Research Assistant / Research Associate in Design of Active Electrical Power Distribution Systems

Salary: 

Research Assistant: £33,002 to £34,610 per annum

Research Associate: £35,608 to £46,049 per annum

The Role

To enable the societal shift to a net zero economy, electrical power systems are rapidly decarbonizing supply whilst electrifying carbon-intensive demand. There is therefore an acceleration in the connection of low carbon technologies (LCTs, such as solar PV, electric vehicles, heat pumps or energy storage) to distribution networks. New active technologies that provide flexibility, such as network operator-owned power electronic devices (PEDs), promise to provide the necessary additional capacity to enable those LCTs whilst reducing bills for customers whilst improving resilience.

In this role, you will contribute to Newcastle University’s efforts to address this challenge by supporting development of an active network Design Tool for low voltage distribution networks. This tool is a key component of the flagship D-Suite project led by UK utility SP Energy Networks, and is used to automate the selection, siting & sizing of network operator-owned active PEDs. An initial design for the Tool has been developed through 2025, and will be evaluated by end users in Spring 2026.

Working as a member of Newcastle’s Power Systems research group and supported by the University’s Research Software Engineering team, you will continue to advance the development of the Tool’s algorithms and functionality. As a key innovative component of D-Suite, this open-source tool will achieve wide industry visibility & will be formally evaluated by other UK network operators as part of the D-Suite project.

Your core responsibilities will also involve contributing the broader research activities on power electronics-based power systems within the Electrical Power group. In particular, you will contribute to the Supergen Energy Networks hub, in which you will have opportunity to work across a network of nearly fifty renowned organizations internationally, including GB’s National Energy System Operator (NESO), Siemens, Northern Powergrid, and the Energy Systems Catapult. Other collaboration and research opportunities will be available, such as through the Centre for Energy.

Given the role’s focus, we are particularly interested in working with researchers who are looking to undertake research in collaboration with industry. We aim to use new and innovative methods to solve real-world problems whilst delivering significant academic contributions.

The post is full time, fixed term for 24 months. You will be based in the newly renovated Stephenson building. We aim to hold interviews in mid October. Candidates invited to interview will be asked prior to the interview to complete a half-day task within a window of at least ten days (an example task for a different role within the research group is here). A start date of January 2026 is preferred.

To apply, please upload a CV (academic style, no page limit) & a cover letter (1 or 2 pages A4). These should detail how your experience meets the requirements outlined in the job description & your interest in the role.

For more information or informal enquiries, please contact Dr Matthew Deakin, matthew.deakin@newcastle.ac.uk.

The successful applicant may be eligible for a Global Talent Visa under the Endorsed Funder Route, the University will support you with this application. The University provides a Visa Reimbursement Policy which allows Global Talent Visa applicants to reclaim the cost of their visa application fee, along with any accompanying dependants. The University also provides an Interest Free Loan scheme to support colleagues with visa-related costs not covered under the reimbursement policy – further information is available here.

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