Research Associate in TRibology as an ENabling Technology (TRENT) (EPSRC Centre-to-Centre Grant)

Are you interested in working for a world top 100 University?  The Department of Mechanical Engineering is seeking to appoint someone with a passion for experimental research looking to use their skills in tribology to make an impact in the field of robotics.

As members of the Leonardo Tribology Centre we have been awarded an EPSRC Centre-to-Centre grant, in collaboration with The University of Leeds, entitled ‘TRibology as an ENabling Technology’. This exciting project will address tribological challenges relating to nano-manufacturing and robotic grasping. The team will collaborate with groups in Max Plank, Germany; TU Delft and Wageningen in The Netherlands; AC2T in Austria; CalTech in the US and NTNU in Norway as part of the project.

We are seeking someone to join the team and focus on tribology for efficient grasping and manipulation in robots. You will contribute by designing and building experimental platforms, performing experiments, evaluating friction data and identifying friction mechanisms, designing and manufacturing devices that use friction to function and analysing results and building models.

You will also assist in building the team, supporting PhD students and interacting with project partners. The project will include secondments at the collaborating overseas Universities and hosting researchers from these institutions.

Applicants must have a PhD (or have equivalent experience) in engineering or relevant discipline. Significant experience in tribology evidenced by publication of high quality theses/journal articles/conference papers, or other outputs and experience of designing tribological test apparatus and experiments; analytical modelling of tribological contacts and processes and surface analysis techniques is essential. 

This is a research role in the Department of Mechanical Engineering which has been a major discipline at the University of Sheffield since its foundation in 1905. We have over 80 members of academic and research staff, who, along with more than 100 PhD students, carry out cutting-edge research spanning both fundamental science and industrial applications.

As a University we are proud of our award-winning equality and diversity action which enhances working life for all.

We’re one of the best not-for-profit organisations to work for in the UK. The University’s Total Reward Package includes a competitive salary, a generous Pension Scheme and annual leave entitlement, as well as access to a range of learning and development courses to support your personal and professional development.

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

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