Research Associate/Fellow

University of Glasgow; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

41 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Flexible working

Health & wellbeing support

Job summary

University of Glasgow seeks a proactive researcher to advance sustainable electronics within the REACT Centre, partnering with industry and academia. The role focuses on translating needs into funded projects and demonstrators, with opportunities for IP generation and publications.

The candidate should have PhD/postdoc or equivalent, strong hands-on experience in sustainable design, and be prepared to lead demonstrations involving modular electronics and environmental sensing.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent experience in engineering/electronics with focus on sustainable design.
• Strong track record of research outputs and independent funding activity.
• Experience bridging industry and academia in REACT-type projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning and execution of research activities aligning with project goals.
• Characterise devices, manage data, and prepare technical reports.
• Develop and publish findings in high-profile journals and conferences.
• Identify funding opportunities and assist proposal development.
• Mentor students and coordinate across teams.

Skills

Life Cycle Assessment

Design for Sustainability

Modular Design

Component reuse and remanufacture

Electronics reliability

PCB layouts

Education

PhD in related field

Independent research track record

Tools

Python

C/C++

MATLAB

Job description

Job Purpose

As a researcher in the Centre for Responsible Electronics (REACT), you will make a leading contribution to design of sustainable electronics at a strategic industry/academia research collaboration through the REACT Centre. We are seeking a proactive researcher to work alongside academic and industrial partners to identify, define and develop collaborative R&D opportunities in sustainable electronics and circular economy technologies. The role will focus on translating industry needs into funded research projects, demonstrators and innovation programmes.

You will design with tools such as life cycle assessment and lead activity to design and build cutting-edge electronic system and possess skills in at least one of the following emerging technologies, all of which reduce the environmental footprint of electronics including

• Circular design of electronics
• Design for Sustainability
• Modular Design
• Improving Electronics reliability
• Life Cycle Assessment

Your role will be highly dynamic; you will work with academic and industrial partners to develop a range of demonstrators including modular or reconfigurable electronics and environmental sensors. These demonstrators will have strong potential for high-profile publications, commercialisation, and/or dissemination as open-source designs.

The ideal candidate might be from an academic (e.g. PhD/Postdoc in a related engineering/electronics/sustainable engineering area) or industrial background. The key is having good hands-on experience in sustainable design and implementation, or the enthusiasm to pick up new skills.

You will have the full support of a large inter-disciplinary research team with expertise in manufacturing/materials, sensors, energy efficient design and material recovery. In addition, you will work on short-term demonstrators built with our industrial partners, which offer extensive learning opportunities across the electronics industry. You will get the opportunity to formulate and publish your findings in impactful research publications, generate intellectual property (IP) from the research findings, and help manage and direct this project.

The position is initially offered on 1.5-year contract, along with extensive career development opportunities (academic and industrial).

For informal inquiries, please contact Professor Jeff Kettle ([e-mail]) or Dr Mahmoud Wagih ([e-mail]).

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Take a leading role in the planning and conduct of assigned research individually or jointly in accordance with the project deliverables and project strategy. This will involve the design, micro/nano-fabrication, and characterisation of single-photon avalanche diodes, working in the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre (https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/jwnc/) and in optics laboratories.

2. Characterisation of completed devices and the documentation of research output including analysis and interpretation of all data, maintaining records and databases, drafting technical/progress reports and research papers as appropriate.

3. Establish and maintain your research profile and reputation and that of the University of Glasgow, the UKRI REACT Centre, including establishing and sustaining a track record of independent and joint publications of international quality in high profile/quality refereed journals, enhancing the research impact in terms of economic/societal benefit, and gathering indicators of esteem.

4. Survey the research literature and environment, understand the research challenges associated with the project & subject area, & develop/implement a suitable research strategy.

5. Presentation of work at international and national conferences, at internal and external seminars, colloquia and workshops to develop and enhance our research profile.

6. Take a leading role in the identification of potential funding sources and to assist in the development of proposals to secure funding from internal and external bodies to support future research.

7. Take a leading role in developing and maintaining collaborations with colleagues across the research group/School/College/University and wider community of academic and industrial partners.

8. Take a leading role in team/group/project meetings/seminars/workshops and School research group activities to enhance the wider knowledge, outputs and culture of the School/College.

9. Take the lead in the organisation, supervision, mentoring and training of undergraduate and/or postgraduate students and less experienced members of the project team to ensure their effective development.

10. Perform administrative tasks related to the activities of the project/research group and School, including Budgets/Expenditure.

11. Make a leading contribution to Teaching activities (e.g. demonstrating etc) and associated admin as assigned by the Head of School and in consultation with Principal Investigator.

12. Keep up to date with current knowledge and recent advances in the field/discipline.

13. Engage in personal, professional and career development, to enhance both specialist and transferable skills in accordance with desired career trajectory.

14. Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the line manager or Head of School/Director of Research Institute.

15. Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line withthe University Strategy.

For appointment at Grade 8

16. Take the lead in identifying and attracting new sources of independent and external research funding and researchers into this research area as opportunities permit to support future research.

17. Present research findings at high profile national and international conferences, seminars and meetings to raise the profile of the research group in order to enhance the research strength of the School.

18. Make a leading contribution to the management of the team/project and sustain an enhanced level of academic outputs and profile.

These key tasks are not intended to be exhaustive but simply highlight a number of major tasks which the staff member may be reasonably expected to perform.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge and Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Normally Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 12 (PhD) plus track record of emerging independence within a research/professional environment, or alternatively possess professional qualifications and experience equivalent to PhD level plus the requisite experience

A2 A comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of current issues and future directions within the relevant research disciplines as outlined in the Job Purpose and of sustainable systems design or of circular economy principles in engineering

A3 Well-developed working knowledge of research methods, technical models, equipment and techniques relevant to the project/discipline as outlined in the Job Purpose

Skills

Essential:

C1 Ability to communicate material of a specialist or highly technical nature and to be effective both orally and in writing at a level appropriate to the activity

C2 Effective organisation skills to manage time, prioritise and deliver appropriate research, teaching and administrative responsibilities

For appointment at Grade 8

C3 Able to work both individually as well as part of a team and manage less senior staff members as appropriate to co-ordinate publication strategies and disseminate results

C4 Strong cross-discipline collaborative ability, including evidence of working across industry and academia

C5 Able to work in/with both industrial and academic environments with a good understanding of key legislative and process frameworks and/or industrial technology and approaches

Desirable:

D1 Software skills including one or more of the following: python, C/C++, Matlab

Experience

Essential:

E1 Experience of planning and progressing work activities within professional guidelines or organisational policy, applying initiative and independent judgement.

E2 Developing track record of research outputs compatible with enhancing the School’s research profile in accordance with School objectives.

E3 Experience of making distinct contributions to identifying and pursuing research funding (or equivalent business development) applications.

E4 Proven commitment to supporting the career development of colleagues and to other forms of collegiality appropriate to the career stage, including some experience of research project supervision.

E5 Commitment to open research, as appropriate to the discipline, through open data, open code, open educational resources and practices that support replication.

E6 Evidence of working in industry or with industry to develop and undertake projects

E7 Proven experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Life Cycle Assessment
• Design for Sustainability
• Modular Design
• Component reuse and remanufacture
• Improving Electronics reliability and remaining useful life assessment
• Electronic design, including PCB layouts

For Appointment at Grade 8

E8 An established national/international profile

E9 Experience and evidence of making a leading contribution in academic activities

Desirable:

F1 Experience of participating in activities that translate research into impact to benefit the economy and wider society

F2 Experience of contributing to the design and delivery of teaching and assessment in higher education or other relevant environments

F3 Experience with environmental impact assessment tools beyond Life Cycle Assessment (e.g. carbon footprint analysis)

F4 Experience in hardware assembly and fabrication, with experience in PCB manufacturing/ assembly, prototyping, and willingness to acquire new skills, e.g. in additive manufacturing and chip packaging

F5 Experience using data analysis or machine learning tools for electronics reliability or sustainability assessment

F6 Experience with rapid prototyping technologies (3D printing, laser cutting, additive manufacturing)

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 7/8, £41,064 - £46,049/£50,253 - £58,225 per annum.

This post is full time (35 hours per week), and has funding for up to 18 months in the first instance.

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

• 1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
• 2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/
• 3 A flexible approach to working.
• 4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/humanresources/equalitydiversity/

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.

Closing Date: 5 October 2026