School of Engineering - Research Staff (Cold Storage & Cryogenic Systems)

Republic Polytechnic; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Republic Polytechnic's School of Engineering seeks a full-time Research Staff (12-month contract) to engineer an industrial-scale passive cold storage platform for biopharmaceuticals, with IIT-style cryogenic and IoT components. You will lead prototype development, lab research, system integration, and regulatory‑compliant telemetry efforts.

Responsibilities include hardware design, testing in lab environments, data analysis, and collaboration with industry partners for validation and future

Qualifications

• Qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal/Fluid Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Systems Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
• Foundational understanding of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, or cold-chain storage technologies.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modelling (Autodesk Fusion 360 or SolidWorks) and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles.
• Practical skills in embedded electronics, microcontroller programming (Arduino / ESP32), and IoT sensor integration.
• A hands-on, proactive mindset to build physical prototypes and lead projects independently in a dynamic lab environment.
• Strong technical writing and data presentation skills.
• Entry-level candidates with strong final-year project experience in thermal fluids, mechatronics, or smart hardware are encouraged.

Responsibilities

• Perform 3D CAD modelling and basic fluid dynamics analyses to optimize LN2 efficiency within a 1m^3 volume.
• Design, route, and balance high-pressure LN2 cryogenic pipelines and vacuum-jacketed tubings.
• Build IoT, test and integrate low-power microcontrollers and sensor arrays with live cloud dashboards.
• Conduct laboratory experiments, cold storage environment trials, and data analysis.
• Develop, integrate, and evaluate prototype systems, sensors, and instrumentation.
• Collaborate with industry partners to validate technology and deployment.
• Supervise final-year projects and interns; support IP, technology transfer and proposals.
• Prepare technical reports, journal publications, and research grant proposals.

Skills

3D CAD modelling

DFM principles

Embedded electronics

Arduino / ESP32

IoT sensor integration

Technical writing

Data presentation

Education

Mechanical Engineering

Thermal/Fluid Engineering

Mechatronics

Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Systems Engineering

Materials Science

Tools

Autodesk Fusion 360

SolidWorks

Arduino

ESP32

IoT hardware

Job description

What the role is:

Are you ready to build next-generation, sustainable cold chain logistics for life-saving biopharmaceuticals?

Republic Polytechnic's School of Engineering (SEG), in strategic partnership with industry leader SSW Group, is seeking an ambitious full-time Research Staff (12-month contract) to engineer an industrial-scale 1"m" ^3 self-sustained passive cold storage platform under a DGF-funded initiative.

Current biopharmaceutical distribution relies on massive active energy inputs and heavy daily coolant consumption. This project completely disrupts that model by building a zero-power-in-transit, high-performance thermal container (1"m"×1"m"×1"m" ) capable of locking in sub-zero temperatures (2–8°C) for over 72 continuous hours in harsh tropical environments.

Beyond standard transport, this passive design provides critical fail-safe protection against warehouse power outages and opens up new pathways for long-haul air and sea freight to distant international markets without relying on active electrical refrigeration networks.

You will lead the hands-on engineering across two breakthrough technological pillars:

• Active-Passive "Flash-Charging" Cryogenic System: A rapid-charging base station interface utilizing specialized heat exchangers and Liquid Nitrogen (LN_2) bursts to charge high-density Phase Change Material (PCM) cores and Vacuum Insulated Panels (VIP).
• Triple-Vector IoT Telemetry Engine: An ultra-low-power, cloud-connected sensor matrix tracking real-time Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Oxygen (O_2) levels to ensure absolute data transparency and regulatory compliance (HSA/FDA standards).

The successful candidate will contribute to prototype development, laboratory research, system integration, cold box temperature analysis, field validation at mimic cold storage environment, and technology commercialisation.

What you will be working on:

• Perform 3D CAD modelling, understand basic fluid dynamics, and heat exchanger design to eliminate thermal dead zones and maximize LN_2 thermodynamic efficiency across a 1"m" ^3 volume.
• Design, route, and balance high-pressure LN_2 cryogenic pipelines, vacuum-jacketed tubings, manifolds, and automated valve safety systems.
• Build IOT, test, and integrate low-power microcontrollers and sensor arrays (Temp,RH,O_2) with live, cloud-based telemetry dashboards.
• Perform laboratory experiments, cold storage environment trials, temperature and humidity monitoring, passive cold storage box testing, and data analysis.
• Develop, integrate, and evaluate prototype systems, sensors, and instrumentation.
• Collaborate with industry partners to support technology validation and deployment.
• Supervise final-year project students and interns involved in the project.
• Support intellectual property (IP) development, technology transfer, and commercialisation activities.
• Prepare technical reports, journal publications, presentations, and research grant proposals.
• Manage laboratory equipment & consumables, procurement, safety compliance, and research products.

What we are looking for:

• Qualification in Mechanical Engineering, Thermal/Fluid Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Systems Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline.
• Have basic foundational understanding of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, or cold-chain storage technologies.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modelling (Autodesk Fusion 360 or SolidWorks) and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles.
• Practical skills in embedded electronics, microcontroller programming (Arduino / ESP32), and IoT sensor integration.
• Experience or have interest in cryogenic fluids (LN_2), heat exchangers, or fluid pipeline design is a major advantage.
• A hands-on, proactive mindset with the drive to build physical prototypes and lead projects independently in a dynamic lab environment.
• Strong technical writing and data presentation skills.
• Entry-level candidates with strong final-year project experience in thermal fluids, mechatronics, or smart hardware are highly encouraged to apply.

About Republic Polytechnic

The first educational institution in Singapore to leverage the Problem-based Learning approach for all its diploma programmes, Republic Polytechnic (RP) has seven schools offering courses in Applied Science, Engineering, Business, Hospitality, Infocomm, Sports and Health, and Technology for Arts, Media and Design. To support Singapore’s national effort to promote continuous, lifelong learning, our Academy for Continuing Education (ACE) offers a wide range of part-time programmes. We welcome you to grow with us! Discover a people- and family-oriented culture, where you are inspired to improve as you nurture lifelong learners. For more information from RP, please visit https://www.rp.edu.sg/careers or follow us on LinkedIn.