Applications are invited for this Postdoctoral Research Associate post funded by EPSRC, "VPP-WARD" Project and partly by the "CHEDDAR: Communications Hub for Empowering Distributed ClouD Computing Applications and Research" project aims to empower distributed cloud computing applications and develop innovative research ideas to drive research and networking across the UK academic community. The role will involve working on the scalable data frameworks, with a particular interest in (but not limited to) Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twins for connected communities within smart grids. To conduct this research project, you will:

• Specialised AI tools running on big data processing systems empower the development and refinement of advanced algorithms for optimal grid management, renewable energy forecasting, and adaptive decision-making.
• Enable autonomous configuration, orchestration, and composition of AI pipelines and their integration within Digital Twins for resilient grid operations.
• Scalable Data Processing Frameworks and their integration within edge-cloud continuum to support smart grid data demands.
• Understanding of specialised monitoring tools and auto-diagnostic mechanism for analysing anomalies and resource dependencies within distributed edge computing.
• Evaluation of communication protocols and cybersecurity measures for secure and reliable smart grid operation.

The post holder will be responsible for integrating these solutions and their applications in next generation communication paradigms and will be expected to primarily support Dr Gagangeet Aujla and Dr Anish Jindal and other project investigators within VPP-WARD and CHEDDAR teams. The post holder will proactively engage with academic, other postdoctoral research and technical support colleagues, as well as students, within and external to the Department, including industry, to ensure that activities are undertaken to an appropriate standard.

This post is fixed term until 31st January 2026 because the project is time-limited, however, likely to be extended subject to the approval from the funding agency.

The post-holder is employed to work on the EPSRC projects "VPP-WARD" and "CHEDDAR". Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by 1 January 2025 or as soon as possible.