School/Department School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing
Based at Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire
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 2.5 Years
Salary Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £26,838 to £28,338 per annum as Research Assistant or £33,309 per annum as Research Fellow
Apply by 27/05/2021

Role Description

Research Assistant or Research Fellow in Rotorcraft Performance and Environmental Assessments

Cranfield is an exclusively postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management. 

Cranfield University’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships is creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.

About SATM

The Centre for Propulsion Engineering, within the School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing (SATM), has a strong track record in power plant modelling and performance simulation research. Research activities in the past 50 years, on gas turbine applications in power and propulsion, cover virtually every aspect of the field, such as steady-state and transient performance simulation, diagnostics, novel cycles, engine control, advanced simulation methods and integration. Extensive participation in various EU and UK based projects has strengthened and established the Centre as a key contributor to path breaking research while acquiring a peripheral view of the emergence of new technologies in the field. Propulsion Engineering Centre staff also run a large and extremely successful international activity embracing applied research, industrial short courses and leading MSc and PhD programmes. The Centre is also host to the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre for Aero Systems Design, Integration & Performance, testimony of the Centre’s global visibility and extensive links with industry.

About the Role

You will join the Gas Turbine Engineering Group within the Centre for Propulsion Engineering. The group is placed between academia and industry and carries out research with a strong scientific and industrial relevance. The core competence of the Group is its ability to undertake detailed modelling studies and performance simulations involving aero-thermo, multi-disciplinary models to improve and extend our understanding of power plant and related systems performance within, but also at the edges, of the operating envelope. There is also a large experimental activity supported by key industrial partners. You will be expected to contribute extensively to an ongoing EU funded project on novel Rotorcraft Assessments and interact with industry contacts.

You will contribute to design space exploration, optimization and performance assessments of future Fast Rotorcraft (FRC) concepts. This will encompass integrated rotorcraft and propulsion system performance modeling, mission level performance, environmental analysis and techno-economic assessments for the range of concepts being investigated.

About You

You will have a PhD (obtained or close to completion as Research Fellow, or MSc and nearing completion of PhD as Research Assistant) in a closely relevant engineering discipline, with experience in conceptual design and assessment of rotorcraft, Urban Air Mobility Vehicles and associated propulsion technologies. Experience in undertaking aero-thermodynamics, performance design space exploration, simulation integrated studies and technical report writing skills are also essential. With excellent problem solving and communication skills, you will have a developing track record of publishing in high quality journals. Experience in managing research projects is desirable.

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.

Our Values

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here. We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential.

Diversity and Inclusion

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

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.

Flexible Working

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.

How to apply

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Devaiah Nalianda, Lecturer in Gas Turbine Engineering & Technology on (T); +44 (0)1234 75 4742; or (E); devaiah.nalianda@cranfield.ac.uk