Research Associate - Digital Twin Design Process (DTDP)

Weekly Working Hours: 22.2

Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 6 months from start date

Welsh Language: Not Applicable

Change your career, change lives

The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part-time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).

The Open University Business School (OUBS) is within the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL). Research is at the heart of the OUBS, underpinning all our activities from teaching to consultancy, advisory and policy work. Our mission is to undertake high-quality research in the fields of business, management, accounting and finance that is intellectually leading, meets international standards of excellence and provides a strong evidence base to inform practice.

The Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is The Open University’s (OU) largest research faculty. Our researchers enjoy state-of-the-art facilities to support their subject interests, including specialist laboratories and world-leading analytical facilities.

About the Role

We are seeking to appoint a highly motivated Research Associate to join an exciting project to shape the Digital Twin for testing in the product development process. The researcher will join a team to work on a pilot study and support the design of a Digital Twin Design Process through real-world case studies. The plan is to test, refine, and validate the process, ready for industry adaptation.

This position offers an excellent opportunity for someone who wants to transition into a research role in future. The successful candidate will work closely with Dr Khadija Tahera from the Open University Business School (OUBS), Professor Helen Lockett, and Dr Iestyn Jowers, both from the Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). They will draw on their research knowledge, skills, and experience to support research activities and the personal growth of the researcher. Suitable training and professional development opportunities will also be offered. Overall, we are seeking a researcher who is eager to actively engage and contribute to strong research at the Open University.

Key Responsibilities

The person appointed will be expected to contribute to the project in the following ways:

• Conduct research in Digital Twins and information modelling techniques.
• Support planning and conduct interviews at the case study company.
• Contribute to the development of an information model for test-intensive product development.
• Participate in industry meetings and workshops.
• Write reports and draft a journal article.
• Support the project lead as needed. 

About You

Essential

• A PhD (awarded or thesis submitted) in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Information Systems, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience in the field of Digital Twin.
• Familiarity with Digital Twin concepts and technologies, as well as experience in information and process modelling.
• Demonstrable analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills, engaging with both academic and industry stakeholders.
• Excellent written communication skills are necessary for report writing and collaboration with industry stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Demonstrated ability to respond to feedback and refine deliverables accordingly.

Desirable

• Expertise in working with mixed-methods research approaches e.g. qualitative, survey and experimental.
• An existing track record of publication, preferably in academic journals.
• Experience of conducting collaborative research with non-academic stakeholders.
• Experience of designing, organising or delivering knowledge exchange activities.

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interviews are likely to be held w/c 3rd November 2025 and will consist of a formal interview and brief presentation to the panel.

Early closing date notification

We may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

How to apply

To apply for this role please submit the following document(s):

• CV
• Supporting statement of up to 1000 words detailing how you met the Essential and Desirable Criteria for the role.

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.