Research Associate

The Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Facility (MSKBRF), Cardiff School of Engineering is leading an EPSRC project in collaboration with Imperial College London. This post presents an opportunity to work with the internationally recognised research teams (UK, US and Belgium), and industry partners on the development a Multi-platform pipeline for engineering human knee joint function (ENGIN KNEE). 

For the ENGIN Knee project, we are combining state of the art methods, ranging from advanced computer modelling (in silico), through robot driven testing of implanted knees (in vitro), to 3-dimensional X-ray imaging of moving patients (in vivo) with Machine Learning driven analysis, to deliver a knee joint analysis pipeline capable of driving surgical innovation beyond 2030.

The work program, based at Cardiff University, and in collaboration with Katholik University Leuven, Belgium and University of Florida, USA, will develop and validate test protocols and musculoskeletal models in the MSKBRF Dynamic X-ray imaging and Motion Analysis Laboratories. Employing state-of-the-art techniques alongside novel concepts, robust institutional and industry collaboration, and continuous engagement with clinicians and patients, the project will enable the development of new, realistic, practical musculoskeletal models to understand knee loading and stability in patients having total knee replacement surgery.

In your role, you will lead the refinement, application and integration of subject-specific musculoskeletal modelling approaches within the ENGIN-Knee programme. You will work with in vivo, subject specific data generated from Cardiff’s dynamic dual-plane X-ray, motion capture and MRI platforms, linked to outputs from in vitro, robot-driven cadaveric testing at Imperial College London. 

Working with existing model frameworks and newly acquired datasets from healthy volunteers, patients with late-stage knee osteoarthritis and patients with total knee replacement instability, you will contribute to the advancement of a multi-platform pipeline for understanding knee function, loading and stability. 

The post will focus particularly on translating experimentally derived loading and kinematic information into modelling workflows, evaluating the influence of subject-specific anatomy and model assumptions on predicted outputs, and supporting validation of modelling approaches against in vivo and in vitro data.

Your main duties would include:
•    Work with Cardiff, Imperial and international collaborators to apply, adapt and validate musculoskeletal modelling workflows using existing and newly acquired ENGIN-Knee datasets.
•    Develop and refine subject-specific or hybrid knee model pipelines informed by imaging, motion analysis and robot-derived loading data.
•    Translate outputs from robot-driven cadaveric testing into modelling inputs, calibration approaches and validation comparisons.
•    Analyse and interpret model predictions of knee kinematics, kinetics, loading and stability across healthy, osteoarthritic and arthroplasty cohorts.
•    Contribute to integration of in vivo, in silico and in vitro datasets to support project milestones related to knee instability and model validation.
•    Support curation, documentation and dissemination of modelling workflows, derived datasets and outputs for collaborative and open research use.
•    Work closely with the Cardiff team, clinicians and project coordinator to ensure modelling activities align with ongoing data collection, governance and project delivery.
Contribute to reports, publications, presentations and collaborative meetings across the ENGIN-Knee consortium. 

This post is full time (35 hours per week), from the 1st June, 2026, and is fixed term until 30th November, 2027.
     
Salary: £41,064 - £46,049 per annum (Grade 6).  It is not expected that an appointment be made above Grade 6 Point 32, £41,064 per annum.

For informal enquiries about the post please contact Professor Cathy Holt, Dr David Williams, and Ms Jenny Williams Holt@cardiff.ac.uk, WilliamsD37@cardiff.ac.uk, and WilliamsJ154@cardiff.ac.uk

For further details about working at Cardiff School of Engineering please contact Enginadmin@cardiff.ac.uk

Closing date: Friday, 24 April 2026

The School of Engineering holds an Athena SWAN Bronze Award that recognises good employment practice and a commitment to develop the careers of women working in science. Cardiff University is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity. For this vacancy we actively encourage women to apply. We will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share opportunities. 

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:  Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.