Research Associate (part time fixed term)

The Royal College of Art; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A prestigious design institution in Greater London is looking for a part-time Research Associate for its CirculAI Fashion project. The role involves collaborating on research that influences sustainable fashion. Applicants should hold an MA or MRes in a relevant field and possess experience in textile supply chains. The position requires strong communication skills and an understanding of circular design methods. This role offers 17.5 hours per week until December 2026 and is based in Battersea.

Qualifications

• Experience in industrial textile and fashion supply chains.
• Knowledge of circular design methods.
• Understanding of research ethics and user-centred research processes.

Responsibilities

• Review circular design guidelines and tools.
• Develop a circular design training framework.
• Liaise with industry partners for datasets.
• Conduct user-centred research.
• Prepare reports and communicate findings.

Skills

Circular design methods

Qualitative research methods

Quantitative research methods

Strong communication skills

Collaborative mindset

Problem-solving

Education

MA or MRes in fashion or textile design

Job description

Overview

The Royal College of Art invites applications for a part-time Research Associate to join CirculAI Fashion, an ambitious research project within the AI-Design Lab (AiDLab)—a major collaboration between the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and the RCA, funded through Hong Kong’s InnoHK initiative. AiDLab brings together world-leading expertise in design, artificial intelligence and innovation to address complex global challenges across three core programmes: AI in Fashion Design; AI in Textile and Apparel Quality Control; AI in Ergonomic Design. CirculAI Fashion focuses on developing an innovative AI tool to support global fashion brands in reducing their environmental footprint. By integrating AI with technical data across a garment’s lifecycle, the project aims to enable design teams to make intelligent, sustainable design decisions and support the transition towards circular fashion systems.

The Role

Working closely with the Principal Investigator, the Research Associate will contribute to high-quality, collaborative research that advances both academic understanding and industry practice. Key responsibilities include:

• Reviewing state-of-the-art circular design guidelines and tools.
• Developing a circular design training framework to support the research team and technical experts in training the AI model.
• Liaising with industry partners to collate essential datasets.
• Conducting user-centred research to inform model development.
• Preparing reports and communicating research findings to project partners and the funder.
• Supporting project meetings and contributing to a strong, ethical research culture.
• Ensuring rigorous documentation and dissemination of project outputs.
• Upholding confidentiality, health and safety standards, and data protection requirements.

Person Specification

Essential:

• We are seeking applicants who hold (or are close to completing) an MA or MRes in fashion or textile design, textile engineering, textile/fashion supply chain management, materials science and engineering, or a closely related field. Candidates should bring:
• Experience within industrial textile and fashion supply chains.
• Knowledge of circular design methods, materials, processes and technologies.
• Understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods for identifying user needs.
• Awareness of research ethics, permissions, and user-centred research processes.
• Strong communication, writing and presentation skills.
• A collaborative, proactive mindset with strong interpersonal skills.
• Flexibility, creativity and confidence in problem-solving.
• Awareness of workplace risks and relevant health & safety considerations.

• Desirable:
• Experience teaching at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
• Experience leading independent research.
• Experience working on HE/industry collaborative projects.
• Knowledge of materials experience theory and methods.

Please see information pack for more details of this exciting new role. The role is available from January to December 2026 and is based in Battersea working 17.5 hours per week (0.5FTE).