Research Associate / Senior Research Associate in Intelligent Optical Network Architecture

Economics Network; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab invites applications for Research Associate or Senior Research Associate to develop intelligent, resilient optical networks for future AI, cloud and edge systems.

You will design architectures for metro, access and data centre connectivity, and build automation and control algorithms while prototyping hardware or software in the JOINER-enabled testbed. A PhD or equivalent experience and a strong publication record are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD or nearing completion in optical communications, telecommunications, networking, electronic engineering, computer science or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of optical network architectures; experience in network control, automation, orchestration or resilience; practical experience of optical communication systems or network testbeds.
• Programming skills and evidence of research achievement through publications or relevant research and development experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop architectures for metro, access and data centre connectivity.
• Create automation, orchestration and resource-control algorithms.
• Prototype and validate hardware or software solutions in laboratory/testbed environments.
• Publish findings and contribute to partner collaborations, proposals, standards and patent applications.
• Senior level: take significant research initiative and mentor early career researchers.

Skills

Programming

Optical networks

Research publications

Teamwork

Education

PhD or equivalent

Job description

The role

Develop the intelligent, resilient optical networks that future AI, cloud and edge systems will depend on.

Join the University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab as a Research Associate or Senior Research Associate on HASC Phase 2, the EPSRC Hub for All-Spectrum Connectivity. Working with academic and industrial partners, you will develop programmable optical networks, intelligent automation and rapid recovery from failures, and explore new network solutions using hollow-core fibre.

Our multidisciplinary environment connects optical and wireless communications, networking, cloud technologies and AI, giving you opportunities to turn research ideas into working demonstrations.

What will you be doing?

You will develop architectures for metro, access and data centre connectivity; create automation, orchestration and resource-control algorithms; and investigate fault detection, reconfiguration and recovery. Sensing, telemetry and physical-layer monitoring will inform closed-loop control and resilient operation.

You will prototype and validate hardware or software solutions through laboratory and testbed experiments, using infrastructure including JOINER where appropriate. You will publish and present your findings and contribute to partner collaborations, research proposals, standards and patent applications.

At Senior Research Associate level, you will also take significant research initiative, support early career researchers or students and help coordinate collaborative activities.

You should apply if

You will have a PhD, be nearing completion, or have equivalent research experience in optical communications, telecommunications, networking, electronic engineering, computer science or a related discipline.

You should bring knowledge of optical network architectures; experience in network control, automation, orchestration or resilience; and practical experience of optical communication systems or network testbeds. Programming skills and evidence of research achievement through publications or relevant research and development experience are essential.

We welcome complementary strengths across these disciplines. AI/ML, software-defined networking, automated recovery, fibre sensing or telemetry experience is valuable; expertise in every research theme is not required. Clear communication, teamwork and a willingness to learn are essential.

Additional information

To find out more about what it's like to work in the Faculty of Engineering, and how the Faculty supports people to achieve their potential, please see our staff blog:

https://engineering.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/category/engineering-includes-me/

Contract type: open-ended with fixed funding until 31/03/2030 subject to funding – including the mid-term review scheduled for mid-2028

Work pattern: Full time/35 hours per week

This advert will close at 23:59 UK time on Monday 16th November 2026

The interviews are anticipated to take place on 25/11/26 onwards

For informal queries please contact: Dr Shuangyi Yan, Associate Professor in Optical Communications and Networks

Email: [e-mail]

Our strategy and mission

We recently launched our strategy to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

£40,704 to £51,258 per annum depending on experience, Grade I / J (subject to experience) Pathway 2