Grade and Salary: Grade 7 (£36,924-£46,485)
FTE and working pattern: 35 Hours, fixed term contract for 12 months
Detailed Description
The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight (SRF) is led by Heriot-Watt University and Cambridge University. We are partners in the Centre for Sustainable Cooling, with Birmingham and London South Bank Universities. These networks include a large group of industrial partners and international partners in China, India, Rwanda and South Africa. The Centre is leading three major national and international research programmes collectively funded for the next five years.
TransiT is the UK's largest research hub dedicated to rapidly decarbonising transport through digital twinning. TransiT will create a Federated Transport System of Systems (FTSoS), integrating digital twins across road, rail, air, and maritime transport modes. The programme includes a team of 27 research associates across 8 universities who will deliver this ambitious research. The Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold Chain (ACES), now the Clean Cooling Network (CCN), was established in 2020 to research the development of logistics and cold-chain models with in-country teams, demonstrating the effectiveness of the Heriot-Watt team's modelling techniques for infrastructure planning. DARe (National Hub for Decarbonised Adaptable and Resilient Transport Infrastructures) is finding viable pathways and solutions for a transition to a decarbonised and resilient transport system that works for all.
In support of these projects, the SRF team at Heriot-Watt maintains a suite of computational logistics and transport models known as MILES, with the deployment of these algorithms allowing the SRF team to model future green infrastructure, testing different decarbonisation solutions and analysing the effect on logistics patterns. This allows SRF to engage with stakeholders in policy and industry to de-risk investment in green initiatives such as battery-electric delivery fleets, as well as providing a virtual environment to test large-scale infrastructure such as in-road charging networks and to assess the vulnerability of such systems to disruption and climate-induced weather events.
We are recruiting Research Associates with experience in transport, supply chain and logistics modelling, to contribute to the development and use of MILES to support this research portfolio. The post-holder will work closely with the existing software team to undertake development and analysis using MILES and developing its links to other solutions from our multi-institutional project teams, working collaboratively towards impactful outcomes that contribute to the goals of the TransiT, DARe and ACES projects.
Description of Duties
* Delivery of novel research to directly address open research questions regarding decarbonisation of transport and infrastructure for future transport systems
* Conduct and disseminate original research aligned with the project and in collaboration with the multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary team
* Work closely with senior international stakeholders to deliver a challenge led programme of work
* Work as part of the broader Centre team to help organize events and/or support the work of the team as needed
* Contribute to outreach and impact engagement activities of the project
* Demonstrate initiative in making routine decisions in order to manage and achieve project deliverables and deadlines
* Participate in, and develop, networks and collaborations both internally and externally to the Division/School/University
* Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post
Essential Criteria
Qualifications
* PhD in relevant discipline (computer modelling of logistics or transport, agent-based modelling, sustainable logistics, or energy transitions) or equivalent industry experience
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
* Experience of designing, coding and implementing agent-based models (ABMs), using Java-based modelling platforms such as Repast Symphony or MASON, with an object-oriented programming (OOP) approach
* Operational Management and Operational Research. Proven experience in applying operational research techniques to address challenges in production planning, inventory control and planning, supply network design, and vehicle routing problems
* Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills
* Evidence of a developing publication record
* Experience or desire to work with those from other disciplines
* Evidence of excellent administrative and project management skills
* Evidence of self-motivation and the ability to work independently and as part of a team
* Excellent time management skills including the ability to prioritise workload
Desirable Criteria
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
* Familiarity with sustainability, decarbonisation and resilience issues in the context of supply chain, transport and/or logistics systems
* Familiarity with other agent-based modelling platforms, such as NetLogo or AnyLogic
* Expertise in Supply Chain Modelling, and/or simulation of complex transportation systems and the impact of different policies and interventions
* Understanding of digital twinning (DT) approaches and ontologies
* Evidence of success in attracting research grants/external funding and delivering on externally funded research projects
* Evidence or knowledge to support international activities
* Evidence of a basic knowledge of the Higher Education context and regulatory framework
How to Apply
Applications with FULL CV (and Cover letter) can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Monday 20th January 2025.
For informal queries please reach out to Janey Andrews, A.andrews@hw.ac.uk
About Heriot-Watt University
At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.
We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.
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