Division/School Faculty of Engineering
Contract type Open Ended
Working pattern Full time
Salary £33,797- £38,017 per annum
Closing date for applications 06-Aug-2020

Based in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and the Dynamics & Control Research Group, this is an opportunity to engage in and further develop the University’s novel aeroelastic modelling and testing capabilities. The focus of the role is numerical modelling of the aeroelastics of highly flexible aircraft wings using ‘low-fidelity’ tools.

The person appointed to this Research Associate (RA) role will be part of a small team – within the larger group of researchers in the field of nonlinear dynamics, aeroelasticity and loads – working to gain deeper insight into the flight dynamics of aircraft with highly flexible wings, from both a modelling and a testing perspective.

The post is for 18 months of a three-year project funded by the EPSRC, which is scheduled to start on 1st Sep. 2020. This post will commence on or after 1st October 2020. The research aims to exploit existing capabilities in modelling of aeroelastics and loads, dynamic wind tunnel testing and nonlinear flight dynamics. It is intended to deliver a new approach to wind tunnel testing capable of revealing the influences of strong coupling between flexible wing aeroelastics and the dynamics of the overall airframe. The objectives include validation and calibration of numerical modelling approaches with experimental outcomes and will also explore the feasibility of incorporating load alleviation concepts.

The research to be conducted in this role will entail the application and, where appropriate, further development of aeroelastic analysis methods for highly-flexible structures which can be represented as slender beams. Some of these are available in a software framework intended for high aspect ratio aircraft wing design, where behaviour can become nonlinear. In addition to these beam-based techniques, the role-holder will deploy NASTRAN to relate to an industry standard method and contribute to validation studies. The post-holder will work with another Research Associate, employed for the duration of the 3-year project, who will focus principally on the experimental aspects.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering with expertise in aeroelastic modelling and analysis, preferably with experience of accounting for nonlinear geometric effects and potentially nonlinear aerodynamic phenomena. The candidate should have a sound understanding of flight dynamics as control including load alleviation, be an effective communicator and team member and excel in conceptualising highly innovative approaches to the research challenge.

It is anticipated that interviews will take place shortly after the closing date.

Informal enquiries can be made to Prof. Mark Lowenberg, M.Lowenberg@bristol.ac.uk.

We welcome applications from all members of our community and are particularly encouraging those from diverse groups, such as members of the LGBT+ and BAME communities, to join us.