UKRI Knowledge Transfer Partnership Associate

Job description

This is a 30 month academic/industrial position at the interface between engineering and physiology to investigate pilot physiological monitoring systems for future military jets. 

 

The post will be part of a UKRI funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) primarily based at Honeywell Aerospace in Yeovil, UK with occasional travel to the Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, within the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine at King’s College London. 

 

The successful applicant will be expected to undertake a range of biomechanical and physiological assessments including, for example, use of portable metabolic carts, end-tidal gas analysis, non-invasive blood pressure and electrocardiogram during exercise testing, thermal stress and normobaric hypoxic exposure studies. This will involve regular use of LabChart and associated data analysis software. 

 

The aims of the work are to establish a pilot physiology and monitoring capability within Honeywell that will be necessary to significantly improve ongoing flight safety, pilot training, and contribute to the development of the next generation pilot Life Support Systems. This is a commercially sensitive development and further details will be discussed during interview. The successful applicant will need to be eligible for UK security clearance. 

 

The post holder will be responsible for conducting all testing, analysing data and writing up the studies.  The successful candidate should have a background in engineering or physiology. Experience with the techniques listed above is desirable but not essential and will be trained as necessary during the job.  

 

The position will based off-campus in Yeovil within the Advanced Technology team in Honeywell. Supervision will be by Senior Research & Development Engineer, John Rogers at Honeywell, and the KCL team - Dr Ross Pollock and Dr Pete Hodkinson. 

 

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 30 months / 2.5 years with KCL. Thereafter there may be a possibility for longer term opportunities with Honeywell following completion of the KTP. 

 

This is a full-time post.

 

Key responsibilities

•       Undertake high-quality research consistent with achieving the aims of the project 

•       To perform testing procedures (including use of portable metabolic carts, end-tidal gas analysis, non-invasive blood pressure and electrocardiogram during exercise testing, thermal stress and normobaric hypoxic exposure studies) 

•       To be responsible for research study participant recruitment and screening 

•       Collect, analyse and interpret data from assessments, and draw conclusions 

•       Close collaboration with subject matter experts, providing system level guidance, defining the trade-off studies and participation on system modelling and analyses 

•       Keep up to date with advances in engineering and physiology fields related to physiological monitoring and aircraft and spacecraft life support systems. 

•       Develop expertise in a range of techniques for the study of human physiology 

•       Communicate complex information orally and in writing 

•       Responsible for interfacing with relevant internal/external stakeholders including contributing to business and exploitation planning 

•       Prepare research and progress reports required for the project 

•       Managing UKRI project finances, claims submissions and working with the Honeywell finance team 

•       Work as part of a collaborative team across industry and academia to ensure knowledge transfer and the successful completion of the project 

 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

Essential criteria

1.       A Masters (or equivalent) in engineering, physiology, or related discipline 

2.       Proven ability to work as part of a team 

3.       Excellent communication skills 

4.       Experience in data analysis 

5.       Able to work independently under minimal supervision 

6.       Passion for new technologies and a creative thinker to apply solutions in a novel way  

7.       Able to gain UK Security Clearance 

 

Desirable criteria

1.       Experience of and interest in industrial research and its exploitation 

2.       An understanding of the research process performed in accordance with the ethical principles of working with human test subjects 

3.       Experience of a range of biomechanical and physiological assessments including, for example, use of portable metabolic carts, end-tidal gas analysis, non-invasive blood pressure and electrocardiogram during exercise testing, thermal stress and normobaric hypoxic exposure studies 

4.       Experience of journal article/report writing evidenced by first, last or corresponding authored publications