Research Fellow - 12 Month Fixed Term Contract Appointment

Birmingham City University

School of Engineering and the Built Environment

Location: City Centre Campus (Millennium Point)

Fixed Term contract for 12 months. For existing Birmingham City University employees, this opportunity may be offered as a secondment, subject to agreement with your current line manager.

About Birmingham City University

At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.

Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.

Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.

By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Research Fellow to join our Department of Engineering, supporting the delivery of high-quality services across the University.

The successful candidate will contribute to the UKRI-funded SMART-SIP+ project, working as a data scientist or software-oriented researcher to help develop pathways to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions in rural Bangladesh. The project focuses on replacing diesel-powered irrigation pumps with solar-powered alternatives, while also using surplus solar energy to power or charge local equipment such as cold storage, post-harvest machinery and low-powered EVs.

You will work with diverse, high-impact datasets encompassing geospatial agricultural mapping, live climate data, energy demands, and socio-technical feasibility (PESTLE) to build an actionable Decision Support Systems (DSS).

You will lead the technical development of a lightweight, Python-centric, open-source DSS. This system must translate our findings into a user-friendly tool tailored for two distinct audiences: local implementers (farmers/investors needing micro-level business cases) and policymakers (requiring macro-level scenario simulations). 

For the farmer, cooperative or investor the interface needs to be highly localized, focusing on the specific "site" or "project" level. It should cut through the noise and answer: What technology works for this farmer right here, how much will it cost, and what is the return?

For Policymakers, Government Agencies, Large-scale Planners the primary goals are strategic resource allocation, agro-industry electrification, and socio-economic upliftment. This interface zooms out: policymakers need to see regional trends, systemic bottlenecks, and opportunities for large-scale interventions (like targeted subsidies).

Beyond software development, you will have the opportunity to leverage this multi-scale dataset to uncover new insights, shape academic discourse, and actively contribute to the project's publication output.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead DSS & Spatial Software Development: Design, build, and deploy interactive web applications and mobile apps (e.g., using Streamlit or Dash) that integrate GIS mapping to visualize infrastructure, climate, and crop distribution.
• Scenario & Data Modelling: Translate techno-economic models (CAPEX/OPEX) into interactive Python logic and manage data pipelines, including API integration for live climate data.

Essential Requirements

• BSc/BTech degree in Data Science, Geoinformatics, Computer Science, AI, or a closely related quantitative field.
• Strong proficiency in Python programming, specifically for building interactive data dashboards (e.g., Streamlit, Plotly Dash) and processing spatial data (e.g., GeoPandas).
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into accessible, user-friendly visualisations.

Desirable Requirements

• MSc or PhD in Data Science, Geoinformatics, Computer Science, AI, or a closely related quantitative field.
• Familiarity with the Google Earth Engine API or processing heavy raster/remote sensing data.
• Understanding of techno-economic modelling, renewable energy systems, or agricultural supply chains.
• A track record (or clear potential) for authoring academic papers and contributing to research dissemination.
• Prior experience working on interdisciplinary or international development projects (particularly in South Asia).

Further Information

If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of the Department of Engineering, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Prof Lynsey Melville at lynsey.melville@bcu.ac.uk.

Why not explore our campuses using our interactive map: Interactive Map | Birmingham City University

Why work for us

• Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
• Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
• Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits.
• Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

Visa Sponsorship 

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. For further information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

The appointed candidate will be employed through BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University, and will be automatically enrolled into the BCU Support Services Pension Scheme (BCUSS), subject to earnings and other eligibility criteria.

Further Details: Job Description

Use of AI in applications

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance; How to Apply - Jobs at Birmingham City University

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

Disability Confident Employer

Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.

Closing Date: 23.59 hours BST on Sunday 18 October 2026