Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of the West of Scotland – Faculty of Computing, Sciences and Engineering

Full time: 35 hours per week

Fixed Term: Until November 2028

This role may be eligible at this time for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. If requiring visa sponsorship, it is the successful candidate's responsibility to ensure they meet the individual criteria to satisfy Home Office visa sponsorship requirements. If the role is offered on a part-time basis, this might also affect eligibility. More information on eligibility can be found on the Government website.

Please note that the information provided in this advert is correct at the time of writing. The University cannot guarantee sponsorship, and we encourage you to keep up to date with any changes that the Home Office may introduce.

Applicants should be aware that this role is fully funded externally so is offered as fixed term for 24 months. Any further extension would be considered on the renewal of that external funding

The Post–

Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 3G Sports turf: Integrated Life Cycle Assessment, Life Cycle Costing, and Asset Management Modelling

The University of West of Scotland are recruiting for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to support the aims of the interdisciplinary UKRI-funded project, ‘ReSurface: Solving the UK’s Polymeric Waste Crisis from Synthetic Sports Turf Fields’.

The successful experienced candidate will develop integrated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) asset management models to optimise recycling processes and support the development of a UK-wide end-of-life (EoL) sports surface recycling infrastructure. Working closely with academic and industry partners, the researcher will collect and analyse primary data from recycling facilities, including material flows, mass balances, environmental impacts, and process performance.

The role will also involve validating and refining the LCA and LCC models using real-world operational data, contributing to research on material recovery, waste stream characterisation, separation efficiencies, and market opportunities for recycled products. The postholder will update the models to incorporate emerging recycling technologies and market developments, ensuring their applicability across different geographic regions and recycling scenarios. The models will be developed using ISO-compliant software to support evidence-based decision-making and sector-wide adoption of sustainable recycling practices.

The postholder will be based at the UWS Lanarkshire Campus and liaise with other PDRA’s at Loughborough University, in data analysis, generation of scientific reports and papers, and integration of research findings across disciplines. The project will involve regional travel at times to work with project partners/collaborators in Grangemouth and Loughborough University 

The successful candidate should have the following: 

• PhD in Environmental Engineering, Sustainability, Waste Management, Environmental Science, Materials Science, Industrial Ecology, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrable research experience in Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Experience of analysing environmental and economic performance of engineering systems.
• A familiarity with software such as openLCA, SimaPro, Python, PowerBI and Excel with VBA/Power Query (where needed)
• Experience working collaboratively with external stakeholders, industry partners or multidisciplinary research team 

About Us 

University of the West of Scotland is a placemaking institution that is proud to be an integral part of its local communities, with a national and international reach: the University has four campuses in Scotland in Ayr, Dumfries, Lanarkshire and Paisley, as well as a campus in London Docklands. UWS has almost 100 international partnerships and its student community comprises more than 100 nationalities.

UWS is committed to providing education opportunities for all, empowering individuals to reach their full potential. The University creates meaningful impact locally, nationally and globally through innovative learning and teaching, pioneering research, and transformative partnerships. UWS is committed to the UNSDGs and was ranked joint 1st in Scotland and joint 4th in the UK for quality education (SDG4); and 1st in the UK and 39th globally for  our contribution to decent work and economic growth (SDG8) in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026.

90% of UWS research was classed as world-leading, internationally excellent, or recognised internationally in the REF (Research Excellence Framework) 2021.

The Faculty of Computing, Sciences and Engineering at UWS delivers innovative, industry-focused teaching and research that addresses real-world challenges. Through cutting-edge research, enterprise and collaboration, the Faculty develops solutions that drive transformational change and deliver tangible, positive impact for society locally, nationally and globally. 

You will join an innovative, supportive and collaborative community, playing a key role in advancing research, inspiring the next generation of graduates and strengthening the University’s reputation for excellence. Our students benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, research-informed teaching, extensive expertise in research and development, and strong partnerships with multinational companies and organisations across the public, private and third sectors, providing opportunities to tackle global challenges and shape the future of science, technology and engineering.

UWS is fully committed to the UK Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers which sets out clear standards that research staff can expect from the University. It aims to improve the employment and support for research careers in the UK and provides a framework for career development based around the Concordat principles. 

We offer our staff a caring and supportive environment, across five campuses, and a competitive benefits package which includes: 

• 35 days of annual leave, plus a further 12 days for public/university holidays
• An additional days leave on your birthday
• Defined benefit contribution pension scheme (including death in service benefits upon joining the scheme
• A flexible approach to working pattern and work-life balance
• Employee discount scheme across 3,500 retailers
• Fitness facilities across our campuses
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing resources, including occupational health, physiotherapy and access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Professional, career and research development opportunities. 

Closing Date: Wednesday 11^th November

Interview Date: Wednesday 2^nd December

Please note that the appointment will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception, where evidence would need to be provided)

The University reserves the right to shorten/extend the closing date of any position where a high/low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.

You can find out more about how the University uses your personal data as part of the recruitment process by looking at the UWS HR Applicant Privacy Notice at www.uws.ac.uk

UWS are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant.

UWS is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups.

UWS is a “Disability Confident” employer.

University of the West of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity, no. SC002520.