Research Associate in Water-Energy System Planning

Job Title:  Research Associate in Water-Energy System Planning

Posting Start Date:  16/12/2024

Job Id:  573

School/Department:  Mechanical, Aerospace & Civil Engineerng

Work Arrangement:  Full Time (Hybrid)

Contract Type:  Fixed-term

Salary per annum (£):  £37,999 – £46,485

Closing Date:  08/01/2025

The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more.

Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

Overview

A reliable water supply and a successful energy transition are two necessary conditions for a sustainable future. Yet we know little about how the switch to intermittent renewables (wind, solar) for our energy supply will affect the operation of our water infrastructure. This post will be part of an EPSRC funded project to address this gap, and demonstrate how flexibility, a quality of water resource systems to act as a buffer for drought, is also an opportunity to adapt to a decarbonised grid.

A postdoctoral position is funded for fifteen months on this project. You will lead the implementation of a ground-breaking water-energy model to understand how the energy transition can affect energy costs and carbon emissions from water use. You will work closely with the PI, Dr Charles Rougé but we expect you will be able to imprint your own ideas and direction on the project within months.  We will support you to raise your profile as a top-tier analyst and launch a promising career, whether in academia or in industry.

The work will be hosted by the School of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Civil Engineering. We are looking for a well-organised and creative scientist/engineer to join us on this adventure. You will have excellent data analysis, scientific programming, and communication skills and be able to plan and organise your time effectively.

Main duties and responsibilies

• Take an active lead in the modelling and data analysis activities planned in the project.
•  Plan your own research schedule and workload within the project schedule to ensure that the overall project milestones and objectives are met.
•  Liaise closely with other academics, advisers and administrators relevant to the study.
•  Identify and develop opportunities to collaborate with Project Partners.
•  Assist in the writing and maintenance of the project website, newsletters and reports.
•  Disseminate research findings & results through contribution to the production of papers for high quality journals and presentations, either in-house or at national/international conferences or seminars, as well as assisting in the running of them.
•  Attend project meetings and research advisory group meetings.
•  Read and review literature as appropriate.
•  Assist with co-supervision undergraduate/postgraduate project students and/or PhD students.
•  As a member of staff, you will be encouraged to make ethical decisions in your role, embedding the University sustainability strategy into your working activities wherever possible.
•  Any other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post

Person Specification

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn’t match perfectly with this role’s criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Essential criteria

• Have a PhD (or equivalent experience) in a science or engineering field, with a strong quantitative modelling component (assessed at: application/interview)
• Excellent data analysis and scientific programming skills (assessed at: application/interview)
• Demonstrable ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving (assessed at: application/interview)
• Demonstrate evidence of independent research study with impact (assessed at: application/interview)
• Proven track-record of recent publications in high-quality academic journals as lead author (assessed at: application/interview)
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, and inter-personal skills (assessed at: application/interview)
• Ability to work effectively as a team member as well as independently (assessed at: application/interview)
• Ability to assess and organise resources, and plan and progress work activities to meet deadlines (assessed at: application/interview)
• Ability to prepare and submit regular progress reports to specified deadlines. Attention to detail (assessed at: application/interview)

Desirable criteria

• Experience of academic research in water system and / or power system modelling (assessed at: application/interview)

Further Information

Grade: 7

Duration: 15 months

Line manager: Project Lead

Direct reports: N/A

For informal enquiries about this job contact
Charles Rouge, Project Lead onc.rouge@sheffield.ac.uk

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place in the weeks following the closing date. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage within two weeks of the closing date. If you are shortlisted for interview and require reasonable adjustments please contact  mac-recruiters@sheffield.ac.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).

What we offer

• A minimum of 41days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Academic Career Pathways
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society.
We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognizes and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.