Research Associate: SOLAR Photovoltaic to MOVE for Systems Integration

Faculty of Engineering

We are seeking a full-time Research Associate to support the delivery of the SOLAR Photovoltaic to MOVE for Systems Integration (SOLAR-MOVE) project (fixed term 20 months), a Horizon Europe project with leading academic and industrial partners.

Term: Fixed (20 months)

Closing Date: 23 January 2026

We are seeking a full-time Research Associate to support the delivery of the SOLAR Photovoltaic to MOVE for Systems Integration (SOLAR-MOVE) project (fixed term 20 months), a Horizon Europe initiative. The SOLAR-MOVE project aims to contribute to the massive adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) minimizing their impact in the power grid by proposing solutions for different Vehicles Integrated Photovoltaic (VIPV) ecosystems in passenger transportation. The SOLAR-MOVE will follow three main targets: i) increase the range of the VIPV in 5 to 10 km/day compared to normal EVs; ii) reduce the dependency on the grid (energy provided by the grid) from 20 to 50 %, depending on the eco-system; and iii) create solutions with positive Net Present Value. To achieve these goals the consortium - comprised by 34 partners across 16 countries - will develop innovative VIPV solutions, including tools to be integrated in VIPV; VIPV prototypes (Heavy-duty vehicles with PV in the trailer, garbage trucks, passenger buses, last-mile delivery and motorhome); VIPV Use Optimisation solutions to maximise the range of the VIPVs; and ePIPV (charging stations with PVs) for diverse applications (in highways, opportunity charging for eBus, ePIPVs at municipality level, public ePIPV in commercial areas and private ePIPVs).

Your Role In this position, you will specifically:

• Work on PV production estimation and fault detection in ePIPV systems.
• Develop intelligent support tools to enable system flexibility.
• Create simulation platforms for power electronics system integration.
• Support the real-world demonstration of a PV-integrated electric bus. The research focuses on developing Photovoltaic (PV)-integrated electric vehicle systems within a high-TRL EU Horizon program. This role combines simulation work, specifically regarding mobile PV generation, with hands-on power electronics development. You will collaborate with a network of industry and academic partners. The position requires international travel approximately 1–2 times per year.

Please note: Prior hands-on power electronics laboratory experience is essential for this role. Ideal start date is April 20, 2026.

For informal enquiries, please contact Dr. I Safak Bayram, safak.bayram@strath.ac.uk

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