Postdoctoral Researcher in Materials Degradation for Gas Turbine Environments

Organisation: Cranfield University

Faculty or Department: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Based at: Cranfield Campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire

Hours of work: 37 hours per week, normally worked Monday to Friday. Flexible working will be considered.

Contract type: Fixed term contract

Fixed Term Period: For 12 months

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range of £37,897 to £38,887 per annum

Apply by: 07/06/2026

Role Description

The Materials in Extreme Environments Group is happy to welcome applications from passionate and enthusiastic postdoctoral researchers to join the research on materials’ degradation of blading materials in gas turbine environments, and other high-temperature energy applications.

About the Role

You will add technical expertise and deliver experimental and materials’ lifing work. You will have a specific set of responsibilities within the research project. You will be a highly motivated and organised individual with a passion for research and teaching.

The successful candidate will work on several industrially led projects, primarily in collaboration with the Materials in Extreme Environments Group. The projects will investigate the effect of different high temperature environments on a series of different alloys and superalloys.

About You

You will hold a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline, with strong expertise in materials degradation and high-temperature behaviour of alloys and superalloys. You will have hands-on laboratory experience, including metallography and experimental testing, alongside a proven ability to analyse complex data and generate high-quality research outputs, ideally evidenced by peer-reviewed publications.

Highly organised and self-motivated, you will be capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously and delivering to tight deadlines. You will demonstrate excellent communication skills, with the confidence to engage effectively with academic and industrial partners, contribute to teaching at postgraduate level, and present your work at international conferences. A collaborative mindset, strong problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to research excellence and safety are essential.

About Us

As a specialist postgraduate university, Cranfield’s world-class expertise, large-scale facilities and unrivalled industry partnerships are creating leaders in technology and management globally. Learn more about Cranfield and our unique impact here.

Our Values and Commitments

Our shared, stated values help to define who we are and underpin everything we do: Ambition; Impact; Respect; and Community. Find out more here.

We aim to create and maintain a culture in which everyone can work and study together and realise their full potential. We are a Disability Confident Employer. We are committed to actively exploring flexible working options for each role and have been ranked in the Top 30 family friendly employers in the UK by the charity Working Families. Find out more about our key commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Flexible Working here.

Working Arrangements

Collaborating and connecting are integral to so much of what we do. Our Working Arrangements Framework provides many staff with the opportunity to flexibly combine on-site and remote working, where job roles allow, balancing the needs of our community of staff, students, clients and partners.

How to apply

For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Dr Stefano Mori, Lecturer in Energy and Materials, on (E): stefano.mori@cranfield.ac.uk

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on (E): peoplerecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5308.

Closing date for receipt of applications: 7 June 2026

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert prior to the stated closing date should we receive sufficient numbers of applications. Therefore, we would encourage you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.