School/Department Cranfield Defence and Security
Based at Shrivenham, Oxfordshire - Cranfield Defence and Security
Hours of work 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered
Contract type Fixed term contract
Fixed Term Period Fixed Term Contract for two years
Salary £43,351 to £48,323 per annum with additional performance related pay up to £60,403 per annum
Apply by 26/07/2020

Role Description

Cranfield University Cranfield Defence and Security welcomes applications from Senior Research Fellows.    

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: Working life at Cranfield. 

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. To find out more please visit our website: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/about/about 

The Centre for Defence Chemistry has been working on propellants, explosives and pyrotechnic research for decades. We are interested in all aspects of defence manufacturing, vulnerability, combustion, and life assessment of energetic materials. The Centre is home to an enviable range of facilities for the analysis and characterization, testing, ageing and disposal of a wide range of materials including explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, fuels and polymers. https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/centres/centre-for-defence-chemistry 

This role holder’s research aims to build validated models that describe the onset and subsequent growth of reaction, particularly for explosives under cook-off conditions.  A Senior Research Fellow is required, in order to support research and a fully-funded PhD researcher is scheduled to begin in October 2020, who will focus on development of computer models for slow decomposition in early cook-off. 

The role holder will:

• Lead research into computer model development, maintaining emphasis on both experimental and theoretical aspects of research, and building a new research area
• Actively carry out research in support of an existing research contract
• Work closely with CfDC Manufacturing Group in formulations development
• Build research collaboration with AWE formulations development team
• Co-supervise existing PhD students, and gain new PhD researchers

You will hold a PhD or equivalent in a chemistry-related field with experience of computer model development for decomposition chemistry and microstructural mechanisms.  Experience in Project Management and supervising research students is also required. 

You will have subject matter expertise in cook-off experiments, modelling and model development; sound knowledge of opportunities for novel developments in the context of your area and an understanding of the contemporary challenges facing the defence sector in the UK and further afield.

In return, the successful applicant will have exciting opportunities for career development in this key position, and to support 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.  

Our equal opportunities and diversity monitoring has 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.  To find out more, please visit https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/about/working-at-cranfield/diversity

For an informal discussion, please contact Chris Stennett at c.stennett@cranfield.ac.uk.