institutions, consistently delivering an environmentally and financially sustainable growth by aligning to the opportunities and requirements of our modern times to address local and global needs.
Our research ranges from fundamental sciences through to engineering applications, all of which are supported by strong external funding. We have over 150 full-time academic staff who drive this research activity and are based in 5 research institutes: the Institute of Chemical Sciences, the Institute of Photonics & Quantum Sciences, the Institute of Mechanical, Process & Energy Engineering, the Institute of Sensors, Signals & Systems and the Institute of Biological Chemistry, BioPhysics & BioEngineering. In REF2021, our Physics was top in the UK for world-leading research outputs. Our joint submission to Engineering with the University of Edinburgh was ranked 1st in Scotland and 3rd in the UK for quality and breadth of research (based upon the standard Research Power formula as used by the Times Higher Education).
We provide world-class education to our students across six undergraduate programmes: Chemistry; Physics; Electrical, Electronic & Computer Engineering; Chemical & Process Engineering; Mechanical Engineering and Brewing & Distilling and will soon add Aerospace Engineering to our undergraduate programme portfolio. We also offer a range of postgraduate taught programmes. In the recent The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023, our Chemical Engineering is the 6th in the UK (the 2nd in Scotland), Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering is the 7th in the UK (the 1st in Scotland) and General Engineering is the 9th in the UK (the 1st in Scotland). In the 2022 National Student Survey (NSS), we are ranked the 4th in the UK for overall satisfaction in Chemical Engineering, the 2nd in Scotland in Electrical Engineering and Physics, and are the top ranked in the UK in Food & Beverage discipline (which includes our Brewing & Distilling discipline, where we have achieved a 100% students overall satisfaction).
We are seeking an experienced and leading academic researcher to lead and develop research and teaching activities in areas related to advanced materials, aerospace or solid mechanics.
The post holder will be line managed by the Head of the Institute for Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering (IMPEE) and assigned teaching responsibilities by the Mechanical Engineering Senior Programme Director.

The post holder is required to;

• Within the project, the research assistant will contribute, under supervision, to the experimental planning, including sample preparation and mechanical testing. Tasks will also include literature reviews, report writing and presentation of finding/results.
• We are looking for a creative and highly motivated candidate willing to work as part of a team. Good communication skills and an appropriate publication record are essential. 
• The successful candidate would be expected to work creatively, keep up to date and within the boundaries of risk assessments and COSHH safety requirements.
• Education, Qualifications and Experienc

The post holder is required to;

• Within the project, the research assistant will contribute, under supervision, to the experimental planning, including sample preparation and mechanical testing. Tasks will also include literature reviews, report writing and presentation of finding/results.
• We are looking for a creative and highly motivated candidate willing to work as part of a team. Good communication skills and an appropriate publication record are essential. 
• The successful candidate would be expected to work creatively, keep up to date and within the boundaries of risk assessments and COSHH safety requirements.
• Education, Qualifications and Experience