Research Assistant/ Postdoctoral Research Associate in Sustainable Business and Finance

Contract: Full Time (1FTE), Fixed Term for 1.5 years (With potential to extend）           

Closing Date: Thursday 09 October 2025

Detailed Description

We are looking to appoint up to two exceptional researchers to join our UKRI Ayrton Challenge Programme project “Sustainable Cooling Infrastructure for Fisheries in Indonesia (SCI-FI)”. 

SCI-FI is an ambitious interdisciplinary initiative that aims to create a deployment blueprint for sustainable cooling infrastructure that expands cold chain access at affordable costs, while enabling a just and inclusive energy transition in small-scale fishing communities. The project brings together leading researchers from University of Birmingham, Heriot-Watt University (HWU), Durham University, and three partner universities in Indonesia including Politeknik Negeri Bali, Universitas Indonesia, and Universitas Pattimura.  

At Edinburgh Business School, HWU, we are looking for highly motivated and talented researchers to conduct pioneering work at the intersection of sustainable business, finance, and infrastructure innovation.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Research 

• Collect and analyse quantitative and qualitative data from various sources (e.g., surveys, interviews, and secondary datasets).  
• Apply advanced analytical techniques (e.g., econometrics models; AI tools; MCDA; cognitive mapping) to generate robust, actionable insights.
• Design innovative financing channels and business models to advance sustainable cooling infrastructure.

General and Administrative 

• Collaborate effectively with administrative and academic staff in the School and across the University.
• Engage in professional development through training programs aligned with project needs and personal aspirations.
• Actively engage with industrial and non-academic stakeholders to determine system requirements and address barriers to implementation.
• Assist with the supervision of student project work and provide day-to-day support to other researchers.

Education, Qualifications and Experience 

Essential

• Academic Qualification
• A PhD (or near completion) in relevant discipline such as Finance; Economics; Business Analytics; Sustainability or related discipline.
• Subject Matter Expertise
• Strong knowledge of sustainable Finance, green business, decision support.
• Understanding of the net zero and/or circular economy.
• Research Excellence
• Proven strong track record of high-quality publications.
• Ability to work independently and conduct high quality research, familiar with tools and techniques for analysing complex systems, qualitative (interviews, surveys) and quantitative data analysis.
• Technical Proficiency
• Familiarity with relevant tools, methods, and techniques used in sustainability research and finance.
• Team Collaboration
• Experience working effectively in diverse, interdisciplinary teams.

For all criteria, further details and how to apply: https://enzj.fa.em3.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX/jobs/preview/4456/?mode=job-location

Informal enquiries can be made to Prof. Bing Xu: b.xu@hw.ac.uk

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/. 

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