"Research Fellow"

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 24 months
Salary: Full time starting salary (if PhD close to completion) is normally in the range of £34,450 per annum; Full time starting salary (if PhD obtained) is normally in the range of £37,337 per annum
Apply by: 03/02/2026

Role Description
We welcome applications from a Research Fellow with a strong passion for and experience in biosensing, microfluidics and microbiology. The successful candidate will join our Advanced Sensors team and contribute to the 5-year Leverhulme Research Leadership Award project, Sensing Wastewater for Real-time Public Health.

About the Role
The postholder’s primary responsibility is to conduct cutting-edge research on a new class of biochemical sensor development for wastewater, especially on the single-cell and single molecule detection, utilising state-of-the-art facilities in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory at Cranfield University.
Cranfield University has a proud reputation for its research on the science, engineering and management of water, and we have been driving innovation for over 40 years. You will contribute to the delivery of Cranfield University’s research portfolio in the Advanced Sensors Laboratory for Water-Environment-Health, led by Professor Zhugen Yang. The group’s pioneering work on wastewater sensing, especially on origami-paper microfluidics sensors, has garnered significant national and international recognition, including features in Science and prominent media outlets such as BBC. The origami-paper device is currently featured at the London Science Museum. The project also involved partnership from world-leading institutions, such as Harvard University on droplets technology, and industrial sectors.

About You
You will hold a doctoral degree (or close to completion) in biosensing, microfluidics, environmental science, microbiology, or a related discipline. You will have demonstrable experience with experimental skillsets, including sensor development, wastewater surveillance, or reverse inference modelling for source tracking. You will bring laboratory expertise in designing experiments, handling advanced instruments, and troubleshooting. Collaboration and mentoring within interdisciplinary teams are also desirable.

How to apply
For an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact Professor Zhugen Yang, Professor of Biosensing and Environmental Health, on (T): +44 (0) 1234 758310 or (E): zhugen.yang@cranfield.ac.uk
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details on E: peoplerecruitment@cranfield.ac.uk. Please quote reference number 5182.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 3 February 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.