School/Department Centre for Competitive Creative Design (C4D)
Based at Off Campus
Hours of work 39 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
Contract type Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period 23 Months
Salary £25,000 - £35,000 per annum

Role Description

An exciting opportunity to work as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate has arisen through a KTP agreement recently signed between Cranfield University and Garrandale Ltd.  Garrandale Ltd is a UK based company which designs and manufactures various systems for the UK railway industry (including carriage wash systems). This role will be primarily based at the Garrandale site in Derby.

The project offers an opportunity to take on research challenges in the application of robotics to support railway industry operations.  As a KTP Associate, you will work in conjunction with staff from the Centre for Competitive Creative Design (C4D) at Cranfield University. C4D specialises in developing breakthrough innovations through collaborations partners in both the public and private sectors.

You will work on the development of an industrial scale train cab front cleaning robot. The project is primarily concerned with the design of control architecture and associated programming in order to deliver a prototype application. The solution needs to meet the requirements of the railway industry regarding Health and Safety, cleaning quality assurance, and cleaning productivity. The role on offer will focus on the control systems design challenges of the project, working closely with a second KTP Associate who will focus on the mechanical aspects of the solution.

Applicants must have a batchelors degree in a relevant field such as: robotics, control engineering, Internet of Things, Mechatronics, Software Programming, and Software Development. You must have experience of working with robotics control systems as well as industrial control systems (PLC), alongside servo systems/controller knowledge. Additionally, knowledge of a programming language (such as Java, C++, C# or python) is essential, as is knowledge of Solidworks (or similar CAD software) and MATLAB/Simulink (or LABVIEW).

Experience of collaborative industry/university working would be advantageous and the role would suit an individual with good team working skills and an ability to communicate complex ideas and concepts effectively. You will build on a heritage of excellence and become a key team member at Garrandale Ltd. Engagement and working with suppliers and customers is actively encouraged from the outset.

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Paul Lighterness, Lecturer in Product Design within the Centre for Competitive Creative Design, on (T); +44 (0)1234 750111 Ext. 2142 or (E): Paul.Lighterness@cranfield.ac.uk

At Cranfield, we value Diversity and Inclusion, and aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together harmoniously with dignity and respect and realise their full potential. We actively consider flexible working options such as part-time, compressed or flexible hours and/or an element of homeworking, and commit to exploring the possibilities for each role.

This partnership received financial support from the Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme. KTP aims to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base. This successful Knowledge Transfer Partnership project, funded by UK Research and Innovation through Innovate UK, is part of the government’s Industrial Strategy.

Interviews to be held: w/c 21 October 2019