Research Associate

Manchester Metropolitan University is a pioneer of modern education since its origins in 1824 and sits in the top 200 young universities in the world. The University is committed to providing excellent education to transform our students' lives, and to delivering high quality research with powerful real-world impacts and benefits, as evidenced by our highly successful REF outcome. We are one of the top modern universities for research quality: 30% of our research is considered world leading (4*) and 90% of our research impact is rated ‘world leading' (4*) or ‘internationally excellent' (3*).

The Department of Natural Sciences is a large and successful academic community of staff and students in the Faculty of Science and Engineering. It is committed to achieving high-quality teaching, research and enterprise. Department has trailblazing specialisms with global impact and a long track record of securing research funding - the current portfolio of funded projects from research councils, charities, the EU, and Innovate UK. We deliver work with real-world impact, and cultivate lasting relationships with businesses, the government and the general public to share our innovation and expertise. We are ambitious to build on our recent highly successful REF outcomes.

Our research is pushing the boundaries of 3D printing and we have a opportunity for someone to join our team, leading on additive manufacturing on our CIRMAP project. In Northwest Europe, about 65 Mt of Recycled Fine Aggregates (RFA) are generated yearly from the crushing of Concrete Construction and Demolition Wastes and are disposed in landfills or in banks. In the meantime, 54 Mt of marine sands are extracted in zones where natural aggregate resources are missing, threatening fragile marine spaces. Reusing RFA in concrete would save natural resources.

However, no market exists for RFA owing to rigorous construction standards. RFA is a local resource, with large variability, which is not suited to mass production needing regular materials. But it could be used at a smaller scale, for the manufacture of products needing neither to comply with rigorous construction standards nor to possess high performances. About 5 Mt of RFA could be recycled into concrete for the manufacture of Urban, Memorial or Garden (UMG) furniture, being the starting point of a circular economy loop.

Traditional precast concrete cannot be used for small scale production because of the high share of moulds in the global cost (50 to 80%). However, concrete 3D Printing (3DP) allows manufacturing customized pieces that could be shown by customers as a banner of their identity.

Role:

Applicants should have experience of additive manufacturing within concrete/mortar printing and the ability to demonstrate research including building relationships, networks and partnerships with internal and external contacts.

 For informal enquiries, please contact Prof Craig Banks (c.banks@mmu.ac.uk).

This is a fixed-term opportunity starting Jan 23 until the end of Oct 23.

Manchester Metropolitan University is committed to supporting the rights, responsibilities, dignity, health and wellbeing of staff and students through our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. We promote applications from all sections of the community, irrespective of background, belief or identity, recognising the benefits that a diverse organisation can bring and particularly encourage applications from groups which are underrepresented in the University workforce. We recognise the importance of an environment that supports flexible working and are open to conversations about this throughout the application process

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