Innovation Research Associate for EPSRC Network Plus Scale Up Mathematics for Formulated Products

Fixed Term Contract - 24 Months.

Full Time - 35 hours per week.

The Opportunity:

We are looking for an Innovation Research Associate (InRA) for the newly established £2.8M EPSRC Network Plus “Scale Up Mathematics for Formulated Products” (SUM4Products). For this position, the appointed InRA will be hosted in Prof Halim Kusumaatmaja’s group at the University of Edinburgh. There is a parallel SUM4Products InRA recruitment at the University of Bristol, and candidates are welcomed to apply to both positions. 

The SUM4Products network aims to build a long-lasting, multi-disciplinary network of excellence that propels the UK as a global leader in formulation science and engineering with mathematics at the heart. It will connect academics from multiple disciplines, including engineering, computer science, physics, chemistry, and biology with industrial partners from companies of all sizes, from micro-SMEs to multi-nationals. Mathematics will provide the underlying frameworks for developing predictive modelling capabilities that will unlock innovation across the sector. A variety of events to seed collaborations using tried-and-test formats will be organised, and pump priming funding will be made available to develop multi-disciplinary collaborations. 

Core to the delivery of SUM4Products is a group of Innovation Research Associates (InRAs) to tackle mathematical and scientific challenges pertinent to the formulation sector. Four InRAs will be appointed in Edinburgh, Bristol, UCL, and Birmingham. They will have opportunities to work with academic and industrial members across the SUM4Products network, and they will be encouraged to collaborate with other InRAs and Early Career Researchers involved in the SUM4Products network.

Key activities for the appointed InRA include: (i) scoping up and delivering research projects in collaboration with academic and industrial partners, (ii) contributing to SUM4Products events, including the annual conference, study group, and triaging workshop, and (iii) communicating the results through appropriate means, which may include research papers, oral presentations, open-source software release, and case studies.  

The position is expected to commence in March 2026, with some flexibility in the starting date. The post is for 24 months. Informal enquiries are welcome and should please be directed to halim.kusumaatmaja@ed.ac.uk. 

Your skills and attributes for success: 

• A good undergraduate degree and a PhD in applied mathematics, physical sciences, engineering or a clearly related area.
• Proven track record of modelling-based research in areas relevant to formulation science, including but not limited to fluid dynamics, continuum mechanics, soft matter, interfacial phenomena, heat and mass transfer.
• Demonstrable mathematical and/or computational skills to solve research problems.
• Demonstrable ability to work independently and in a team.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, including with colleagues from different background and technical expertise.

Apply Before: 21/11/2025, 23:59

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