Division/School School of Civil, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Contract type Fixed Term Contract
Working pattern Full time
Salary Grade I £33,199-£37,345 Grade J £37,345-£42,036
Closing date for applications 31-Dec-2019

Three exciting research positions are available to conduct research at the University of Bristol on novel tools and methods rotorcraft design and analysis problems. Applications are invited for Research Associate/Senior Associate as part of the Methods and Experiments for NOvel Rotorcraft (MENtOR) project funded by EPSRC. MENtOR is a result of the activities of the UK Vertical Lift Network (UKVLN), bringing together the rotorcraft research community of the UK. MENtOR itself is aiming to develop and validate methods and tools that can be used for the design and analysis of the next-generation breed of rotorcraft.

MENtOR is a combined effort that includes researchers in the UK active in the rotorcraft field. The development of high-fidelity design and simulation tools is a primary objective equal in importance to the validation of the tools using test data. Multi-Physics methods will be developed to allow for the aerodynamics and dynamics of complex new rotorcraft to be analysed with high-fidelity. To support this activity MENtOR capitalises on the investment of ATI (former UK Aerodynamics) on the manufacturing of a test rig suitable for wind tunnel experimentation and able to accommodate tilt-rotor configurations.

The three research roles sit within the technology development stream, where the research aims to develop efficient tools and methods to, which span multiple physical domains, to understand and analyse the complex aero-mechanical behaviour of novel rotorcraft systems. The focus for each of the roles is as follows:

• ACAD103899(Open ended contract with funding for up to 20 months starting May 2019) is devoted to the development of an advanced simulation platform in the Multi-Body framework which will allow the detailed modelling of the structure and mechanisms involved in these novel flying machines.
• ACAD103898(Open ended contract with funding for up to 20 months starting July 2019) aims to deliver efficiency to the high-fidelity tools to make them usable for engineering analysis using novel computer architectures and relatively small computer clusters.
• ACAD103896(Fixed term contract with funding for up to 12 months starting September 2019) aims to develop an understanding and estimates of the structural response of the tiltrotor experimental rig in a wind tunnel setting.

Applicants should state in their applications which role(s) they are applying for.

Informal enquiries about these positions can be made to:

• Dr Djamel Rezgui djamel.rezgui@bristol.ac.uk (General enquires or enquiries about role 1)
• Prof. Christian B. Allen c.b.allen@bristol.ac.uk (enquiries about role 2)
• Dr Brano Titurus brano.Titurus@bristol.ac.uk (enquiries about role 3)

We appreciate and value difference, seeking to attract, develop and retain a diverse mix of talented people that will contribute to the overall success of Bristol and help maintain our position as one of the world’s leading universities.