Research Fellow in Advanced Electromechanical Systems

About us

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at UCL undertakes internationally leading research in advanced engineering systems, with strong activity in electrified transport and sustainable mobility. Our research spans challenges including low carbon shipping, sustainable fuels and advanced biomedical flows.

We are committed to an inclusive, collaborative and supportive working culture, bringing together academic staff, researchers, postgraduate students and external partners.

About the role

This post is funded through a dedicated three-year research project developing advanced electromechanical systems and their supporting subsystems for sustainable transport. The project covers rotating machinery, its support and containment arrangements, and associated fluid, thermal and control systems. Parts of the programme involve equipment operating over a wide temperature range.

The role is experimentally led, with a strong secondary emphasis on multiphysics and finite element modelling. The post holder will be responsible for the design, modelling and experimental validation of rotating machinery and its supporting subsystems, as well as building and commissioning the test capability required to validate the technology.

Working with minimal supervision, you will take responsibility for delivering defined technical work packages to completion, advising staff and students, and contributing to the successful delivery of project objectives, milestones and outputs.

Please refer to the attached Job Description & Person Specification for further information about the post's duties and responsibilities.

About you

We would be delighted to receive applications from individuals who have a PhD (or equivalent research experience), or are close to completion, in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering or a closely related discipline. You will have specialist knowledge in at least one of electrical machines and power electronic drives, rotating machinery and rotordynamics, thermal and fluid systems, or control engineering, together with working knowledge of the others.

You will have knowledge of rotor support and suspension technologies, including bearing selection and non-contact approaches, and experience of multiphysics and finite element modelling across two or more of the electromagnetic, thermal, structural and fluid domains.

You will also have experience specifying, building, instrumenting and commissioning experimental test rigs and delivering test campaigns, alongside a strong understanding of electrical, mechanical, thermal and pressure system safety and good laboratory practice.

You will have practical competence with commercial multiphysics and finite element analysis software, such as Ansys, COMSOL or equivalent, and strong practical skills in rig build, commissioning, testing and fault-finding on electromechanical hardware. You will be able to rigorously analyse and interpret measured and simulated data, including calibration, repeatability and measurement uncertainty.

Experience of equipment or systems operating at low or cryogenic temperatures, and publications on electromechanical systems, rotating machinery or supporting subsystems in leading international peer-reviewed journals, would be desirable. A commitment to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion would also be welcomed.

Further application guidance

Please note that this is a three-year appointment based on site at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus.

Please include a Supporting Statement with your CV, describing how you meet each criterion in the attached Job Description & Person Specification, giving examples. You will be scored against each criterion.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we are committed to equality of opportunity, fairness and inclusion, and to creating a community where everyone belongs. Our department holds an Athena SWAN Bronze award, recognising our commitment to advancing gender equality.

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