Senior Research Fellow (728719)

Faculty of Engineering

In this leadership role, you’ll work in close collaboration with partners to lead the creation of a modular, open exo-atmospheric and re-entry hardware-in-the-loop environment. You’ll also lead the development of an exploitation roadmap for evaluation of emerging space innovations, and establish a team to deliver this roadmap of activity.

FTE: 1
Term: Fixed (Three years)

The University of Strathclyde has a significant depth of space research expertise across its Applied Space Technology Laboratory, the Sensor Signal Processing & Security Laboratory, and the Aerospace Centre of Excellence, which will collaborate together with partners to deliver this project and provide access to the required laboratories, equipment, expertise, and industrial landscape. As one of the UK’s two core space clusters, the Glasgow City Region encompasses a full value chain incorporating the design, development, and manufacturing of satellites and space support systems, as well as launch vehicle manufacturers, data analytics and space-enabled services. This role is connected to this through the University of Strathclyde Space Cluster and the wider West of Scotland Space Cluster, which brings together industry, academia and government.

As a Senior Research Fellow, you will lead and manage a range of individual and collaborative research activities, disseminating results through regular and sustained publications in high impact journals, books, and conference proceedings and you will lead, as Principal- or Co-Investigator, the development and submission of proposals to appropriate external bodies for research funding of significant value and manage grants awarded. You will manage research teams as project leader, provide leadership, support and guidance to colleagues, and supervise students as appropriate. You will generate new research approaches with significant impact and identify, adapt, devise and use appropriate research methodologies and techniques. You will lead and develop internal and external networks of researchers and leading thinkers in the field to foster research collaborations, to identify and deliver common research objectives and to generate income. You will also lead the development of knowledge exchange activities by, for example, establishing research links with industry and influencing public policy and the professions. You will contribute to teaching and student supervision at all levels, where appropriate, ensuring that research advances inform departmental teaching effort and you will carry out Department administrative and management functions, for example by convening or participating in relevant committees. You will contribute to the strategic development of the University through, for example, developing new research strategies and by anticipating and planning for new directions for yourself and research teams, and you will engage in continuous professional development.

To be considered for the role, you will be educated to a minimum of PhD level in an appropriate engineering, computing, or science discipline, or have significant relevant experience in addition to a relevant degree. You will have research interests consistent with the strategic direction of the Department and university, and, be able to demonstrate standards of excellence and a growing national reputation, for example through a sustained track record of published research in high quality publications, or equivalent. You will have a track record of securing research funding and managing research projects, in industry, a research and technology organisation, or academia. You should have teaching experience at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, including student assessment activities and you will have the ability to play a senior role within a team environment, and motivate and manage staff, with experience of leading teams of less experienced staff and students. You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to listen, engage and persuade, and to present complex information in an accessible way to a range of audiences.

Please be aware that this role may be subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that enhanced checks may be required, and factors including your nationality, any previous nationalities you have held, and your place of birth may limit the roles you can perform for the organization.

Initial interviews are scheduled for 12 – 14 August 2025.

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Malcolm Macdonald, Director of the Applied Space Technology Laboratory at (Malcolm.Macdonald.102@strath.ac.uk).

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