KE Fellow - Additive and Solid State Joining Lead (728876)

Faculty of Engineering

To pursue and establish independent and high quality knowledge exchange (KE) programmes, including securing KE contracts and funding; manage KE programmes to ensure delivery of objectives, to manage a KE team (staff and students); to engage as appropriate in relevant research and teaching activities; and to carry out administrative tasks.

FTE: 1 (35 hours/week)
Contract Type: Open-Ended

The University of Strathclyde in Glasgow possesses a large internationally rated Engineering Faculty with a proud history of successful joint ventures with industrial and enterprise partners. As part of the University’s strategic development the Advanced Forming Research Centre (AFRC) has been established near Glasgow’s International Airport. The AFRC is the embodiment of a £30 million collaborative investment by Industrial, Academic and Government partners seeking to establish a world-leading research facility for forging and forming technologies. AFRC is a specialized centre within National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS).

The AFRC is seeking to appoint an experienced Materials Knowledge Exchange (KE) Fellow to lead the additive and solid-state joining research activities in the Welding and Additive Theme in the AFRC’s Materials Team and take ownership of the delivery of high value research programmes focused on materials and processing of materials in metallic and non-metallic materials in manufacturing. Recently the Centre has invested significantly in novel forging, solid state joining, advanced materials characterisations, and residual stress measurement equipment suitable for large scale investigations and is rapidly developing a multi-disciplinary group that specialises in the area of material characterisation for additive and solid-state joining technologies. The Centre is also participating in key NMIS initiatives and programmes like the Digital Factory, with significant contributions to the Additive and Machining activities. To further capitalise on this research activity and materialise AFRC’s vision and agenda around welding and additive technologies, a Materials KE Fellow is required to lead the research in the Welding and Additive theme and enhance AFRC’s capabilities on characterisation, prediction, and control of microstructure of additive builds, and solid state joints using rotary friction welding (RFW) in manufacturing.

The KE Fellow will lead scientific research programmes on characterisation, prediction, and control of microstructure of additive builds and welds, processing of materials and general manufacturing, developing experimental techniques for the assessment of additive builds and welds, implementing analytical tools for processing of measurements/results, and simulating industrial-scale thermo-mechanical processes (including but not limited to forging, forming, welding and machining). You will have an established track record in providing engineering solutions in an industrial context as well as experience of supporting research and development of manufacturing processes. You will have excellent troubleshooting skills, including a methodical approach to solve complex problems and you will have the ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

As a Knowledge Exchange Fellow, you will engage as an independent knowledge exchange professional in individual and collaborative knowledge exchange projects, establishing a distinctive programme of area of knowledge exchange and generating interest through engagement with industry and professional bodies. You will apply as Principal- or Co-Investigator, to appropriate external organisations for knowledge exchange funding and manage projects secured. You will write up reports, often as lead author, for external organisations, and further write up findings for additional dissemination (e.g. professional publications or peer review journal publication) as appropriate.

You will also be expected to support and contribute to high value industrial funding proposals in support of a range of projects across the Centre. The post holder will be expected to work between the AFRC and its industrial and academic partners and there will be a strong emphasis on knowledge exchange.

To achieve the above the KE will preferably require some research and/or industrial experience in the following technical areas:

• A broad knowledge of metallic materials and alloys, especially those relevant to the aerospace sector (e.g. Nickel based superalloys, Titanium alloys and Aluminium alloys) 
• A broad knowledge of additive and/or joining technologies
• A good understanding of materials and the way that manufacturing processes can develop or modify material’s microstructure to achieve desired mechanical properties and stress states.
• The use of finite element based software (e.g. ABAQUS, DEFORM, QForm or similar) for process simulation (e.g. forging, heat treatments, machining), materials modelling, and prediction of residual stresses and distortion
• Experimental techniques in the characterisation of materials

To be considered for the role, you will have a good honours degree and PhD / higher degree (or equivalent professional experience) in appropriate discipline for example in Materials Science, Materials Engineering or Mechanical Engineering; we are also interested in candidates with equivalent industrial experience. You will have a personal track record in carrying out knowledge exchange projects and a demonstrable track record in developing high quality knowledge exchange proposals and playing a leading role in attracting knowledge exchange funding. The successful candidate will have knowledge exchange interests which are consistent with the strategic direction of the Department/School and will have the ability to plan and organise knowledge exchange programmes, and to pull together teams of academic professional staff and others as appropriate, to ensure project delivery for the client and benefits to the University. Lastly, the post holder may be required to contribute to the administrative activities of the AFRC including membership of relevant committees. 

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Michael King, Materials and Residual Stress Team Lead (michael.king@strath.ac.uk).

Please click here for further details