Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Citizen-led Flexibility and Grids Sustainability

Opportunity:

Salford Business School boasts a vibrant international community. We are pioneers in redefining education and its role in shaping the future and world around us. Industry collaborations, knowledge transfer partnerships, research partnerships, international exchanges, student opportunities, outreach activities - these are just some of the ways we connect and work together.

We are seeking an ambitious and highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join our research team on sustainable and resilient systems and societies. The researcher will focus on modelling consumer-led flexibility resources (e.g. V2G EVs and batteries) at the sub-grid/community level, with an emphasis on understanding distribution grid challenges and evaluating the impact of incentive mechanisms on both consumers and distribution system operators. 

The role:

This role is central to advancing our research on self-sustaining communities, local energy neighbourhoods, and consumer-driven flexibility, building on national initiatives such as Clean Power 2030, Future Energy Scenarios, and Ofgem’s smart charging and V2X priorities. The role will involve developing and applying advanced modelling frameworks to capture consumer-led flexibility at both distribution and sub-distribution levels. 

The researcher will design and run simulation studies to assess the technical and economic impacts of diverse distributed energy resources, including electric vehicles, vehicle-to-everything technologies, heat pumps, batteries, solar generation, and community storage, on local grid operation. A key focus will be to examine how different incentive structures and market mechanisms, such as dynamic tariffs, local flexibility services, and aggregator-based models, influence consumer participation and system performance. The work will also address grid-level challenges, including congestion management, voltage stability, and the potential to defer costly reinforcement. The researcher will carry out scenario and sensitivity analyses in line with national policy goals, notably Clean Power 2030 and NESO’s Pathways to Net Zero. Beyond technical research, the researcher will be expected to produce high-quality academic publications and policy briefs, while actively contributing to UKRI and Horizon Europe projects. Engagement with distribution network operators, industry partners, and local communities and pilot partners will be integral to ensuring that insights from the modelling are translated into practical, evidence-based solutions. The post-holder will work with and report to the Project Lead and will be required:

• To provide support to the Project Lead to deliver the DriVe2X Project.
• To manage research projects and contribute to projects delivered by others in the team as required.
• To manage and undertake data collection and analysis activities as required.
• To develop, build and nurture partnerships with a range of stakeholders. 
• To work across disciplines in the development and delivery of projects with internal, external, domestic and international partners.
• To present the findings and to publish research findings in high-quality academic and non-academic outputs 
• Perform any other duties as may be required from time to time by the Project Lead. 

We hope you will bring:

• PhD in power systems, energy systems modelling, or a closely related field.
• Strong expertise in distribution network modelling, optimisation, or simulation.
• Demonstrated ability to model consumer-led flexibility resources (EVs, storage, demand-side response, heat electrification).
• Familiarity with energy markets and incentive structures for flexibility.
• Strong computational and analytical skills (e.g. Python, MATLAB, energy system simulation platforms).
• Evidence of high-quality publications and ability to work independently as well as in multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience with V2X/V2G modelling and smart charging frameworks.
• Knowledge of regulatory and policy drivers shaping consumer-led flexibility in the UK.

Job Description

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