Research Associate in Hydrodynamics and Mooring Models for Offshore WECs

Job reference: SAE-025357
Salary: £36,024 to £44,263 per annum, according to relevant experience
Faculty/Organisational Unit: Science and Engineering
Location: Oxford Road
Employment type: Fixed Term
Division/Team: Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Hours Per Week: Full time
Closing date: 23/04/2024
Contract Duration: Starting as soon as possible up to 5 months
School/Directorate: School of Engineering

Wave energy globally has potential average power slightly less than wind but this has been unexploited to date. We are concerned here with wave energy converters (WECs) offshore, specifically multi-mode, multi-float systems, with capacity similar to wind. Survivability in extreme waves needs to be established, along with reliability of components. The mooring is the most vulnerable structural component. Snap loads are a particular problem in extreme waves, and also in intermediate waves affecting fatigue. Although literature and design guidelines for conventional ocean engineering applications are abundant, they generally do not account for the requirements of wave energy conversion, where the mooring should not inhibit platform motion causing the energy generation. Design, optimization, and assessment of mooring systems require efficient hydrodynamic and dynamic mooring models, which should be fully coupled to represent all interactions. In project MoorWEC, efficient linear hydrodynamic load models have been generalised by including the fully nonlinear force component due to the pressure field in the waves, known as the Froude-Krylov force. This has improved predictions of response and mooring load in codes named OREGEN.

The aim of this short post is to generalise the software as a user-friendly package while validating the code for the complex yet realistic scenario of multi-float systems in directional waves and currents.

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme.
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays.
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period.
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers.

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here.

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:
Name: Professor Peter Stansby
Email: p.k.stansby@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:
Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support:
https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Further particulars including job description and person specification are available on the University of Manchester website - click on the 'Apply' button above to find out more.

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