School/Department School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing
Based at Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
Hours of work 37 hours, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.
Contract type Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period 12 Months
Salary £24,739 per annum
Apply by 24/04/2020

Role Description

We welcome applications from those interested in this exciting Research  Assistant post, with the necessary knowledge & skills to carry out research work and delivery of Innovate UK project titled “ECWIN2: Flexible Electrochromic Windows with Photovoltaic Generation.”

As the UK’s only exclusively postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships is creating leaders in technology and management globally.  Our distinctive expertise is in our deep understanding of technology and management and how these work together to benefit the world. 

Our people are our most valuable resource and everyone has a role to play in shaping the future of our university, developing our learners, and transforming the businesses we work with. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.  Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.

Cranfield Manufacturing is one of the eight themes at Cranfield University offering world-class and niche post-graduate level research, education, training and consultancy. We are unique in our multi-disciplinary approach by bringing together design, materials’ technology and management expertise. We link fundamental materials research with manufacturing to develop novel technologies and improve the science base of the manufacturing research. Our capabilities are unique, with a focus on simulation and modelling, and sustainability.  They also include work in composite manufacture, metallic glasses, nano-materials (graphene, coatings and sensors), low energy casting, thermal barrier coatings and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM).

This project is an international collaboration between academic and industry partners and will involve researching the design, selection, formulation, manufacturing, and development of electrochromic multi-layered thin films and their integration with PV devices, with the aim of prototyping economical electrochromic smart windows and assessing their impact in ODA countries.

We are interested in hearing from you if you have an MSc (or close to completion) in materials science/engineering; physical/electro-chemistry, mechanical/electrical engineering, micro/nanotechnology, as well as relevant thin film manufacturing and characterisation disciplines. We are interested in candidates with knowledge and experience in thin film deposition methods (e.g. sputtering, doctor blading), materials characterisation (e.g. SEM/EDX, profilometry), optical and electrochemical testing (e.g. UV/Vis/NIR absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry), as well as electronic circuits integration and devices programming (e.g. microcontrollers, solar battery controllers).

The successful candidate will, with guidance from their manager, be expected to plan, organise, co-ordinate, and carry out the work packages to be undertaken as part of this programme, to liaise with colleagues & industry partners to ensure deliverables are met on time, and to report progress to line manager in a timely manner to meet contract deliverable needs.  Other key aspects involve the selection and procurement of materials beyond state-of-the-art and the development of electrochromic materials formulation, device design, and standard operating procedures for manufacturing and testing processes. The successful candidate will also be expected to carry out thin film deposition runs by liquid/vapour methods, thin film characterisation by SEM/EDX, UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy, profilometry, and cyclic voltammetry, as well as solar PV integration and device prototyping.  Further details can be found in the Job Description. In return, the successful applicant will have exciting opportunities for career development in this key position, and to be at the forefront of world leading research and education, joining a supportive team and environment.

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. To further demonstrate our commitment to progressing gender diversity in STEM, we are members of WES & Working Families, and sponsors of International Women in Engineering Day.

Our equal opportunities and diversity monitoring have shown that that women and minority ethnic groups are currently underrepresented within the university and so we actively encourage applications from eligible candidates from these groups.  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. Find out more here.

For an informal discussion, please contact Dr Indrat Aria on +44 (0)1234 758066 or (E); a.i.aria@cranfield.ac.uk