Research Fellow in PV Systems

University of Southampton; Southampton; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southampton seeks a Research Fellow to study temperature effects on PV module performance in outdoor conditions. You will lead an extensive measurement campaign using an outdoor testing facility and collaborate with Oxford and NPL partners on TACOS-PV.

The role emphasizes spectroradiometry, field instrumentation, and data-driven modelling of energy yield for advanced PV technologies. Start date is December 2026, for a 24-month fixed-term appointment.

Qualifications

• PhD required or equivalent professional qualifications and experience.
• Experience with spectroradiometry and instrumentation for irradiance and electrical power measurements.
• Strong experimental and data analysis skills are essential.
• Experience in outdoor PV testing and energy yield modelling is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Develop high-precision in-situ module temperature measurement.
• Develop high time-resolution I-V tracing to extract temperature coefficients in the field.
• Use spectral irradiance data to improve ambient-to-cell temperature and energy yield models.

Skills

Spectroradiometry

Irradiance measurements

Electrical power measurements

Outdoor PV testing

Data analysis

Temperature metrology

Energy yield modelling

I-V tracing

Education

PhD in Electronics and Electrical Engineering or Physics

Tools

Measurement instrumentation

Job description

We are recruiting a Research Fellow to study the temperature-dependent performance of photovoltaic modules in the field. The post offers access to a unique outdoor PV testing facility at the University of Southampton. The successful candidate will join the EPSRC-funded project "TACOS-PV: Temperature Analysis and Characterisation in Operational Solar PhotoVoltaics", a collaboration between the Universities of Oxford and Southampton and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL). Temperature effects are the largest source of energy loss in PV systems, yet current models were not developed for today's high-efficiency technologies. TACOS-PV will deliver new measurement methods and models for advanced PV, including TOPCon, heterojunction, tandem and bifacial modules. Industrial and international partners include Lightsource BP, RINA, PV Lighthouse, QEERI, UNSW, Oxford PV and NREL. The successful candidate will lead a year-long outdoor measurement campaign across multiple PV technologies.

• o developing high-precision in-situ module temperature measurement
• o developing high time-resolution I-V tracing to extract temperature coefficients in the field
• o using spectral irradiance data to improve ambient-to-cell temperature and energy yield models

The candidate will have a strong grounding in photovoltaic systems and a track record of journal publications. Essential experience includes spectroradiometry and instrumentation for irradiance and electrical power measurements, together with strong experimental and data analysis skills. Experience of outdoor PV testing, temperature metrology, energy yield modelling is advantageous. This post is suitable for a candidate with a PhD

• or equivalent professional qualifications and experience in Electronics and Electrical Engineering or Physics and is available to start from December 2026. The post is for a 24-month fixed term appointment.